An eight-hour flight for the Chelsea squad is usually associated with a pre-season tour. Yet this afternoon, Enzo Maresca and his players undertake that journey for what is our longest-ever European away trip.
The Blues' involvement in this season's Conference League was always likely to throw up new and exciting destinations to visit. None could be further away than Astana – even more so given the Kazak club are playing their European fixtures in Almaty, which is further east than Afghanistan.
One challenge is the length of the flight. Another is the time difference, although Maresca has confirmed the travelling group will remain aligned with the UK when it comes to times. Then there is the abrupt temperature change; it is anticipated to be minus 11 come kick-off tomorrow evening.
Maresca, his staff and others at Cobham have had to weigh up these factors when planning for the fixture. It is a game like no other.
'It’s a big temperature difference but we have to go, have to play, try to play our best, and adapt to the conditions we will face,' the Chelsea head coach explained at his pre-match press conference at Cobham.
'We have a session this morning and then we fly there. We will arrive, have dinner, and then go to bed. They are five hours ahead of us so when we wake up tomorrow it will already be midday.
'We will be there for less than 24 hours so it’s more the temperature and the flight because on Friday we will arrive back in London at six o'clock in the morning and then have a game on Sunday.’
Maresca has confirmed a group consisting of those from the first-team squad and players from our Academy sides will make the trip to Kazakhstan, where a victory could guarantee our progress through to the Round of 16.
'The main target is to get into the next stage, then the next one, then the next one,' said Maresca. 'Once we achieve one target, we think about the next one. I don't like to think four or five months ahead.
'I am ambitious, the players are ambitious and the club is ambitious with its history. But in my opinion, if you're thinking about four or five months time, you can lose a little bit of the focus that is just now.'