Chelsea have learnt their possible UEFA Conference League Round of 16 opponents. The Blues, who capped off their league phase campaign with a thumping 5-1 win over Shamrock Rovers on Thursday, secured automatic qualification for the knockout stage with a 100 per cent record, winning all SIX matches.
They topped the league on 18 points from a possible 18, with Victoria SC second on 14 and Fiorentina (13) third. Rapid Wien (13), Djurgarden (13), Lugano (13), Legia Warszawa (12) and Cercle Brugge (11) rounded off the top-eight, who won't have to face a two-legged knockout play-off in mid-February.
Instead, teams placed ninth to 24th in the league phase will battle it out across two games in the new year to progress into the last 16. And due to how the draw process works, Chelsea now know FOUR possible sides they could face in their last 16 tie, with the first leg on Thursday, March 6.
Chelsea or Portuguese outfit Vitoria will each face the winner of one of these ties in March: Gent vs Real Betis or Copenhagen vs Heidenheim. On paper, that does look like one of the more difficult routes to the quarter-final for the Blues, though they have already beaten Gent and Heidenheim.
As recently as last season Copenhagen beat Manchester United in the Champions League but finished third in the Danish Superliga, while Real Betis sit as low as ninth in the La Liga table right now. Gent, Real Betis, Copenhagen and Heidenheim finished between 15th and 18th in the Conference League.
Although the Blues know who they might face, they won't know who they will face for definite until Friday, February 21 when the draw for the round of 16 takes place. During that period, Chelsea might have to play up to 11 matches across all competitions, so the Conference League is set to be put to the back burner.
Speaking after the win over Shamrock - a game in which saw Marc Guiu score a hat-trick - Maresca said: "Very excited [by the future]. Once again, I think they showed how serious and professional they are. They know they are not allowed to drop. It has been a good chance for the young players, some of them, so we are very happy."