Three things to look for as Chelsea goes to Krasnodar for the UCL

3. Determination

“He’s dominated (insert non-English European league name here), but can he do it on a cold rainy night in Stoke?” We all know the phrase and although it’s seemingly unique to English football, the principle can be applied elsewhere. For example, can Chelsea do it on a moderately chilly and relatively dry Wednesday night in Krasnodar?

In the weeks leading up to this run of games, the Blues have been relatively lucky with their scheduling. Chelsea hosted Southampton and Sevilla—after staying at home for Crystal Palace and in the city at Spurs on the opposite side of the international break—before the hectic travel schedule began. Most recently, the team found itself in Manchester before hopping on a plane and traveling over 2,000 miles to Russia’s southwest region. After Russia? The Blues hop back on a plane and fly to Burnley, just 29 miles from their previous English destination.

While the numbers and travel logs may seem insignificant to many, anybody who has traveled internationally will attest to the fact that it’s physically and emotionally draining most often than not. As much as fans around the world would like to think of athletes as superhuman—looking at you, Cristiano—they are people like you and me. All 22 men taking the pitch on Wednesday will want to win the match, but it could come down to who wants the three points more.

One can excuse some Blues players for not being 100 percent motivated by a match against the 8th place team in the Russian Premier League in the midst of an away stint that covers around 5,000 miles. Although it goes without saying, we’d all like a win, but this is a match that’s going to be tricky due to non-football factors surrounding it. Chelsea needs to enter Krasnodar Stadium on Wednesday evening with a hunger and determination to win the match. Otherwise, the Blues may find themselves on the back foot for much of the night—this is a Champions League match, after all.

What are some of the things you’ll be watching for? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!