Chelsea team news: The Blues have taken an absolute skeleton crew to Almaty, with just eight first-team players in the squad of 20, which also includes a handful of Academy players without a single senior appearance. They certainly won’t be getting this kind of test in youth football!

While the festive period can take a toll on teams, Chelsea's decision to field almost separate squads for Conference League play vs Premier League play will ensure that everyone is as fresh as possible for competing on both fronts.