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CHELSEA is looking to uphold their perfect record in the Conference League TONIGHT as they take on Astana.
Several members of the Blues‘ squad are keen to impress the first team following four straight victories across Europe.
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In their latest encounter, Chelsea secured a comfortable 2-0 victory over German side Heidenheim, with Christopher Nkunku and Mykhailo Mudryk hitting the back of the net.
Enzo Maresca‘s team will be looking to extend their lead at the top of the Conference League standings today, but they will face a tough match under challenging circumstances.
Chelsea not only has an eight-hour journey to Kazakhstan to face the underdogs Astana, but they will also contend with harsh winter conditions, with temperatures expected to drop below freezing.
Why is Astana vs Chelsea kicking off at 3.30pm?
The match between Chelsea and Astana is set to begin at an unusual hour in the UK.
This clash is scheduled to kick off at the Almaty Ortalyk Stadium at 8.30pm local time, which corresponds to 3.30pm in the UK.
Astana is five hours ahead of London, and due to the extreme winter weather anticipated in Kazakhstan, the match cannot be timed for later in the evening.
European matches typically start at 5.45pm or 8pm in the UK, but all of Astana’s home games in the Conference League last season were held at 3.30pm.
Chelsea faces a busy schedule ahead, with the Blues preparing to take on Brentford at 7pm GMT on Sunday, and Maresca has indicated there will be several changes to his lineup this evening.
The Italian stated: “Some of them will be here and some will join us on the flight. We are attempting to manage the squad as we have done previously.”
“We have many young talents—17 with us—while others will remain behind. An eight-hour trip is not standard for a match, but we must go, compete, and do our best, keeping the next game in mind.”
How to watch Astana vs Chelsea
- Astana vs Chelsea will be shown live on TNT Sports 2.
- You can stream the match live on discovery+.
- Alternatively, stay informed on all the action by following SunSport’s live blog.
