Chelsea's itinerary vs Astana in full as Enzo Maresca confirms sleeping plans
Chelsea make the eight-hour trip to Kazakhstan for their Conference League match against FC Astana on Thursday.
For the Chelsea players who travel to Almaty, it will be a long flight mid-season for the Blues as they conclude the League Phase in the Conference League.
Enzo Maresca's side have won all four of their matches so far - beating KAA Gent, Panathinaikos, FC Noah and 1. FC Heidenheim - and will look to finish with a 100 per cent record when they play Astana and Shamrock Rovers in their final two matches this month before the knockouts.
Chelsea's star players will remain in England to prepare to face Brentford in the Premier League on Sunday, but many of the first-team group have travelled, including Filip Jorgensen, Axel Disasi, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Christopher Nkunku.
Mykhailo Mudryk is ill, Cesare Casadei is suspended after getting sent off against Heidenheim, while the likes of Noni Madueke, Levi Colwill, Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson, Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo are among those who have not made the long trip.
On our travels once again. ✈️ pic.twitter.com/yVfz1iB0tp
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) December 11, 2024
For the first-teamers and academy stars in Almaty, they will be playing in freezing cold conditions. Chelsea are prepared for it and will adapt to the conditions as best as they can in Almaty.
"Eight hours is not a normal time for a game, you know, but we have to go there, we have to play, try our best and thinking also about the next game," said Maresca.
Chelsea have planned their trip accordingly and will not adapt to the five-hour time difference to ensure they remain on the United Kingdom's timezone. Maresca outlined the club's itinerary for the European clash, which is the furthest they could have possibly traveled in the competition this season.
"We have a session now, then we fly there, eight hours, then we arrive, have dinner, then bed," the 44-year-old said on Wednesday morning prior to flying. "Fortunately, they are five hours ahead of us so that means when we wake up tomorrow, it is already midday here in England.
"We are going to be there less than 24 hours. It is more the flight, the temperature, and on Friday we are going to land about 6 o'clock in London and it is already Friday and we have a game on Sunday but we have to play."
Once Chelsea return to England on Friday, Maresca will begin his preparations to face Brentford. It is likely the staff remaining at Cobham with the first-team group not selected to travel will carry out initial preparation and tactical work ahead of hosting the Bees.
Those involved on Thursday are unlikely to feature on Sunday, however Maresca has not ruled anything out should a situation arise where someone is required.
He added: "You never know. You never know because the ones that are not involved tomorrow, first of all, they are going to be training and have to train well. You never know if we are going to need one of the ones that play tomorrow for Sunday's game.
"Ideally, we prefer no because we are going to land at 6 o'clock in the morning on Friday and it is not normal for one of them to land at 6 o'clock on Friday and then play again on Sunday, so hopefully not but in case we need they are going to do the effort."
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