Chelsea will be keen to get their UEFA Conference League campaign off with a win when they welcome KAA Gent to Stamford Bridge on Thursday night.
Chelsea kick off their Europa Conference League campaign with a home fixture against Belgian side KAA Gent on Thursday night at Stamford Bridge. The Blues come into the match brimming with confidence after a commanding 4-2 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League, spearheaded by a brilliant performance from Cole Palmer.
Despite the off-field turbulence that marked the start of the season, Chelsea have made a fantastic start under Enzo Maresca, who took the reins from Mauricio Pochettino. With four consecutive wins, they are just two points off the top of the Premier League table, defying critics who wrote them off in the early stages of the campaign.
Cole Palmer, who was pivotal in Chelsea’s win over Brighton with a four-goal contribution, has quickly become a key figure for the Blues. However, while Chelsea’s attack has been firing on all cylinders — the team currently leads the Premier League in goals scored with 15 — there are still areas for improvement, as evidenced by two errors from goalkeeper Robert Sanchez that led to goals in their recent outing.
Nevertheless, Chelsea’s home form remains strong, with only one loss in their last 14 matches across all competitions. Thursday’s fixture will mark their first appearance in the Europa Conference League, and as one of the competition’s most high-profile participants, Chelsea are strong favourites to make a deep run.
The Blues also have an opportunity to make history, as they could become the first club to win all four major European trophies: the Champions League, Europa League, Cup Winners’ Cup, and Conference League. Their record in European competition outside the Champions League is encouraging, with triumphs in the Europa League in both 2013 and 2019.
Chelsea’s opponents, Gent, are no strangers to European football either, having competed in continental competitions for 10 consecutive seasons. Starting in the second qualifying round, Gent battled their way through six matches to reach the league phase, defeating Vikingur, Silkeborg, and Partizan Belgrade along the way.
Domestically, Gent are off to a strong start as well, trailing only Genk in the Belgian Pro League standings after nine matches. They have been a consistent presence in the Europa Conference League since its inception, reaching the knockout stages in all three of their previous participations and even making it to the quarter-finals last season, where they were ultimately knocked out by West Ham United.
While Gent will be underdogs on Thursday, they are no strangers to playing in London. In 2017, they famously eliminated Tottenham Hotspur from the Europa League at a packed Wembley Stadium, and they will be hoping to cause another upset in the English capital. The Hard Tackle delves into the potential elevens and tactics for this highly-anticipated clash.
Team News & Tactics
Chelsea
Enzo Maresca is expected to rotate his squad heavily for the Europa Conference League home opener, giving some key players a rest after a busy domestic schedule. Cole Palmer, who starred in Chelsea’s recent Premier League win, is not in the squad for this competition, meaning Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto, and Joao Felix are likely to spearhead the attack alongside Mykhailo Mudryk, who all impressed in the cup win over Barrow.
Reece James remains the only player sidelined with an injury, while Romeo Lavia made his return last weekend after a six-game absence, bolstering the midfield options.
In terms of formation, Chelsea will likely line up in a 4-2-3-1 shape. Filip Jorgensen is expected to start between the posts, with Josh Acheampong, Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile, and Renato Veiga forming the back four. Romeo Lavia could be partnered with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in midfield, providing a strong base behind the attacking trio of Pedro Neto, Joao Felix, and Mykhailo Mudryk. Christopher Nkunku is expected to lead the line as the lone striker.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Jorgensen; Acheampong, Disasi, Badiashile, Renato Veiga; Lavia, Dewsbury-Hall; Mudryk, Joao Felix, Neto; Nkunku
KAA Gent
Gent have seen significant changes to their squad following the departure of key players such as Julien De Sart, Tarik Tissoudali, and Hong Hyun-seok during the summer transfer window. Additionally, Sven Kums will be absent for this match, while Andrew Hjulsager remains doubtful.
New signing Aime Omgba has yet to make his debut due to injury, adding to Gent’s injury concerns. Andri Gudjohnsen, the son of former Chelsea striker Eidur Gudjohnsen, may feature at Stamford Bridge after scoring off the bench in their recent win against OH Leuven. However, it is expected that English forward Max Dean, who has scored in back-to-back starts, will lead the line in this encounter, marking a return to his homeland.
In terms of formation, Gent are likely to field a 3-4-3 setup. Davy Roef will start in goal, with Stefan Mitrovic, Tsuyoshi Watanabe, and Jordan Torunarigha forming the back three. Noah Fadiga, Atsuki Ito, Mathias Delorge, and Archie Brown are expected to occupy the midfield. Up front, Omri Gandelman and Max Dean will provide the attacking threat, supported by winger Franck Surdez.
Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Roef; Mitrovic, Watanabe, Torunarigha; Fadiga, Ito, Delorge-Kneiper, Brown; Gandelman, Dean, Surdez
Key Stats
- Chelsea have not lost to a Belgian team in European competition in 29 years, winning five of their eight encounters and drawing the other three.
- Chelsea have only suffered one defeat in their last 14 home matches across all competitions, showcasing their dominance at Stamford Bridge.
- Gent have been ever-present in the Europa Conference League since its inception in 2021 and have reached the knockout stages in each of their three previous participations.
- Gent have played in London before, most notably eliminating Tottenham Hotspur from the Europa League in 2017 with a 1-0 win at Wembley Stadium.
- Chelsea have a history of winning when participating in UEFA competitions outside of the Champions League, having won the Europa League on two occasions (2013 and 2019), making them favourites in the Conference League this year.
Player to Watch
Christopher Nkunku
Christopher Nkunku will be one to watch for Chelsea in this Europa Conference League clash against KAA Gent. The French forward has shown glimpses of his creative brilliance and finishing ability since returning from injury, and with the opportunity to lead Chelsea’s attack in this European tie, he will be looking to make a significant impact.
The Frenchman’s pace, technical skill, and intelligent movement in the final third will be crucial in unlocking Gent’s defence. With Chelsea rotating their squad for this competition, he will be eager to showcase his quality and contribute to what could be a dominant display for the Blues at Stamford Bridge. Nkunku’s sharpness in front of goal and link-up play with his attacking teammates could make the difference in breaking down Gent’s backline.
Prediction
Chelsea 3-1 KAA Gent
While Gent have shown resilience in Europe and have had previous success in London, Chelsea’s current form and attacking prowess under Enzo Maresca make them overwhelming favorites for this match. The Blues’ firepower, combined with their strong home record, should see them comfortably secure all three points as they begin their Europa Conference League campaign.
