Enzo Maresca will refresh his team for the 8,000-mile round trip to face Astana.
Enzo Maresca will refresh his team for the 8,000-mile round trip to face Astana.
Teen star Josh Acheampong will be handed a first Chelsea start away to Astana on Thursday afternoon after a surprise breakthrough in contract talks.
Blues boss Enzo Maresca was told by the club hierarchy earlier this season not to select the 18-year-old defender because of a disagreement over his future.
But Acheampong has been brought in from the proverbial cold just in time for a Conference League clash that will be played five times zones away and in temperatures of -11c.
Maresca described the challenge facing his squad, almost entirely made up of fringe and academy players, as “not normal” and Chelsea are putting a number of things in place to minimise the impact.
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They are already guaranteed to progress to the round of 16 after winning their opening four fixtures. Yet it is a chance for Acheampong to shine after it appeared that he had no future at Stamford Bridge.
“He is probably going to play from the start,” Maresca said before boarding an eight-hour flight to Almaty, near the Chinese border.
"For Josh, it is quite clear. The club love Josh, I love Josh and we are trying to find an agreement with the player. We are close, we are almost there, but we will see."
Pedro Neto is one of few senior players expected to feature because he is suspended for Sunday’s game against Brentford after being booked against Tottenham last weekend, while Noni Madueke is among those who have stayed at Cobham to prepare for the Bees.
Josh Acheampong
Josh Acheampong has made one senior appearance for Chelsea
The travelling party will remain on London time to minimise the disruption - but Maresca said he plans not to start anyone in both fixtures.
“We are going to be there for less than 24 hours,” he added. “It is more the flight, the temperature, and on Friday we are going to land about 6am in London and it is already Friday and we have a game on Sunday.
“But we have to play. Overall, I think we are going to have one or two from the [U21] team playing from the start and then the rest, we will see.
“The rest are all first-team players. The message to the young ones is just to enjoy the moment because it is always nice to be with the first team and be involved in a European competition. It is very important."
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