Chelsea are gearing up for a challenging UEFA Conference League fixture against Astana this Thursday, facing a host of logistical and environmental hurdles. The Blues will undertake a taxing 7,000-mile round trip to Almaty, Kazakhstan, with a five-hour time difference and temperatures set to plummet as low as -11°C.
The match is crucial for Chelsea, who need just one point to book their spot in the Round of 16, but they will also use the clash as an opportunity to showcase emerging young talent.
Chelsea’s flawless record in the group stage has allowed the club to shift focus slightly towards player development. Manager Enzo Maresca has included 11 academy players in the squad for the trip to Kazakhstan.
Among them are promising names like Harrison Murray-Campbell, Kaiden Wilson, Kiano Dyer, Harrison McMahon, Ato Ampah, Max Merrick, Richard Olise, and 17-year-old striker Shumaira Mheuka. These additions could make their senior European debuts in this encounter.
Meanwhile, youth players who have already had a taste of the senior stage, such as Tyrique George and Samuel Rak-Sakyi, may get another chance to shine. Chelsea’s willingness to give young players an opportunity in such a demanding fixture highlights the club’s strategy of balancing competitive priorities with long-term development.
Overcoming travel and weather challenges
The match is being held in Almaty instead of Astana, the namesake city of Chelsea’s opponents, due to ongoing renovations at Astana’s home ground. This relocation adds further complexity to Chelsea’s preparations.
To streamline their schedule, Maresca’s squad conducted their pre-match press conference and training sessions at Cobham before boarding an eight-hour chartered flight to Kazakhstan.
To cope with the time difference, Chelsea plan to stick to UK time, treating the 8:30 PM local kick-off as a 3:30 PM game back home. However, adapting to the extreme cold and unfamiliar artificial playing surface adds another layer of difficulty.
For Astana, who are coming into this match with the advantage of having completed their domestic campaign, the stakes are high—they will be aiming for a win to boost their chances of securing a spot in the knockout round play-offs.
Rotations and key updates
Enzo Maresca is expected to rotate his squad to keep players fresh, especially with a Premier League match against Brentford on Sunday in mind. Some regulars, including Cole Palmer and the injured Romeo Lavia, will not feature, as they are not part of Chelsea’s group stage squad.
However, Mykhailo Mudryk is back from illness and could play a key role. Other senior players like Axel Disasi, Tosin Adarabioyo, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who did not feature in Sunday’s thrilling 4-3 win over Spurs, could also be in the mix.
Youngsters will be supported by experienced figures such as Renato Veiga and Joao Felix, while captain Reece James and defender Wesley Fofana remain sidelined through injury. Cesare Casadei, meanwhile, is unavailable after his red card in the match against Heidenheim.
With their unbeaten record in the competition at stake and difficult conditions ahead, Chelsea’s trip to Kazakhstan is shaping up to be a stern test of their squad’s mettle and versatility. This fixture provides an excellent chance for youth players to step up, but with so many variables at play, it will not be an easy outing for the Blues.