Chelsea have one foot in the Europa Conference League final after coming away from Stockholm with a comfortable win against Djurgarden in the first leg of their semi-final.
Jadon Sancho and Noni Madueke struck in the first half to settle the nerves for the Blues against their Swedish opponents.
Substitute Nicolas Jackson then bagged a second-half double, before 18-year-old Isak Alemayehu pulled one back for the hosts with the first goal of his senior career.
With a top-five Premier League place their main target, Blues boss Enzo Maresca made eight changes to Chelsea’s starting line-up before Sunday’s crucial Premier League meeting with newly crowned champions Liverpool.
But it did not unsettle them as a dominant display will leave them confident of finishing the job in next Thursday’s return leg at Stamford Bridge.
Success in the competition will make them the first club to complete the full set of European trophies, having won the Champions League and Europa League twice.
A spectacular tifo display from Djurgarden supporters had welcomed Chelsea into the 3Arena, but the visitors drew first blood through Sancho after just 12 minutes.
Enzo Fernandez clipped a ball towards the back post for the on-loan winger to chest down and pass it into the back of the net, with the help of defender Marcus Danielson’s sliced clearance.
The artificial pitch, which was a cause of concern for Maresca before kick-off, did not seem to hamper the Londoners at all as they dominated both possession and chances throughout.
They were 2-0 up when Fernandez slipped in Madueke two minutes before the break and he beat goalkeeper Jacob Rinne at the near post with a sharp finish.
Maresca made four half-time changes, including bringing on Cole Palmer and Jackson and the latter capitalised on a horrible defensive mix-up between Danielson and keeper Rinne to make it 3-0 just before the hour mark.
The Senegal striker then bagged a second six minutes later as he found the top corner with a fine finish from the edge of the box to assert Chelsea’s control in the tie.
The vociferous home supporters were buoyed, though, by Alemayehu’s downward header in the 68th minute, although it will take something special for Djurgarden to stop Chelsea sealing their place in the Wroclaw showpiece on 28 May.
Dominant Blues prove a class apart
Despite being a European semi-final, this felt like a mismatch.
While Djurgarden showed flashes of the quality that got them this far, Chelsea were a class apart.
The Swedish side have played 16 games to reach the last four after beginning their campaign in the second round of the qualifying phase against Luxembourg’s Progres Niederkorn last July.
But Chelsea’s squad is worth 44 times more – according to Transfermarkt – than that of a side currently 11th in the Allsvenskan. Heading into the game, the Blues were also leading the competition for goals (33), possession (62.9%), passing accuracy (92.3%), and shots on target (87).
Jani Honkavaara’s depleted Djurgarden, who named five teenagers on their seven-strong bench, ultimately could not cope with the strength of the visitors, whether the starters or those coming off the bench.
Chelsea keeper Filip Jorgensen kept out a deflected effort from Tokmac Nguen late in the first half and an Adam Stahl header soon after restart.
But the Swedish-born stopper and his defence will be disappointed not to have kept a clean sheet as Alemayehu headed in a Tobias Gulliksen cross.
Maresca, though, will take away plenty of positives from the trip, including striker Jackson’s return among the goals again after a poor run and injury setback.
It took him 14 minutes to score his first after replacing Madueke at the break, with Palmer bagging the assist, and his finish for his second goal was top class after Moises Caicedo had impressively won the ball to set up the chance.
There could have been more joy for Chelsea as 16-year-old midfielder Reggie Walsh almost scored with his first touch after being handed his debut.
But news of Nottingham Forest’s defeat by Brentford in the Premier League, keeping them in sixth place – behind Chelsea on goal difference – made it a fruitful evening for Maresca’s men in the battle for Champions League qualification.
Their focus now turns to the visit of Arne Slot’s Liverpool to Stamford Bridge, before Djurgarden face what looks like an impossible task in the European return.
[BBC]