Chelsea will be eager to start their UEFA Conference League campaign with a victory as they host KAA Gent at Stamford Bridge on Thursday night. The Blues enter the match with a boost of confidence following a dominant 4-2 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League, where Cole Palmer delivered a standout performance.
Despite a turbulent start to the season, Chelsea have found their form under new manager Enzo Maresca, who took over from Mauricio Pochettino. With four consecutive wins, they are now just two points behind the Premier League leaders, silencing early critics and showing strong momentum heading into European competition.
Chelsea vs KAA Gent Team News & Tactics
Chelsea
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Jorgensen; Acheampong, Disasi, Badiashile, Renato Veiga; Lavia, Dewsbury-Hall; Mudryk, Joao Felix, Neto; Nkunku
KAA Gent
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 for 29 years, winning five and drawing three of their eight encounters.
- The Blues have suffered just one defeat in their last 14 home matches across all competitions, highlighting their strength at Stamford Bridge.
- KAA Gent have participated in the Europa Conference League every season since its inception in 2021, reaching the knockout stages in all three previous campaigns.
- Gent have played in London before, famously eliminating Tottenham Hotspur from the Europa League in 2017 with a 1-0 win at Wembley Stadium.
- Chelsea have a successful track record in UEFA competitions outside of the Champions League, winning the Europa League twice (2013 and 2019), making them one of the favourites for this year’s Conference League.
Player to Watch
Christopher Nkunku
Prediction
Chelsea 3-1 KAA Gent
How to Watch Chelsea vs KAA Gent
Watch online via NaijaSport247 TV
