Having secured a useful 2-0 benefit within the first match, the Blues should keep away from defeat by two or extra targets to enter the competitors correct.

That is the membership’s fourth aggressive go to to Switzerland. We now have gained one (Basel, April 2013) and misplaced two (St Gallen, September 2000 and Basel, November 2013) of the earlier three.

Additionally it is Chelsea’s sixth UEFA play-off recreation since 1999 and we’re but to concede in any such fixture residence or away. The earlier ties got here within the Champions League.

The Blues arrive on the again of a confidence-boosting 6-2 league victory at Wolves’ stadium, our highest ever rating there. Remarkably, till that consequence no incoming Premier League coach had ever gained a primary away journey along with his crew scoring six targets.

Enzo Maresca has now pocketed successive wins throughout all competitions however the Italian has nonetheless expressed concern about carelessness on the ball – additionally evident throughout final Thursday’s proceedings.

‘We’re nonetheless alive,’ was Genevese goalie Jeremy Frick’s takeaway from Stamford Bridge, and the Swiss Cup winners have loved a free week to relaxation and put together for tonight’s sold-out assembly at Stade de Geneve. Nevertheless, they had been thrashed 6-0 final time on the market by Tremendous League rivals Basel.

Chelsea can be decided to say top-seeding in Friday’s six-match league part draw, which begins round 1.30pm UK time. In additional of an algorithm than a draw, a pc will randomly draw one opponent from every of the six pots, ranked in accordance with their UEFA coefficient, and designate three of them hosts and three guests.

Group information

We began to see the Enzo Maresca methodology sparkle at Molineux however, with a giant derby to come back on Sunday, a modified beginning XI is probably going tonight in Geneva.

Towards Wolverhampton Wanderers we noticed the swift, daring passing from deep and effectivity in entrance of objective Maresca craves – the Londoners recorded 14 pictures, eight of them on the right track.

Defending in transition and at set-plays are areas he’s working to enhance, however that morale-boosting bonanza might assist velocity issues alongside. The Italian has additionally assured followers complacency won’t endanger European progress, regardless of personnel modifications this night.

Maresca’s system clearly fits a lot of our attacking gamers, particularly PFA Younger Participant of the 12 months Cole Palmer. Not since Mr Magic Hat himself, Cesc Fabregas, had a Blues participant managed three assists in a single league recreation.

Main scorer Noni Madueke constructed strongly on his strike within the first leg of this tie and appears unplayable for the time being – defenders hate difficult gamers who can go both facet.

Pedro Neto handed an astute help to returning goalscorer Joao Felix – however neither in that growing Portuguese partnership can be concerned tonight. Joao Felix was signed too late to be included in our squad for this tie and, together with Malo Gusto, Neto has been rested.

Moises Caicedo appears none the more serious for a nasty sort out at Molineux however, with Romeo Lavia sidelined and Enzo Fernandez probably adopting a deeper function, Kiernan Dewsbury-Corridor might step into the fray.

Marc Guiu, whose first-leg endeavour was not rewarded with a objective, might begin up entrance once more, whereas goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen might retain the gloves after his clear sheet in London.

The historical past

Though Chelsea have visited Servette’s floor twice on a pleasant foundation, that is our first aggressive match in Geneva.

The 2 sides met within the first leg of this Convention League qualifying tie final Thursday at Stamford Bridge, the hosts sealing a 2-0 win regardless of a number of openings for the Swiss.

That is our third away match in a European play-off setting, the primary two coming within the Champions League. The Londoners went via with a 0-0 draw at Skonto Riga (3-0 on mixture) in August 1999, and the identical month in 2003 introduced a 2-0 first-leg success at Zilina.

Tonight we purpose to progress to the primary UEFA competitors by way of the qualifying rounds for the third time in a row.

Know this…

Chelsea final performed at Servette 70 years in the past, in a 1-0 pleasant defeat on 31 January 1954.

Ought to the Blues progress tonight, the primary league part fixture can be our three hundredth European match throughout six totally different competitions.

Launched in 2020/21, the Convention League has been claimed by three groups – Roma, West Ham and present holders Olympiacos. The elegant 57.5cm Convention League trophy was created by Pentagram Design of Notting Hill, three miles up the highway from Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea’s win on Sunday was our largest on the highway since a 6-0 win at Southampton in April 2022, and the primary time in 17 years Wolverhampton had shipped six targets. At Molineux, Joao Felix turned the 14th participant to return and play for the Blues, and the fourth to attain on his ‘second debut’ after Alec Cheyne (1934), Peter Osgood (1978) and Romelu Lukaku (2021).

Madueke’s first treble for the membership (at 13 minutes and 59 seconds our quickest ever) means the Londoners have recorded 23 particular person hat-trick scorers within the Premier League – greater than any rival. Palmer turned solely the fifth participant to help a team-mate for every objective in a Premier League hat-trick and the third away from residence.

Assisted Premier League hat-tricks

1995 – Mike Newell for Alan Shearer, Blackburn Rovers 5-1 Coventry Metropolis
1995 – Stan Collymore for Robbie Fowler, Liverpool 3-1 Arsenal
2003 – Thierry Henry for Freddie Ljungberg, Sunderland 0-3 Arsenal
2020 – Harry Kane for Son Heung-Min, Southampton 2-5 Tottenham Hotspur
2024 – Cole Palmer for Noni Madueke, Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-6 Chelsea