Seeking to preserve their perfect record in the Conference League, Chelsea travel to Kazakhstan to take on Astana in their penultimate League Phase fixture on Thursday afternoon.
While the West Londoners are already guaranteed at least a last-16 playoff spot, the Yellow and Blues still have work to do to finish inside the top 24.
Match preview
© Imago
Chelsea are one of only two teams in this season's Conference League, along with Polish outfit Legia Warsaw, who have picked up a maximum 12 points from their opening four fixtures, scoring a competition-high 18 goals and conceding just three in the process.
Enzo Maresca's men managed to navigate their way past Gent (4-2), Panathinaikos (4-1) and FC Noah (8-0) before edging past German side Heidenheim by a 2-0 scoreline a fortnight ago, courtesy of a record-breaking goal from Christopher Nkunku and a late strike from Mykhaylo Mudryk.
Unlike the Champions League and Europa League where eight games are played in the newly-formed League Phase, Conference League teams only have six fixtures pencilled into their diaries, and Chelsea - sitting top of the 36-team table - can all but guarantee a top-eight finish if they beat Astana on Thursday, with just one game at home to Shamrock Rovers left to play.
The West Londoners will be confident of success against Astana, as they have put together an eight-game unbeaten run in all competitions since losing 2-0 at Newcastle United in the EFL Cup at the end of October, winning each of their last five matches by an aggregate score of 16-5.
Chelsea have won all of their last four away games during this run, including last weekend's eventful 4-3 victory against London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, a result that has moved Maresca's men up to second outright and to within four points of leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand.
© Imago
Competing in the Conference League for the second successive year, Astana have struggled to build on their opening win against Backa Topola (1-0) in October, as they have since picked up just one point across their last three fixtures.
Back-to-back defeats against The New Saints (2-0) and Pafos (1-0) were followed by a 1-1 draw at home to Portuguese outfit Vitoria de Guimaraes a fortnight ago - their most recent competitive fixture played in any competition - with Branimir Kalaica's first-half opener cancelled out by an 89th-minute equaliser for the visitors.
Two points dropped at such a late stage in the game came as a blow to Grigori Babayan's side, but they remain in contention to secure a place in the knockout rounds as they sit 23rd in the 36-team table, just inside the playoff positions thanks to goal difference, while they are five points behind the top eight.
Babayan has acknowledged that "the excitement is crazy" ahead of Astana's home encounter with Premier League giants Chelsea, and although they enter Thursday's contest as major underdogs, they have reason to be optimistic of claiming a positive result.
Indeed, the Yellow and Blues - who ended their domestic season finishing just one point behind Kazakhstan Premier League title winners Kairat - are enjoying a 13-game unbeaten home run (W11 D2) in all competitions, and it includes four wins and one draw across five Conference League fixtures (including qualifiers).
Team News
© Imago
Astana currently have a clean bill of health and Babayan's side is well-rested having not played a competitive fixture in two weeks.
A similar team to the one that beat Dynamo Kiev is set to be named, with defender Aleksa Amanovic potentially continuing in a midfield role next to Maks Ebong as top scorer Geoffrey Chinedu Charles, who has 10 goals to his name this term, leads the line.
As for Chelsea, Wesley Fofana, Romeo Lavia, Cole Palmer, Ben Chilwell and Marcus Bettinelli are all ineligible having been omitted from the club's Conference League squad; the former two are sidelined with injuries anyway and are joined in the treatment room by Reece James (hamstring).
Cesare Casadei is also unavailable due to suspension after being sent off in the Blues' win at Heidenheim last time out, while Mykhaylo Mudryk (illness) will be assessed ahead of kickoff.
Maresca is expected to rotate his side once again and could call upon a number of academy starlets including defender Josh Acheampong, midfielder Samuel Rak-Sakyi and winger Tyrique George, who made his full debut in the 8-0 win over FC Noah last month.
Astana possible starting lineup:
Condric; Bartolec, Kazukolovas, Kalaica, Vorogovskiy; Ebong, Amanovic; Tomasov, Gripshi, Camara; Geoffrey
Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Jorgensen; Acheampong, Disasi, Tosin, Veiga; Rak-Sakyi, Dewsbury-Hall; George, Nkunku, Felix; Guiu
We say: Astana 0-3 Chelsea
Astana will been keen to put in a spirited performance on home soil and will look to frustrate Chelsea, but the West Londoners should have enough quality on show to get the job done, even if Maresca makes multiple changes and hands some younger players a run-out in the freezing temperatures of Kazakhstan.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Oliver Thomas
