Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca said it is “not normal” for a player to make the 16-hour round trip to Kazakhstan and then play against Brentford on Sunday evening.
The Blues are in action in the Europa Conference League against Astana on Thursday and face a 6,000 kilometer journey to Almaty, in the south of the country.
The Maresca team will play at the Almaty Central Stadium, which is located 960 kilometers from the capital of Kazakhstan, due to renovation work at Astana's home stadium.
Chelsea land back in London on Friday morning before preparing to face Brentford in the Premier League, hoping to keep pace with league leaders Liverpool.
“Eight o'clock is not a normal time for a match, but we have to go there, we have to play and we want to try to do our best, also thinking about the next match,” Maresca said.
The Blues currently sit top of the Conference League standings after four games, with Poland's Legia Warszawa the only other side with a 100% record in the competition.
Again on our travels. pic.twitter.com/yVfz1iB0tp
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) December 11, 2024
Maresca also said a number of first-team players will be rested during the trip, including Noni Madueke, while Pedro Neto is suspended for Sunday's match against the Bees.
The Chelsea boss also confirmed that defender Josh Acheampong will be given a first senior start after a breakthrough in contract talks.
Youth players Ato Ampah, Shumaira Mheuka, Harrison McMahon, Kaiden Wilson, Richard Olise and Harrison Murray-Campbell are in the traveling squad.
“Those who do not participate tomorrow will first of all train and must train well,” Maresca added.
“You never know when we'll need one of the guys playing tomorrow on Sunday. Ideally, we'd rather not have that.
“We're going to land at 6 a.m. on Friday and it's not normal for one of them, if they land at 6 a.m. on Friday, to play again on Sunday.”
'But if necessary [them to]They're going to do their best.”
In addition to the long flight, temperatures are expected to be around minus 11, although defender Axel Disasi was not concerned about the conditions.
“We just have to put on two pairs of gloves and be ready to compete in these conditions,” Disasi added.
“We all know the conditions of these games, it's an eight-hour flight and minus 11, so download some movies to watch on the plane, be ready to fight and keep the first place.”
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