Chelsea’s easiest ever route to European glory revealed by Europa Conference League draw… and it starts with a trip to Copenhagen
Chelsea will face Copenhagen in the UEFA Europa Conference League’s round of 16.
The first leg will take place in the Danish capital on March 6, with the second at Stamford Bridge seven days later.
The Blues discovered their route to the final on Friday afternoon when the draw for the rest of the knockout phase took place in Nyon.
Unlike in previous seasons – where separate draws took place for the round of 16 and the quarter-finals – the full bracket was revealed on Friday.
As a result, Chelsea now know that their potential reward for beating Copenhagen will be a quarter-final clash with Molde of Norway or Polish side Legia Warsaw.
Pafos (Cyprus), Djurgardens (Sweden), Rapid Wien (Austria) or Borac Banja Luka (Bosnia and Herzegovina) then await in the semi-final.
Chelsea now know what their path to the final of the Europa Conference League looks like
The draw for the round of 16 and beyond took place in Nyon, Switzerland on Friday afternoon
Chelsea’s opponents in the final should they get that far will come from the other half of the bracket, which includes the likes of Real Betis, Fiorentina and Panathinaikos.
The other teams in the opposite half are Celje, Lugano, Cercle Brugge, Jagiellonia Bialystok and Vitoria de Guimaraes.
Betis and Fiorentina – currently eighth and sixth in La Liga and Serie A respectively – certainly have the potential to cause Chelsea problems.
However, this is unquestionably Chelsea’s easiest ever route to European glory.
The Blues were miles ahead of the competition during the league phase, winning their six matches – against Gent, Panathinaikos, Noah, Heidenheim, Astana and Shamrock Rovers – by an aggregate score of 26-5.
Should Chelsea go all to way and lift the trophy in the final in Wroclaw on May 28 then they will become the first club ever to win the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.
Chelsea won the Champions League in 2012 and 2021, either side of their two Europa League triumphs in 2013 and 2019.
The Stamford Bridge club also won the now defunct UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1971 and 1998.
