Uefa Conference League draw LIVE: Chelsea discover play-off round opponents plus Hearts in Europa
The 2024/25 season is fast approaching and the Blues are set to compete in Europe’s third-tier competition
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Your support makes all the difference.The new domestic season is just around the corner after a summer of international football at the Olympics, Euro 2024 and the Copa America - and for one Premier League team in Chelsea, a new start under a new boss also means a new competition.
They’ll be taking part in the newly rebranded Uefa Conference League - formerly the Europa Conference League - after finishing sixth in the top flight last season. That would have seen them sneak into the Europa League, but Manchester United’s FA Cup victory instead bumped them down into the third Uefa competition.
Enzo Maresca has had a tricky start to life as boss after switching from Leicester in summer and he’s still yet to take charge of a top-flight game, but now knows he’ll need to beat either Braga or Servette to take Chelsea through into the group stage in Europe.
Follow the live blog below for the full play-off round draw reaction and Chelsea’s draw:
Uefa Conference League play-off draw LIVE
That’s all from us, just a final run-down of the opponents for the British teams:
Europa League
FC Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih (UKR) / FC Viktoria Plzen (CZE) v Heart of Midlothian FC (SCO)
Qarabag FK (AZE) / PFC Ludogorets 1945 (BUL) v FC Petrocub (MDA) / The New Saints FC (WAL) (if TNS win)
Conference League
Chelsea FC (ENG) v SC Braga (POR) / Servette FC (SUI)
FK Panevezys (LTU) / Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC (ISR) v FC Petrocub (MDA) / The New Saints FC (WAL) (if TNS lose)
FC Dinamo Minsk (BLR) / Lincoln Red Imps FC (GIB) v FC Ballkani (KOS) / Larne FC (NIR)
St Mirren FC (SCO) / SK Brann (NOR) v CS Corvinul 1921 Hunedoara (ROU) / FC Astana (KAZ)
F.C. Copenhagen (DEN) / FC Baník Ostrava (CZE) v Kilmarnock FC (SCO) / Tromsø IL (NOR)
Uefa Conference League play-off draw LIVE
The first legs will be played Thursday 22 August, with the return legs a week later on Thursday 29 August, if all stays according to plan.
As far as Chelsea go, Braga and Servette face each other on 8 and 15 August, so that’s when they’ll finally know who they actually are set to play - the Portuguese side would be about the toughest of any of their potential opponents really, so it wasn’t the best draw.
But there cannot be any excuses about not performing in this competition, given the Blues’ expenditure.
Uefa Conference League play-off draw LIVE
And the draw abruptly comes to a close - the first step on the road to Wroclaw is set for Enzo Maresca and co.
As Chelsea have been drawn to face SC Braga or Servette FC, as a reminder they’ll be playing the loser of that tie, given it’s a Europa League play-off itself. The loser therefore drops down into the Conference and will play the first leg at Stamford Bridge.
Uefa Conference League play-off draw LIVE
Final individual sides assigned and drawn out:
Maccabi Petah Tikva FC (ISR) / CFR 1907 Cluj (ROU) v FC CSKA 1948 (BUL) / Pafos FC (CYP)
FK Partizan (SRB) / FC Lugano (SUI) v Silkeborg IF (DEN) / KAA Gent (BEL)
FC Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih (UKR) / FC Viktoria Plzeň (CZE) v Real Betis Balompié (ESP)
FC Noah (ARM) / AEK Athens FC (GRE) v MFK Ružomberok (SVK) / HNK Hajduk Split (CRO)
Uefa Conference League play-off draw LIVE
1 vs 7
F.C. Copenhagen (DEN) / FC Baník Ostrava (CZE) v Kilmarnock FC (SCO) / Tromsø IL (NOR)
ACF Fiorentina (ITA) v FC Ararat-Armenia (ARM) / Puskás Akadémia FC (HUN)
Chelsea FC (ENG) v SC Braga (POR) / Servette FC (SUI)
Uefa Conference League play-off draw LIVE
10 vs 2
BK Hacken (SWE) / Paide Linnameeskond (EST) v 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 (GER)
HNK Rijeka (CRO) / IF Elfsborg (SWE) v NK Olimpija Ljubljana (SVN) / FC Sheriff Tiraspol (MDA)
St Patrick’s Athletic (IRL) / FC Sabah (AZE) v FC Iberia 1999 Tbilisi (GEO) / İstanbul Başakşehir (TUR)
Uefa Conference League play-off draw LIVE
3 vs 9
RC Lens (FRA) v Panathinaikos FC (GRE) / AFC Ajax (NED)
Brøndby IF (DEN) / Legia Warszawa (POL) v FK Auda (LVA) / FC Drita (KOS)
FK Mladá Boleslav (CZE) / Hapoel Beer-Sheva FC (ISR) v Paksi FC (HUN) / FK Mornar (MNE)
Uefa Conference League play-off draw LIVE
8 vs 5
FC St. Gallen 1879 (SUI) / WKS Śląsk Wrocław (POL) v Trabzonspor A.Ş (TUR) / SK Rapid Wien (AUT)
St Mirren FC (SCO) / SK Brann (NOR) v CS Corvinul 1921 Hunedoara (ROU) / FC Astana (KAZ)
FC Spartak Trnava (SVK) / Wisła Kraków (POL) v Molde FK (NOR) / Cercle Brugge KSV (BEL)
Uefa Conference League play-off draw LIVE
Aaaand we’re finally underway with it.
4 vs 6 is drawn out first so:
Omonoia FC (CYP) / Fehérvár FC (HUN) v NK Osijek (CRO) / PFC Zire (AZE)
FC Zürich (SUI) / Vitória SC (POR) v PFC Botev Plovdiv (BUL) / HŠK Zrinjski Mostar (BIH)
Ilves Tampere (FIN) / Djurgården (SWE) v NK Maribor (SVN) / FK Vojvodina (SRB)
FC Noah (ARM) / AEK Athens FC (GRE) v FK Partizan (SRB) / FC Lugano (SUI)
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