Astana vs Chelsea Preview: Team News & Prediction
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Chelsea have been dominant in their UEFA Europa Conference League with a rotated side and they continue their run with a trip to Kazakhstan to face Kazakh champions Astana this week.
Kick-off date/time: Thursday 12th December, 2024: UK – 3:30pm / US ET – 10:30am / US PT – 7:30am
How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – Not televised
How to watch online: UK – Discovery+ / US – Paramount+
Astana Preview: In with a chance
Astana begin the fifth match day of the 2024/25 UEFA Europa Conference League league phase sitting tucked just inside the top 24 and the knockout playoff places. The Kazakh champions have managed one victory with one draw and two defeats in their opening four matches.
Astana come into this one on the back of a their most recent outing being in this competition a couple of weeks ago when they pulled off an impressive 1-1 draw against Portuguese side Vitoria Guimaraes at the Ortalyq Stadion when they were generally outplayed by Vitoria.
Chelsea Preview: Rampant Blues
Chelsea have been relentless in this competition after defeating Servette in the playoff round in August. Enzo Maresca’s side sit at the top-of-the-table with four wins out four in this tournament and their 2-0 defeat of Heidenheim meaning they have scored 18 in those four.
Their league form should be separated from their European form given how different the teams have been that they have used but they have also been excellent in the league, too, with a 4-3 win over Tottenham Hotspur moving them to outright second in the Premier League.
Astana Team News: Fully fit
Astana have a fully fit and available squad for this week’s clash against Chelsea with no fresh injury concerns or suspension issues. After their impressive 1-1 draw against Vitoria, there would appear no reason for them to make any changes.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Condric; Bartolec, Kazukolovas, Kalaica, Vorogovskiy; Ebong, Amanovic; Tomasov, Gripshi, Camara; Chinedu
Unavailable:
Questionable:
Chelsea Team News: Casadei and Mudryk issues
Chelsea have heavily rotated in this competition with Cesare Casadei now missing through suspension due to a red card against Heidenheim. Mykhaylo Mudryk has been key, too, but he missed the weekend due to illness.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Jorgensen; Gusto, Disasi, Badiashile, Veiga; Lavia, Dewsbury-Hall; Felix, Nkunku, Mudryk; Guiu
Unavailable: Fofana (Injured), James (Injured), Casadei (Suspended), Kellyman (Injured)
Questionable: Mudryk (Illness)
Key Stats
- Astana’s only previous UEFA competition matches against an English team were against Man. United in the 2019/20 UEFA Europa League group stage. Both fixtures were won by the home team; Man. United 1-0 Astana on Matchday 1 and Astana 2-1 Man. United on Matchday 5.
- Astana have won four and drawn one of their previous five home UEFA club competition matches this season.
- Chelsea have won their last eight UEFA club competition group/league phase matches.
- Chelsea have lost only two of their last 18 UEFA club competition group/league phase matches away from home (W13 D3).
- Only one of Chelsea’s last 77 UEFA club competition matches has finished without a goal being scored.
- Christopher Nkunku has scored in all of Chelsea’s six UEFA club competition matches this season.
Astana vs Chelsea Prediction
Astana missed out on the Kazakh title last season which finished last month with Kairat Almaty pipping them by a point due to a defeat for Astana on the penultimate day of the campaign. Their performance against Vitoria earned them a draw but the Portuguese side did dominate throughout. Chelsea will heavily rotate as they head into the festive fixture list but they are expected to win this one very comfortably with another game in which they rack up a score to be expected.
Astana vs Chelsea Tip: Chelsea to win -1 handicap
