Chelsea will play in Europe this season having qualified for the Conference League. However, the Blues are used to playing in the Champions League and Europa League but endured a difficult campaign last season. Having spent much of the year in midtable, the west London club enjoyed a strong end and finished sixth to secure their spot in continental competition.
When it comes to assessing the Europa League odds, Chelsea are among the huge favourites to lift the trophy and are certainly among the biggest clubs competing in this season’s tournament. With Enzo Maresca at the helm and a talented team on the field, the Blues will be confident they can add more silverware to the honours list.
Blues’ Busy Transfer Window ahead of European Campaign
Chelsea are often busy in the transfer market with a huge turnover of players taking place in recent seasons and this summer has been no different. The Blues looked to bolster the squad with a number of smart additions. Pedro Neto arrived from Wolves, bringing skill, talent and Premier League experience to the frontline at Stamford Bridge. Portugal international Joao Felix, who has previously spent time on loan at Chelsea, also joined on a permanent deal from Atletico Madrid.
Jadon Sancho is another big name to have been brought to west London, making a temporary switch from Manchester United while Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was signed from Leicester and joins up with his former boss Maresca after the pair helped the Foxes clinch the Championship title last season.
Elsewhere, Chelsea also signed defender Tosin Adarabioyo from rivals Fulham, goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen from Spanish side Villarreal and a number of youngsters, including Marc Guiu from Barcelona, who will contribute to the cause over the coming seasons.
In terms of outgoings, the Blues moved on a number of players in order to offset the vast amount of incomings this summer. The club received substantial transfer fees for Ian Maatsen and Conor Gallagher who signed for Aston Villa and Atletico Madrid respectively. Lewis Hall moved to Newcastle permanently, Romelu Lukaku joined Serie A side Napoli and Omari Hutchinson made the switch to newly-promoted Ipswich.
Raheem Sterling swapped west London for north to join Arsenal on a temporary deal and Lesley Ugochukwu made a similar move to Southampton who won the Championship play-off in May. A number of players also left the club on free transfers including veteran defender Thiago Silva, midfielder Hakim Ziyech and centre-back Malang Sarr. Chelsea weren’t finished there though and even allowed striker Armando Broja to join Everton on loan at the very end of the transfer window.
Understanding the New Conference League Format?
UEFA have made changes to all three of their competitions this season with the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League all undergoing a transformation.
The traditional group stage of 32 teams split into eight groups of four which has been used for decades has been replaced by a league phase consisting of 36 clubs. While the sides in the Champions League and Europa League will play eight fixtures in the league phase, Chelsea and their Conference League counterparts will still only play six.
Each point a team earns will go towards their tally in the league table. The sides who finish in the top fight will automatically go through to the Last 16. Clubs who finish 9th to 24th will be paired in eight two-legged play-off showdowns for the chance to join the top eight. However, the teams in 25th down to 36th will be automatically eliminated from European competition.
Who will Chelsea Face in the League Phase?
The Blues will face a total of six different sides in the League phase of the tournament. At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea will host Belgian outfit Gent, minnow FC Noah of Armenia and League of Ireland’s Shamrock Rovers. On the road, Maresca’s men will cover plenty of miles travelling to Greece to take on Panathanaikos, Germany to play Heidenheim and Kazhakstan to face Astana.
The Conference League features sides from all over Europe and, particularly in the early stages, teams have the opportunity to play in a number of different countries right across the continent.
Who was Left out of Chelsea’s Conference League Squad?
It came as a surprise to some when Cole Palmer was left out of Chelsea’s squad for this season’s Conference League. The young midfielder was the creative hub and top goalscorer for the Blues during the last campaign, finding the net 22 times. However, with Chelsea aiming to finish in the top four and qualify for the Champions League in 2025, it seems the club have taken the decision to rest one their key men in the belief the other players in the team are good enough to see the team progress.
Ben Chilwell, who was linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge, has also been left out of the squad as have midfielder Romeo Lavia and centre-back Wesley Fofana while their workloads are managed following long-term injuries.
Chelsea could play a total of 80 matches this season if they advance in each competition and so it is important to manage the squad effectively. What’s more, if the Blues progress in Europe, they can re-register those left out on February 6 when clubs are required to provide their teams for the knockout stages.
Strategies for Backing Chelsea
There are a number of moves you can make to enhance your wagering experience and position yourself to make smart and informed decisions from a place of authority.
It is imperative to be aware of team news ahead of each Conference League fixture. So already you will be aware Cole Palmer won’t be featuring and therefore Chelsea will be weaker in attacking positions without him. However, based on the relatively inferior opposition they are up against, the likes of Neto and Sancho are still supremely capable and so the Blues will still be highly fancied.
The form guide will also give you a strong indication of how Chelsea are performing throughout the campaign. Look at the results they earn in the Premier League and later in the season, also look at their level of performance heading into European fixtures. This will help you assess the team’s chances when playing in Europe.
Also consider home advantage as Chelsea are usually strong at Stamford Bridge. However, note that away fixtures may be more difficult to call as travelling abroad could leave some of the players feeling leggy or affect their usual level.
Wrapping Up
This is the first time Chelsea will compete in the Conference League as it is still a relatively new competition having been introduced by UEFA in 2021. With that in mind it will be an exciting and interesting experience following the Blues in Europe this season.
