Enzo Maresca and Chelsea handed dream Europa Conference League scenario ahead of fixture changes

Enzo Maresca and his Chelsea team look set to have a hectic schedule throughout the 2024/25 season following the team's return to Europe. However, that will all depend on how the Blues fare in the Europa Conference League play-off round in late August.

After not even competing in Europe at all last term, Chelsea will be involved in UEFA's third club competition after a late rally under the guidance of Mauricio Pochettino saw them finish the 2023/24 Premier League campaign in sixth. Maresca is now the man tasked with leading the west London club to more European glory, with the Europa Conference League final due to be played at Stadion Wroclaw in Poland on Wednesday, May 25, 2025.

Chelsea will discover their first Conference League opponents at the beginning of August and will then have to come through a two-legged play-off tie to take their place in the league phase of the competition. As is the case with the Champions League and Europa League from the 2024/25 season onwards, the Europa Conference League will also operate with a league table rather than the previous group stage but there will only be six fixtures for the clubs involved in that part of the competition.

As games are due to be played on a Thursday, Maresca and his Chelsea team will have to contend with plenty of Premier League fixtures on a Sunday in the first half of the campaign. So, following the release of the 2024/25 Premier League schedule, what Chelsea league fixtures look set to be moved? football.london takes a look below.

As the first leg of the team's Europa Conference League play-off tie takes place on Thursday, August 22, the Blues' away trip to Wolves two days later will have to be moved from its original slot. The same goes the following weekend when Chelsea host Crystal Palace on Saturday, August 31 as the match against the Eagles is currently in the calendar for two days after the second leg of their play-off fixture.

Providing that Chelsea do qualify for the league phase and do not face an embarrassing early exit at the play-off stage, their first game in the newly-formed league will come on Thursday, October 3. A new date will need to be found for the home game against Nottingham Forest two days later, with the same going for Newcastle United's trip to the capital at the end of the October.

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Two Europa Conference League games are also on the calendar in November (7 and 28), meaning a couple more changes to Chelsea's Premier League schedule. Matchday 3 comes ahead of Chelsea's mouth-watering home showdown against London rivals Arsenal, before Aston Villa then visit SW6 at the end of the month.

Whereas in October and November Chelsea have a decent amount of time between their European showdowns, in December they will face Europa Conference League fixtures in successive weeks as the league phase draws to a conclusion. The Brentford game pencilled in for Saturday, December 14 will need to be rescheduled and that is again the same for the match at Everton the following weekend.

Much has been made in the past of how difficult it is to balance playing football on Thursday and Sunday but one comfort Maresca and Chelsea can take from it is that the Blues will be playing at Stamford Bridge more often than not after European outings. If Chelsea do advance from their play-off tie and reach the league phase, six of their eight fixtures (including play-off games) immediately after European matches will come at home.

Those six games are bookended by a trip to Wolves in late August and an away day at Everton just prior to Christmas. As West Ham and Aston Villa have fared extremely well in the Europa Conference League in each of the past two seasons, Chelsea will be expected to do the same once they kick off their European campaign in August.

Chelsea Premier League matches to be moved due to European involvement:

Saturday, August 24 - Wolves vs Chelsea

Saturday, August 31 - Chelsea vs Crystal Palace

Saturday, October 5 - Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest

Saturday, October 26 - Chelsea vs Newcastle United

Saturday, November 9 - Chelsea vs Arsenal

Saturday, November 30 - Chelsea vs Aston Villa

Saturday, December 14 - Chelsea vs Brentford

Saturday, December 21 - Everton vs Chelsea