Chelsea is gearing up for a pivotal matchup in the Europa Conference League playoffs, where they will encounter either Braga or Servette later this month.
Initially, the Blues were optimistic that their sixth-place finish in the Premier League would guarantee them a spot in the Europa League. However, Manchester United’s triumph over Manchester City in the FA Cup final altered those plans, relegating Chelsea to the Europa Conference League.
As a seeded team, Chelsea now faces a challenging draw against either the Portuguese side Braga or the Swiss outfit Servette, a matchup regarded as the most formidable among the five potential opponents.
The playoff draw took place nearly five hours after the announcement, with Chelsea set to host the first leg at Stamford Bridge on August 22, before traveling to either Estadio Municipal de Braga or Stade de Geneve for the return leg on August 29.
With only a week of preparation for this crucial tie—due to Braga and Servette’s Europa League third qualifying round concluding on August 15—Chelsea will need to quickly adapt. The English club is hoping for a matchup against Servette, having observed the latter’s recent performances.
Last season, Braga finished fourth in the Primeira Liga but secured the Taca da Liga trophy at the start of 2024. Servette, likewise, had a commendable season, finishing third in the Swiss Super League and winning the Swiss Cup. They also made it to the last 16 of the Europa Conference League, where they were narrowly eliminated in a penalty shootout against Viktoria Plzen.
As Chelsea prepares for this encounter, they will have just two more friendly matches and a Premier League opener against Manchester City before the first leg.
In stark contrast, Braga will have already played six competitive matches, while Servette has four games under their belt in their domestic league, where they currently share the top spot with nine points from four fixtures.
