Chelsea will be keen to reach the UEFA Europa Conference League semi-final when they take on Legia Warszawa on Thursday night.
Chelsea return to Stamford Bridge on Thursday evening with one foot firmly planted in the semi-finals of the UEFA Conference League, holding a commanding 3-0 aggregate lead over Polish side Legia Warszawa after a dominant showing in the first leg.
The Blues were in complete control during their visit to the Polish capital last week, dismantling Legia with ruthless efficiency. Goals from Tyrique George and a brace from Noni Madueke put the tie beyond doubt, and Enzo Maresca’s side racked up an expected goals figure that suggested they could have easily added a few more to their tally. The gulf in quality was apparent, and now Chelsea find themselves in one of the most comfortable second-leg positions in their European history.
Barring a miraculous turnaround that would rival anything in UEFA folklore, the West London outfit are all but through to the last four. Their likely opponents? Rapid Vienna, who carry a first-leg advantage over Djurgarden and are on a collision course with Chelsea for what promises to be a semi-final full of narratives.
Chelsea have never failed to progress in Europe after winning the first leg away from home, and they’ve done so 15 times before. That kind of record doesn’t just speak to form, it speaks to heritage, and Stamford Bridge will expect nothing less than another professional performance to seal the deal.
However, despite European dominance, not everything is rosy in West London. Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Ipswich Town in the Premier League has stirred discontent among the Chelsea faithful. Maresca’s possession-heavy approach is beginning to divide opinion, especially with the team surrendering a two-goal deficit to a side far below their weight class. The result saw Chelsea drop to sixth in the league, casting serious doubt on their Champions League qualification hopes.
Even if the Blues lift the Conference League trophy, it would only secure a place in the Europa League next season, hardly a return on the immense financial investment made in recent windows. The pressure, therefore, remains firmly on Maresca to deliver not just silverware but tangible signs of long-term progress.
As for Legia, their aspirations of a first European semi-final since 1991 were dashed the moment the first leg kicked off. Outclassed and outplayed in every department, their hopes now rest on damage limitation more than redemption. Their recent European away form offers no solace, seven straight defeats in knockout ties, including losses to Molde and Djurgarden in which they shipped three goals apiece.
Their record in England is similarly bleak. Legia have never won on English soil and were second-best in both of their last two trips. With defensive vulnerabilities glaring and attacking threat minimal, it’s difficult to see anything other than another long night for the Polish visitors.
To compound their woes, the domestic form is faltering too. A weekend defeat to Jagiellonia Bialystok dealt a blow to their hopes of qualifying for Europe through league position, meaning their attention will soon turn fully toward the Polish Cup final in May, a far more realistic chance for silverware. The Hard Tackle takes a look at how both sides could line up and what tactics they might employ on the day.
Team News & Tactics
Chelsea
With a three-goal advantage in the bag and a hectic domestic schedule to manage, Enzo Maresca is expected to rotate heavily for Thursday night’s second leg. The comfortable cushion gives Chelsea the opportunity to rest key players while handing valuable minutes to several exciting young prospects and fringe squad members.
Among those likely to be given the nod are Tyrique George, who opened the scoring in Warsaw, and Josh Acheampong, both of whom featured in the group stage matches, particularly against Astana. Additionally, Maresca could offer starting roles to academy talents such as Mathis Amougou, Shumaira Mheuka, and Samuel Rak-Sakyi, with all three in line to showcase their development on the European stage.
From the senior squad, Reece James could finally make his long-awaited return to the starting XI after being named on the bench during the weekend’s draw with Ipswich Town. His inclusion would offer a timely boost for match fitness ahead of tougher Premier League encounters. Elsewhere, Benoit Badiashile, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, and Christopher Nkunku are all expected to start, while Filip Jorgensen will likely be handed goalkeeping duties in place of Robert Sánchez.
Chelsea are likely to line up in a 4-3-3 formation, with Filip Jorgensen in goal. The defensive line is expected to include Josh Acheampong at right-back, Tosin Adarabioyo and Benoit Badiashile as the central pairing, and Samuel Rak-Sakyi at left-back.
In midfield, Reece James may be deployed in a hybrid or inverted role alongside Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Mathis Amougou, providing both structure and progression from deep areas.
Further forward, Tyrique George should retain his place on the right wing, with Christopher Nkunku operating centrally as the creative focal point, and Shumaira Mheuka lining up on the left in what should be a fluid and pacey front three for Chelsea against Legia Warszawa.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Jorgensen; Acheampong, Adarabioyo, Badiashile, Rak-Sakyi; James, Dewsbury-Hall, Amougou; George, Nkunku, Mheuka
Legia Warszawa
With the tie effectively beyond reach after a 3-0 defeat in the first leg, Goncalo Feio may look to preserve his key players ahead of Legia Warszawa’s domestic cup final in early May. Having fielded a strong side at the weekend against Jagiellonia Białystok in the Ekstraklasa, the Portuguese coach could opt for rotation at Stamford Bridge, using the fixture as an opportunity to rest regular starters and hand fringe players rare European minutes.
Legia are boosted by the return of Jan Ziolkowski and Artur Jedrzejczyk, both of whom are back from suspension and expected to start in defence. However, there are notable absentees in the attacking department. Ilya Shkurin, despite being one of the club’s standout performers, remains unavailable due to UEFA registration constraints, while both Marc Gual and Bartosz Kapustka are major doubts through iujury.
One familiar face for English fans will be Ruben Vinagre, who is expected to start at left-back. The Portuguese defender spent several years in England with Wolverhampton Wanderers and also had a brief loan spell at Everton, making his return to these shores a personal subplot in an otherwise one-sided tie.
Legia are likely to deploy a 4-3-3 formation. In goal, Kacper Tobiasz will continue between the posts. The back four will feature Pawel Wszolek at right-back, Jan Ziolkowski and Artur Jędrzejczyk as the centre-back pairing, with Rúben Vinagre on the left side of defence.
In midfield, Claude Goncalves, Rafal Augustyniak, and Vahan Bichakhchyan are expected to form a compact and industrious trio tasked with limiting Chelsea’s dominance in central areas.
Up front, Kacper Chodyna and Wojciech Urbański should take up the wide attacking roles, flanking veteran striker Tomas Pekhart, who offers physical presence and aerial threat but may find service hard to come by against a technically superior Chelsea side.
Given the aggregate deficit and upcoming cup final, Legia’s primary objective will be to avoid another heavy defeat, focus on damage control, and emerge with fitness and morale intact for more realistic silverware ambitions.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Tobiasz; Wszolek, Ziolkowski, Jedrzejczyk, Vinagre; Goncalves, Augustyniak, Bichakhchyan; Chodyna, Pekhart, Urbanski
Key Stats
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Chelsea are unbeaten in Europe this season, winning all nine of their matches so far, while keeping seven clean sheets during that run.
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Chelsea could become the first club to win all three active UEFA men’s club competitions (Champions League, Europa League, Conference League), having already lifted the Cup Winners’ Cup in the past.
- Legia Warszawa have lost seven consecutive European knockout away matches, conceding 3+ goals in each of their last two on the road (vs. Molde and Djurgarden), and have never won on English soil in European competition.
- Chelsea have a 100% progression rate in European ties after winning the first leg away from home, 15 out of 15 times.
- The Blues have scored three or more goals in five of their last seven UEFA Europa Conference League matches, including their 3-0 win in Warsaw last week.
Player to Watch
Christopher Nkunku
With Chelsea expected to rotate heavily for the second leg, all eyes will be on Christopher Nkunku, who is likely to be handed a starting berth as he continues his return to full fitness. The Frenchman has endured a frustrating, injury-disrupted debut season at Stamford Bridge, but his quality is undeniable, and this fixture offers the perfect platform to remind supporters exactly what he’s capable of.
Nkunku’s versatility allows him to operate across the front line or as an advanced playmaker, and his ability to drift between the lines could be especially useful against a Legia defence that struggled to cope with Chelsea’s movement in the first leg. His intelligence off the ball, sharp passing combinations, and knack for arriving in dangerous areas make him a threat even in low-tempo matches.
In a game where the pressure is off and space is likely to open up, Nkunku could find joy as the creative focal point in Chelsea’s front three. More than just a formality, this tie offers him valuable match rhythm, and if he gets going, Legia may be chasing shadows once again.
Prediction
Chelsea 3-0 Legia Warszawa (Chelsea win 6-0 on aggregate)
Given Chelsea’s dominant display in the first leg, their imperious home form in Europe, and Legia’s poor away record in knockout ties, it is hard to imagine anything other than another straightforward win for the Blues.
Expect Enzo Maresca to rotate slightly but still field a strong enough side to control the match. Noni Madueke and Tyrique George could be among the threats again, while Legia are likely to struggle to get out of their half for large periods.
