Uefa Conference League: Chelsea v Shamrock Rovers, Thursday, 8pm – Live on Premier Sports 1
When looking at the Uefa Conference League draw back in August, plenty would have expected Shamrock Rovers’ final trip of the group phase to be a dead rubber. –
Taking on Chelsea, currently second in the Premier League, at Stamford Bridge, history suggested that Rovers’ race would have been long run with Enzo Maresca’s side having secured their place in the next round.
Thursday night’s clash in west London still doesn’t have a whole lot riding on it beyond the novelty of a League of Ireland side playing in England, but for altogether different reasons. Rovers travel as one of only three unbeaten sides in the 36-team Conference League table, their place in February’s pre-last 16 playoff secure.
Alongside Portugal’s Vitoria, Chelsea are that third unbeaten side. Their 100 per cent winning European record has them atop the standings with their place in the top eight, and therefore a bye into the last-16, safely tucked away.
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Rovers would dispute this dead rubber labelling. A famous victory would see them join Chelsea with that bye, while even a shock point leaves them with an outside chance depending on results elsewhere.
The occasion nonetheless is what matters once better sense prevails in terms of pre-match prediction. A League of Ireland night at the Bridge is plenty enough to keep the romantics happy.
“I think that’s the beauty of travelling to Stamford Bridge this week against a team of Chelsea’s calibre,” said manager Stephen Bradley.
“We’ve already guaranteed European football after Christmas which is brilliant. So it’s a dream game for the fans and the club, to play one of the best teams in European football right now.
“It’s a great game for all involved and I’m so happy for the fans because the last time we had a game of this type, like AC Milan [September 2020], it was during Covid times and the fans couldn’t attend and enjoy it. So I’m really happy that 3,000-plus of our fans are getting to travel to Stamford Bridge to watch their team, their club, playing on this stage. That’s why we work so hard, and why we love this game as it can give you nights and opportunities like Thursday night.”
It will also be special night for Neil Farrugia, the Rovers midfielder who grew up a Chelsea fan. You’d have to be some cynic to not buy into the wanderlust when looking back at an old Instagram post from 2016 which is doing the rounds. Pictured in the lower tier of Stamford Bridge, with his back facing the camera, Farrugia captioned the photograph “Some day . . .”.
That this is the 25-year-old’s last game before his contract expires only adds to it all. The uncertainty leaves open the possibility of his final Rovers game taking place at his boyhood club.
Farrugia isn’t the only one. Bradley’s achievements with this Rovers outfit, guiding them to 11 European points out of a possible 15 so far, have led to somewhat inevitable speculation. Millwall are the latest English side said to be keen on prying Bradley away from Tallaght, but if such an offer comes to pass it’s expected to be met with a no.
One man whose future is certain is striker Johnny Kenny. Two goals in last week’s 3-0 win over Borac left the Celtic loanee’s European tally at five in as many games. One of the men who joins him on top of the goalscoring charts, Christopher Nkunku, is a potential opponent on Thursday night.
Keeping that sort of company means Celtic want him back and Stamford Bridge seems set to be his last Rovers dance after a 20-goal season.
“I’m going to go back to Celtic to train and see where it takes us,” said Kenny, speaking to Off The Ball after last week’s win.
“But I just want to enjoy the occasion next week [vs Chelsea]. Obviously, it’s a big ask but it’s been good this year, very good, but this year will be gone when I go back to Celtic in January so you have to impress there.”
While Rovers are not top of Chelsea’s list of priorities, actual football to distract from the news of Mykhailo Mudryk’s positive doping test should nonetheless be welcome. The rest of their December schedule includes eminently winnable games against Everton, Fulham and Ipswich which should see them maintain the pressure on Premier League leaders Liverpool.
Maresca has indicated that he will again rotate his starting line-up. One youngster who could see game time is 18-year-old Josh Acheampong, a defender who signed a contract extension until 2029 earlier this week.
“Tomorrow [Thursday] is probably one more option for that [rotation],” said Maresca. “I watched four or five games and I think they [Rovers] are a good team, they try to defend as a block, and they have some good players in general.”
In 2011, Rovers lost 4-0 and 3-1 to Tottenham in the Europa League group stages. Nine years later, Dundalk were beaten 3-0 by Arsenal in the same competition, before losing 4-2 in an empty Aviva during Covid. A similar scoreline looks likely in the League of Ireland’s latest dalliance with the Premier League, even if Rovers have become the first Irish side to extend their European adventure beyond Christmas.
Rovers gave Spurs a brief scare when scoring first in that White Hart Lane encounter 13 years ago. A similar moral victory would fill the 3,000 strong travelling support – the official number anyway, with Chelsea fans warned not to sell tickets in the home end to travelling supporters – as well as the casuals intrigued by a rare Irish Sea club derby, with some festive cheer.
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