Chelsea Football Club are set to face FC Copenhagen in the 2024-2025 Round of 16 of the UEFA Conference League.
Under the management of Enzo Maresca, Chelsea completed the league phase of the Conference League with an impressive record, securing six victories out of six matches, which positioned them at the top of their group.
In contrast, FC Copenhagen have had a rocky season, finishing 18th in their domestic league. Despite their struggles, they demonstrated resilience by overcoming FC Heidenheim 1846 in the knockout play-offs, narrowly winning 4-3 on aggregate after needing extra time.
The first leg of the last-16 tie will take place on Thursday, March 6, with the return match scheduled for Thursday, March 13.
In preparation for the knockout stages, Chelsea have bolstered their squad by adding Cole Palmer, who was previously excluded from the league phase to manage his playing time effectively.
Joining him are Trevoh Chalobah, who has returned from a loan spell at Crystal Palace, and Mathis Amougou, a new signing acquired for £12 million on transfer deadline day.
UEFA regulations allow clubs to make just three changes to their squad after the winter transfer window closes, which Chelsea have carefully navigated.
Unfortunately for Chelsea, influential players Wesley Fofana and Romeo Lavia remain sidelined due to injuries and are not included in the squad for the Conference League campaign.
As Chelsea look ahead to their potential path to the final, they will first need to overcome FC Copenhagen in the Round of 16, followed by a likely quarter-final match against either Molde or Legia Warsaw.
Should they progress further, the semi-finals could see them face one of the teams: Pafos, Djurgarden, Borac, or SK Rapid. Victory in the semi-finals would lead them to the final, where they may encounter formidable opponents such as Real Betis, Vitoria SC, Jagiellonian, Cercle Brugge, Celje, Lugano, Panathinaikos, or Fiorentina.
The full draw for the Conference League knockout stages is as follows:
Jagielloina vs. Cercle Brugge
Molde vs. Legia Warsaw
Celje vs. Lugano
Pafos vs. Djurgarden
Panathinaikos vs. Fiorentina
Borax vs. SK Rapid
Real Betis vs. Vitoria SC
FC Copenhagen vs. Chelsea
The schedule for the knockout rounds is as follows:
Last 16: March 6 & 13
Quarter-finals: April 10 & 17
Semi-finals: May 1 & 8
Final: May 28 in Wroclaw
