Football
Chelsea Face 7,000 Mile Round Trip And Sub-Zero Temperatures For UEFA Conference League Clash Against Astana
Ben Horlock is a sports news and features writer who holds a degree in sports journalism (BA Hons) from Southampton Solent University. Ben has been published across a wide variety of news outlets and websites including HITC, 90min, GiveMeSport, Betfair and Zoo Magazine. As well, Ben has worked in social media for four years in the sports gambling industry. For his sins, Ben is a QPR fan and is a keen follower of all the major European football leagues.
Get to know Ben Horlock betterPublished12 Dec 2024
The Almaty weather forecast makes for extremely grim reading ahead of Chelsea’s penultimate UEFA Conference League fixture on Thursday.
Temperatures are expected to drop to a bone-chilling -9°C by the time the game kicks-off in Kazakhstan. Furthermore, the tie will prove to be a logistical nightmare for travelling ers.
The Blues will undertake a gruelling 7,000 mile round trip to Almaty, the Kazakh capital. The game itself against FC Astana will be played at the Almaty Central Stadium.
Unsurprisingly, the trip will be the longest that the west Londoners have ever endured in a European competition. The previous was the 2019 UEFA Europa League final against Arsenal in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Almaty is a lot further east and unfortunately for Chelsea’s players and fans, a heck of a lot colder in the winter months compared to the Azerbaijani capital in the spring.
All set for another week of Conference League action 🤩#UECL pic.twitter.com/FfNVMaZybF
— UEFA Conference League (@europacnfleague) December 9, 2024
Almaty Weather Doesn’t Bode Well For Chelsea
The Almaty weather forecast is slightly more favourable to what Astana’s is currently reading. There’s only a couple of degrees in it but every little helps.
Chelsea would normally be playing at the Astana Arena but the venue is undergoing much-needed renovations. Therefore, the sub-zero conditions and artificial turf in Almaty will have to suffice.
The Blues have endured a rather different build up to the game, too. The pre-match press conference and training sessions were held in Cobham.
A five-hour time difference means the game will kick-off at 8:30pm local time. Therefore, that means UK-based fans will be able to watch the game at 3:30pm.
Enzo Maresca’s side are reportedly looking to stick to a GMT mindset as not to interfere with their planned build up and schedule for the game.
On the pitch, the west Londoners need just a single point to qualify to the knockout stages. A whole host of academy stars are expected to feature as Maresca looks to rotate his squad.
Ahead of Thursday clash, the best football betting sites in the UK make Chelsea the 7/17 favourites. Astana can be backed at 7/1 with the draw available at 9/2.