Chelsea defeat Astana to confirm spot in Conference League last 16

Former Barcelona academy player Marc Guiu made a significant impact as he helped Chelsea secure a spot in the UEFA Conference League knockout stages with a convincing win against Astana in Kazakhstan.

The Blues traveled 3,600 miles to Almaty for the match, facing challenging conditions, including freezing temperatures of -11°C.

Despite the adversity, a heavily rotated Chelsea side delivered a commanding performance, netting three goals in the first half.

Guiu, an 18-year-old Spanish youth international, seized his opportunity to shine, opening the scoring in the 14th minute with a brilliant solo effort.

Just four minutes later, his attempt from Pedro Neto’s cross was deflected in by Aleksandr Marochkin, giving Chelsea a strong advantage.

Renato Veiga extended the lead with a header shortly before halftime, marking his second goal of the season. Astana’s Marin Tomasov provided a moment of brilliance for the home side, curling an unstoppable strike into the top corner just before the break, delighting the crowd.

The second half saw a drop in intensity, with Chelsea focusing on game management rather than adding to their tally. The victory keeps Chelsea at the top of the Conference League standings with 15 points from five matches.

The Blues will conclude the league phase of the competition on December 19 against Irish side Shamrock Rovers.

Chelsea’s trip to Kazakhstan marked the club’s longest-ever European journey, involving a 7,000-mile round trip and crossing five time zones. The eight-hour travel time, combined with freezing temperatures of -11°C, presented unique challenges, but the Blues adapted impressively to secure a dominant victory that extended their strong European form.

This win equaled a club record in European competitions, matching their achievement of five wins and one draw during the 2018-19 Europa League group stage. Chelsea’s flawless performance so far in the UEFA Conference League reflects the effective squad rotation implemented by manager Enzo Maresca.

With fixtures coming every three or four days in December, Maresca’s ability to shuffle his squad is proving crucial. For this game, he made 10 changes to the starting lineup, with only Pedro Neto retaining his place from the weekend’s victory over Tottenham. Neto made his presence felt by contributing to Chelsea’s first two goals.

The match provided a platform for younger players to shine. Marc Guiu led the way with an impressive performance, while fellow teenagers Tyrique George, Josh Acheampong, and Samuel Rak-Sakyi also started and delivered solid displays. The fringe players exhibited the hunger and quality Maresca will need as Chelsea navigates a demanding fixture schedule.