Chelsea learn their six opponents for the Europa Conference League group phase, being handed a more testing draw than they may have anticipated.

Chelsea have learned their six opponents for the Europa Conference League group phase.

On Thursday night, the Blues suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Servette in Switzerland, albeit enough to secure progress to the group phase by a 3-2 aggregate scoreline.

The Premier League outfit are now one of 36 teams to qualify for the new European format with all clubs facing six opponents at this stage of the competition.

With Chelsea being placed in Pot One, they were naturally in a favourable position to be drawn against some of the minnows in this tournament, but Enzo Maresca's side face a more difficult list of games than they may have anticipated.

Chelsea provided with testing schedule

There was the possibility of being drawn against Fiorentina or Real Betis from the teams in Pot One, but Chelsea will instead play host to Belgian outfit Gent.

However, in Pot Two, Bundesliga outfit Heidenheim have emerged as their opponents, Chelsea facing a trip to a team who upset the odds to finish in eighth position in Germany's top flight last season.

Of all the possibilities in Pot Three, Chelsea would have been wanting to avoid a trip to Kazakhstan to face Astana, yet that is the fixture that they have been provided with.

Chelsea will also face Irish opposition in the form of Shamrock Rovers, who have dropped down into this competition having lost 6-0 on aggregate to PAOK in the Europa League playoffs.

Shamrock will be travelling to Stamford Bridge for that tie, with Chelsea handed an away game from Pot Five with Greek outfit Panathinaikos joining the schedule.

The final team of six is FC Noah, the Armenian outfit having qualified for the main stage of a European competition for the first time through defeating Ruzomberok by a 4-3 scoreline on aggregate. That match will take place in London.

When will the fixture list be revealed?

As with the Champions League and Europa League, the dates of the aforementioned games will be announced on Saturday.

The top eight teams will qualify for the last 16 of the competition, with teams placing between ninth and 24th squaring off for the remaining eight spots. body check tags ::

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