Chelsea vs Copenhagen – LIVE
There is still work for Chelsea to do in tonight’s Conference League last-16 second leg against FC Copenhagen. Leading 2-0 heading into the final 10 minutes at Parken Stadium last week thanks to goals from Reece James and Enzo Fernandez, the Blues saw their advantage halved late on by Gabriel Pereira which sets up an intriguing decider in west London.
Enzo Maresca has tended to use this competition to rotate his squad and has done so again tonight with one eye on Sunday’s Premier League clash away at Arsenal. Cole Palmer, Marc Cucurella and Levi Colwill are among those rested to the bench with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Benoit Badiashille getting some game time.
The visitors can draw on their experience from the play-off round tie against Heidenheim when they overturned a first leg deficit to advance, though a positive result tonight would be classed as a big shock given how dominant Chelsea have been in the competition thus far. Follow the game LIVE below with our dedicated match blog, with expert analysis from Simon Collings at Stamford Bridge!
Chelsea vs Copenhagen latest news
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Chelsea lineup announced: Caicedo starts
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Kick-off: 8pm GMT | Stamford Bridge
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How to watch: TNT Sports
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Standard Sport Prediction: Blues to progress
Chelsea 0-0 Copenhagen (agg 2-1)
20:08 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
7 min: Here come Chelsea on the attack as Fernandez swaps passes with Sancho but the Argentine’s cross into the box is easily cut out and Acheampong commits a foul to stop Copenhagen progressing up the pitch.
Chelsea 0-0 Copenhagen (agg 2-1)
20:06 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
5 min: Bright start from the visitors, showing they will commit bodies forward when the chance arises.
Chelsea 0-0 Copenhagen (agg 2-1)
20:05 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
3 min: Decent chance for the visitors as Achour heads Claesson’s cross over the bar. You would imagine Jorgensen had the effort covered as he watched the ball drop on top of his net.
Standard Sport’s Simon Collings at Stamford Bridge
20:03 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Josh Acheampong lining up at left-back for Chelsea, but tucking into midfield when they have the ball.
Chelsea 0-0 Copenhagen (agg 2-1)
20:03 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
2 min: Chelsea settling into the game, loads of possession as they plot a way past this deep Copenhagen defence.
KICK-OFF!
20:00 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
We are underway in this Conference League last-16 second leg clash!
Permutations
19:58 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Chelsea will reach the Conference League quarter-final as long as they avoid defeat tonight.
Remember away goals are no longer a thing in European competition, so if Copenhagen are winning by a one-goal margin after 90 minutes, we will have extra-time and possibly penalties.
Here we go!
19:56 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
The players have emerged from the tunnel area at Stamford Bridge and out onto the pitch.
Time to hear the, oh so amazing, Conference League anthem, followed by the customary team photos and then kick-off.
Final preparations
19:50 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Not long now!
Just over 10 minutes to go until kick-off at Stamford Bridge.
Conference League results
19:45 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
We now know the the first two Conference League quarter-finalists.
Jagiellonia and Djurgarden have progressed from today’s early kick-offs.
Chelsea in Europe
19:41 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Chelsea have been perfect in the Conference League this season.
Six wins from six in the league phase before following that up with victory in the first leg against Copenhagen last week.
Can the Blues make it eight wins on the spin tonight? If they do, a quarter-final spot will be secured.
Joe Cole: Chelsea have missed Nicolas Jackson
19:35 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Joe Cole has highlighted Nicolas Jackson’s absence and the impact it is having on Cole Palmer…
Conference League key to Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea project
19:30 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
If Chelsea require any convincing that winning the Conference League can be a springboard to bigger trophies, their manager can speak from personal experience.
It was at the Philips Stadion in Eindhoven that, in 2006, Enzo Maresca scored twice and was man of the match in the final of the UEFA Cup. Sevilla beat Middlesbrough 4-0 and so began a love affair with Europe’s secondary competition. The Spanish side have since won it six more times, becoming its most successful team.
Chelsea do not wish to strike their own love affair with the Conference League, of course. The presence of teams such as FC Petrocub Hincesti, Borac Banja Luka, and FC Noah demonstrates why the Conference League still lacks prestige and why Chelsea, its far-and-away favourites, simply have to win it.
But if Maresca has hopes of greater triumphs and more illustrious titles during his time at Stamford Bridge, he and his players ought to take it seriously.
Copenhagen fans travel in hope
19:25 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Copenhagen supporters have made the trip to London in their numbers.
Will they be rewarded with a place in the Conference League quarter-final?
Standard Sport’s Simon Collings at Stamford Bridge
19:20 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Thomas Frank is at Stamford Bridge this evening, conducting some interviews post match with a few broadcasters by the side of the pitch.
No doubt here cheering on Copenhagen.
Copenhagen changes
19:15 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
A huge boost for Copenhagen as Thomas Delaney is named among the substitutes. The experienced midfielder missed out last week but is fit enough for the bench.
Otherwise it is two changes from the first leg with former Southampton forward Mohamed Elyounoussi brought into the XI.
Chelsea changes
19:10 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Six changes to the Chelsea side that started the 1-0 win over Leicester last time out as Tosin Adarabioyo, Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Jadon Sancho and Pedro Neto are the quintet that keep their places.
Filip Jorgensen is back in goal as youngster Tyrique George gets another chance to impress.
Standard Sport’s Simon Collings at Stamford Bridge
19:05 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Standard Sport’s Simon Collings is in position at Stamford Bridge and he has reacted to the news that Cole Palmer starts on the bench for Chelsea tonight.
Copenhagen team in full
19:00 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Copenhagen XI: Ramaj; Diks, Gabriel Pereira, Hatzidiakos, Claesson, Elyounoussi, Huescas, Froholdt, Meling, Achouri, Clem
Subs: Trott, Runarsson, Garananga, Mattsson, Larsson, Lerager, Robert, Chiakha, Gocholeishvili, Delaney, Falk
Chelsea team in full
18:55 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Chelsea XI: Jorgensen; Acheampong, Chalobah, Tosin, Badiashile; Caicedo, Fernandez (c); George, Dewsbury-Hall, Sancho; Neto
Subs: Sanchez, Bergstrom, James, Murray-Campbell, Antwi, Colwill, Cucurella, Amougou, Walsh, Palmer, Nkunku, Mheuka
Copenhagen XI confirmed
18:50 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Here is how the visitors will lineup tonight…
Chelsea lineup announced
18:45 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Here is Chelsea’s starting XI vs Copenhagen…
Team news imminent
18:42 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
We are expecting the team news to be announced shortly.
Stay tuned…
The visitors have arrived
18:40 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
The Copenhagen squad are in the building!
Jacob Neestrup: We need to take our chances
18:35 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Copenhagen boss Jacob Neestrup has challenged his players to be ruthless in front of goal tonight as they attempt to spring a surprise against Chelsea.
“The chance is there, but it will be difficult to win here,” Neestrup told reporters yesterday. “We will play 100% for the win. Among other things, it requires us to be efficient, because we cannot expect to get too many chances.”
Last time out…
18:30 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Second half goals from Reece James and Enzo Fernandez have put Chelsea in control of this Conference League last-16 tie!
Chelsea’s potential route
18:25 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
If Chelsea get past Copenhagen as expected, then they will face either Norwegian team Molde or Polish side Legia Warsaw in the quarter-finals, with the second leg away from home.
Win that too and a semi-final looms against either Cypriot side Pafos, Djurgarden of Sweden, Bosnian team Borac or Austrian outfit Rapid Vienna, with the second leg again away.
If Chelsea were to get to the final in the Polish city of Wroclaw on May 28, then it could be that the likes of Real Betis or Fiorentina are waiting for them.
Tonight’s setting
18:20 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Less than two hours until kick-off at Stamford Bridge.
Predicted Chelsea XI
18:15 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has some difficult team news decisions to make against FC Copenhagen in the Conference League tonight, with a London derby at Arsenal looming.
Chelsea lead 2-1 on aggregate heading into this evening’s last-16 second leg at Stamford Bridge after Reece James and Enzo Fernandez were both on target in the Danish capital last week.
Captain James and Cole Palmer both trained at Cobham on Wednesday. James was ill against Leicester at the weekend but appears fit now, while Palmer was also unwell that day amid a bug in the Blues camp but played in the match and missed a penalty.
Predicted Chelsea XI (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Chalobah, Adarabioyo, Badiashile, Acheampong; Caicedo, Fernandez; George, Dewsbury-Hall, Sancho; Nkunku
Cole Palmer latest
18:10 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Enzo Maresca has provided a fitness update on Cole Palmer after the Chelsea forward was struck down with illness last week.
Palmer was substituted after 73 minutes of Sunday’s 1-0 win over Leicester and Maresca revealed after the game that he had been struggling with “fever and diarrhoea”.
The 22-year-old has had a dip in form and produced arguably one his worse performances of the season against Leicester, missing a penalty in the Premier League for the first time.
Maresca said after the Leicester game that Palmer had insisted on playing to “help the team” and the Chelsea boss has given a fresh update on his fitness ahead of two big games this week before the international break.
Chelsea vs Copenhagen match odds
18:05 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Chelsea to progress: 1/3
Copenhagen to progress: 6/1
Odds via Betfair (subject to change).
Chelsea vs Copenhagen: Head to head (h2h) history and results
18:00 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Chelsea wins: 3
Draws: 2
Copenhagen wins: 0
Chelsea vs Copenhagen prediction
17:55 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Perhaps little can be taken from Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Leicester on Sunday, such is the perilous position the Foxes find themselves in.
However, Maresca’s side have to be considered favourites. They won away from home even when they didn’t convince and to let it slip from here would be a major surprise.
Chelsea to win, 3-1.
Copenhagen team news
17:50 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
The visitors will be forced into at least one change from last week’s first leg as Marcos Lopez is suspended after picking up his third yellow card in the competition.
Chelsea team news
17:45 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Cole Palmer and Reece James have trained ahead of the Conference League clash with Copenhagen. The latter missed Premier League win over Leicester due to illness, whilst Palmer was dealing with a sickness bug before the game.
Christopher Nkunku also fit but Romeo Lavia has not been included in the Conference League squad in order to manage his workload.
Around the grounds
17:40 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Seven other Conference League last-16 second leg ties taking place today, four of which are 5.45pm GMT kick-offs.
Cercle Brugge vs Jagiellonia Bialystok – 5.45pm GMT
Djurgarden vs Pafos – 5.45pm GMT
Lugano vs Celje – 5.45pm GMT
Rapid Vienna vs Borac Banja Luka – 5.45pm GMT
Fiorentina vs Panathinaikos
Guimaraes vs Real Betis
Legia Warsaw vs Molde
How to watch Chelsea vs Copenhagen
17:35 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
TV channel: The game will be broadcast on TNT Sports 4. Coverage starts at 7pm GMT ahead of an 8pm kick-off time.
Live stream: Subscribers will be able to watch on a live stream via the Discovery+ website and app.
LIVE coverage: Follow all the action with Standard Sport’s dedicated match blog! Simon Collings will be providing expert insight and analysis from the ground.
Welcome
17:30 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Hello and welcome to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of Chelsea vs FC Copenhagen.
The Blues hold a slender one-goal lead from the first leg of this Conference League last-16 tie and will be confident of getting the job done at home.
We’ll have all the latest updates, build-up and team news right here ahead of kick-off, which comes at 8pm GMT from Stamford Bridge. Stick with us!
