Chelsea could be in line for an unlikely reunion in their Europa Conference League play-off match.
The Blues will face the loser of the Europa League tie between Braga and Servette for a place in Europe’s third-tier competition.
And if the Londoners find themselves up against Portuguese side Braga, it would mean a long-awaited reunion for manager Daniel Sousa, who served as the club’s match analyst between 2011 and 2012.
Sousa was a long-time colleague of ex-Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas, first acting as his analyst at Academica de Coimbra in Portugal’s top-flight in 2009, before following him to Porto the following year.
So when Villas-Boas took charge at Stamford Bridge in June 2011, Sousa joined him, taking up the same role.
But his spell in the capital would only be short-lived, as the Portuguese coach was sacked in March 2012 after a string of disappointing results.
Despite this, Sousa remained a vital member of his coaching team for years to come, continuing as his analyst at Tottenham and Zenit St Petersburg, before serving as his assistant manager at Shanghai Port, and French giants Marseille.
Since then however, Sousa has forged a managerial career of his own, being appointed as Primeira Liga side Gil Vicente’s boss in 2022, spending a season at the club before taking charge of Arouca.
After guiding Arouca to a seventh-place top-flight finish in the 2023/24 season, Sousa was announced as Braga manager in May ahead of the upcoming season.
Sousa will be keen to avoid a reunion with his former side here however, as victory for Braga over Servette in their Europa League qualifier would see them through to the competition’s play-off round.
Meanwhile, defeat would land them in the Conference League play-offs, where they would face Chelsea to battle for a place in the tournament.
The Blues may also feel hard done by to only be competing for a place in the competition, with a sixth-place finish in the Premier League usually enough to earn Europa League qualification.
Unfortunately for Enzo Maresca’s group however, Manchester United clinched the final place in the competition with their FA Cup victory – despite coming eighth in the table.
Qualification for the Conference League could prove useful for new head coach Maresca however, where he would have the opportunity to provide game time to fringe players in Chelsea’s famously large squad.
The Blues will face a fight to get past either of their potential opponents and advance into the group stages however, with both Braga and Servette strong opposition.
Braga finished as runners-up in the Europa League in 2011, and reached the Conference League quarter-finals in 2022.
Meanwhile, 17-time Swiss champions Servette have already begun their league campaign, currently sitting second in the table after winning three of their first four games.
Chelsea head into the play-off tie off the back of a miserable pre-season campaign which has seen them record just one win, beating Club America 3-0.
They were beaten 4-2 by Manchester City in their latest friendly, having previously lost 4-1 to Celtic, as well as drawing 2-2 with League One outfit Wrexham.
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News Summary:
- Chelsea could face side managed by their former analyst in Europa Conference League play-off round
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