Revealed: How Chelsea are planning for 7,000-mile round trip to Kazakhstan in -11 degrees weather for Conference League clash with Astana

Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, typically serves as the venue for Astana FC's home matches. However, due to ongoing renovations at their primary stadium, the game against Chelsea has been relocated 1,200 kilometres south to Almaty. The new location and its sub-zero conditions, ranging between -6 and -11 degrees Celsius, add another layer of difficulty for the Premier League side.

To optimize their travel plans, Chelsea have received special permission from UEFA to conduct their pre-match press conference and training session in Surrey. This adjustment eliminates the need for pre-match events to take place in the host country, allowing Enzo Maresca's team to focus on their preparations before embarking on the arduous journey.

Maresca has been proactive in managing his squad amid the packed fixture schedule. Following Chelsea's impressive 4-2 win over Tottenham on Sunday, Maresca gave the players a much-needed day off on Monday. The Italian is expected to rotate his squad heavily for Thursday’s game, maintaining his pattern of making significant changes between matches.

"Some of them will be here and some of them will fly with us. More or less, we try to manage in the same way we have done before today," he said.

"We have many young players, 17 players with us, and the rest will be here with us. Eight hours is not a normal time for a game, you know, but we have to go there, we have to play, try our best and thinking also about the next game."

Chelsea’s trip to Almaty will involve an eight-hour direct chartered flight. The route has been carefully planned to avoid airspace over conflict zones, including Russia, Ukraine, and the Middle East. Despite the significant time difference - Kazakhstan being five hours ahead of the UK - the team plans to stick to their home time zone. The match, set for 8:30 p.m. local time, will be treated as a 3:30 p.m. kickoff for the players to minimize disruption to their routines.

With Brentford awaiting Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday, Maresca’s rotation strategy is crucial for maintaining the team’s competitiveness across all competitions. Thursday's Conference League matchup in Kazakhstan offers an opportunity for the team’s younger players to showcase their abilities while giving key first-team members, including Noni Madueke and Cole Palmer, a chance to rest and recover.