In the latest football news, Chelsea have been made aware of the possibility of facing a potential dark horse in the upcoming Europa Conference League. The Blues, who finished sixth in the Premier League standings, were expecting an automatic qualification to the Europa League main stages. However, Manchester United’s victory over rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final led to Chelsea’s demotion to European football’s third-tier competition.
As a result, Enzo Maresca’s team must now navigate a playoff tie to secure a spot in the new-look 36-team league phase, set to kick off in September. Despite missing out on European action in the upcoming season, Chelsea are still considered a seeded club, thanks in part to their Champions League triumph in 2021.
The team that Chelsea will need to watch out for is Braga, a consistent top-four side in the Portuguese Primeira Liga. They have been placed in the same group as Chelsea for the upcoming draw, which is scheduled for 1 pm BST on Monday. Daniel Sousa’s side will face Servette in the third qualifying round of the Europa League, with the loser dropping down to the Conference League.
Chelsea will ideally want Braga to progress, but Servette, currently joint-top of the Swiss Super League, could provide a tough challenge if they advance. The draw also includes four other pairings, with the winner of the Conference League third qualifying round match between Slovakia’s Spartak Trnava and Poland’s Wisla Krakow posing another potential test for Chelsea.
The playoff matches are set to take place on August 22 and August 29, with Chelsea discovering their opponent on August 15. Before the playoff fixtures, Chelsea are scheduled to play friendlies against Real Madrid and Inter Milan, leading up to their Premier League opener against Manchester City on August 18.
