We are still just over a fortnight away from Chelsea's Premier League opener against West London rivals Fulham at Craven Cottage, but the campaign is starting to take shape. Of course, last season's tenth place finish means that the Blues do not have any European football and, as a consequence, they will enter the Carabao Cup a round earlier than usual.
Alongside the Premier League's ten other clubs not in UEFA competition, Xabi Alonso's side will join the League Cup in the second round later this month, so here is everything you need to know.
When is the Carabao Cup second round draw?
The Carabao Cup draw will take place on Monday 10 August at around 7:20pm (BST). It will be conducted by David Prutton, alongside Jobi McAnuff and Jamie Mackie, ahead of Sky Sports' coverage of the Devon Derby at Home Park, Plymouth Argyle vs Exeter City.
Who could Chelsea draw in the Carabao Cup second round?
The first two rounds of the Carabao Cup are regionalised into Northern and Southern sections, to reduce travel cost and time for teams and supporters. The Blues will, obviously, be in the southern half of the draw, so here are the 23 possible opponents they could draw:
Chelsea's potential Carabao Cup round 2 opponents:
- Premier League: Brentford, Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, Ipswich Town & Coventry City.
- EFL Championship: Millwall, Cardiff City, Norwich City, Birmingham City, Watford, West Ham United, Southampton & Charlton Athletic.
- EFL League One: Stevenage, Cambridge United, AFC Wimbledon, Peterborough United, Reading, Luton Town, Leicester City & Leyton Orient.
- EFL League Two: Walsall.
- To be determined: Plymouth Argyle (L1) or Exeter City (L2).
It is a totally open draw, meaning the Blues could face any of these opponents, and it will be determined at random if Alonso's side will welcome their opposition to Stamford Bridge, or if they'll be on the road.
There is the potential for a blockbuster clash with Tottenham Hotspur, the other Premier League giants who endured a nightmare campaign, thereby entering at this stage. The two contested the League Cup Final just 11 years ago at Wembley, but could now meet before they usually even enter the competition. Alonso would probably also rather avoid an all-Premier League London derby with Fulham and Brentford too.
When will the Carabao Cup second round be played?
The second round of the EFL Cup is scheduled for the week commencing 24 August. However, that Monday night, the Blues commence their league campaign at Craven Cottage, before hosting Brighton & Hove Albion the following Sunday.
Thus, Chelsea's League Cup tie will have to be on Thursday 27 August.
How can I watch Chelsea in the Carabao Cup?
All 93 Carabao Cup matches are broadcast on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom and Ireland, with selected games free to air on ITV. Irrespective of who they face, there is a decent chance that ITV will select Chelsea's round two tie.
The competition is also live on CBS Sports Golazo and Paramount+ in the United States and beIN SPORTS in Australia.
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