Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Conference League match.
One of the top sides in Polish football, Legia Warsaw face their toughest challenge of the season on Thursday as they welcome Chelsea to the capital. Chelsea are widely regarded as favourites in the Europa Conference League and will be looking to secure a commanding win away from home.
Legia Warsaw
Legia Warsaw progressed directly to the Round of 16 by finishing among the top eight in the group stage of the competition. However, they struggled in the next round against Molde FK, edging through with a 4:3 aggregate score. The Norwegian side registered a total of 3.59 xG across both legs — a number that highlights the defensive vulnerabilities of Legia Warsaw, which could be further exposed against Chelsea. The team is also facing selection problems: Jan Ziolkowski and Artur Jedrzejczyk are both suspended due to yellow card accumulation, while attacking players Marc Gual and Bartosz Kapustka are sidelined through injury.
Chelsea
Since returning from the international break, Chelsea have maintained strong form, claiming a 1:0 win over Tottenham Hotspur and drawing 0:0 with Brentford. The coaching staff have found more consistency with Nicolas Jackson leading the line — the Senegalese forward has contributed 9 goals and 5 assists in 25 English Premier League fixtures. Since the group stage of the Europa Conference League, Chelsea have scored exactly two goals in each of their four away matches, winning all of them.
Legia Warsaw vs Chelsea Prediction
The clear gulf in squad quality makes it unlikely that Legia Warsaw will be able to cause an upset, even at home. A narrow victory in Warsaw would be a satisfactory result for Chelsea, who will aim to finish the job at Stamford Bridge in the second leg next week.
