Chelsea will face Servette in the UEFA Conference League play-off round, following a dramatic turn of events in European competition.
The match-up was confirmed on Thursday after Braga secured a 2-1 victory over Servette in Switzerland, knocking the Swiss side out of the UEFA Europa League and sending them into the Conference League play-offs.
Braga’s triumph at the Stade de Genève, coupled with last week’s goalless draw in Portugal, ended Servette’s hopes of advancing in the Europa League, leaving them to contend with Chelsea instead.
The Blues will host Servette in the first leg of the play-off on Thursday, August 22, at Stamford Bridge.
The return leg is scheduled for a week later on Thursday, August 29, in Geneva.
Servette, who made it to the round of 16 in last season’s Conference League, come into this tie with recent success, having won the Swiss Cup in June—their first major silverware in over two decades.
Despite this, they were unable to capitalize on their home advantage against Braga, narrowly missing out on progressing further in the Europa League.
Historically, Chelsea and Servette share a connection dating back to May 1946, when the Blues triumphed 2-0 during a post-season tour of Switzerland.
Should the upcoming fixtures proceed as planned, it will mark Chelsea’s first competitive visit to Switzerland since their clash with Basel in 2013.
