Chelsea will be back in action in Europe on Thursday night as they make the trip to Germany to take on Heidenheim.
The game is expected to be biggest test so far in the competition for Enzo Maresca’s side, who have made light work of their opponents so far.
The competition has been used as a platform for some of the players on the fringe of starting XI involvement to make their mark.
The likes of Mykhailo Mudryk and Christopher Nkunku have utilised them to full advantage so far, although it is yet to reward them with a start in the Premier League.
Heidenheim manager Frank Schmidt tells his players to believe in their plan against Chelsea
Thursday’s game will be their toughest outing of the group stage so far, facing a side who have already taken a game to the likes of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.
Their manager Frank Schmidt has stated that they more than have a chance of picking up a shock result against the Blues.
He told the Bundesliga website that not getting caught up in a ‘David vs Goliath’ narrative was their plan for Thursday.
He said: “I want the team to first believe in the plan against Chelsea but also in their own strengths, and that we play our game and aren’t just out on the pitch dreaming, because that happens more so off the pitch. Really pragmatic.
“We’ll have a clear plan for the game. And it’s about playing this game and winning it. Those are the things I stand by with my team. I think only because we’ve always managed in recent years to believe in the chance and to give our all to reach the next step is why we’ve ultimately done so.
“And getting too caught up in romanticism, David vs. Goliath, the unimaginable, that won’t help us in the game. At the end of the day, this game is also 11 against 11, and the team that does their job will win.”
What Conference League records can Chelsea break this season?
Chelsea have already set the record in the Conference League for the biggest win in competition history, following their 8-0 victory over Noah.
The record for most goals by a single player in a campaign is 11, and Nkunku and Joao Felix both have a chance of beating this tally. They currently sit on four.
When Chelsea arrive in the knockout rounds of the competition, their squad is set to get even stronger with the addition of Cole Palmer.
The biggest win in a knockout tie is 6-1, a figure Chelsea will surely feel confident they can beat this season.
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