Chelsea to visit Athens' Panathinaikos Thursday in UEFA Conference League

London club Chelsea beat Belgian opponents Gent 4-2 in their Conference League opener on Oct. 3

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) — English football club Chelsea will visit Athens' Panathinaikos in a Thursday UEFA Conference League match.

London's Chelsea made a good start to the third-tier Conference League as the Blues beat their Belgian opponents Gent 4-2 at the Stamford Bridge in matchday one on Oct. 3.

Title favorites Chelsea will go on to play without their English star Cole Palmer in the Conference League's league phase.

Palmer, the 22-year-old England attacking midfielder, has been omitted from Chelsea's third-tier Conference League's league phase squad due to a heavy workload.

"It’s very clear — we try to protect the players," Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca previously said.

"Cole is more or less the same in that he had a very busy last year with coming from Manchester City and playing many games — and then he didn’t come with us for pre-season because he finished quite late (because of the EURO 2024).

"We are trying to protect the players (from injuries) and give them the right minutes at the right moment," the 44-year-old Italian boss added.

In addition to Palmer, Chelsea's Belgian midfielder Romeo Lavia and French defender Wesley Fofana are ineligible for the same reason so that they can play more in the English Premier League.

"Romeo last year struggled to play (due to injury). Wes Fofana exactly the same. Thinking about giving them minutes in the Premier League, they are not going to also play in the Conference League. We try to protect them," Maresca said.

Panathinaikos were held to a 1-1 draw at Bosnia's Borac Banja Luka in Conference League matchday one.

The Panathinaikos vs. Chelsea fixture at the Olympic Athletic Center of Athens will kick off at 1645 GMT.

- Thursday's Conference League fixtures

League phase - Matchday 2

Vikingur vs. Cercle Brugge

Gent vs. Molde

Djurgarden vs. Vitoria Guimaraes

APOEL vs. Borac Banja Luka

Rapid Vienna vs. Noah

Hearts vs. Omonoia

St. Gallen vs. Fiorentina

Panathinaikos vs. Chelsea