While the Blues might have bigger priorities in mind this season, failing to win this trophy would be a major surprise.
Out of both domestic cup competitions and facing a battle to qualify for the Champions League next season through the Premier League, it’s a tournament that offers the potential of some welcome silverware for Enzo Maresca.
Still, while Chelsea are strong favourites, anything can happen in knockout football.
With that in mind, here’s a look at all you need to know about the Conference League last-16 draw.
Date, start time and venue
The last-16 draw for the Conference League takes place at 1pm GMT on Friday February 21, 2025 at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.
How to watch Conference League last-16 draw
TV channel and live stream: The draw will be streamed on UEFA’s official website and YouTube channel.
LIVE coverage: Follow all the action with Standard Sport’s blog!
Conference League last-16 format
The teams who finished in the top eight of the Conference League table have automatically qualified for the last-16 and they will be joined by the eight winners of the two-legged knockout phase play-off tie.
Pairings for the round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-final will be pre-defined, based on where teams finished in the League phase.
Who has qualified for the Conference League last-16?
As a result of finishing top in the league phase, Chelsea’s four possible opponents were Gent, Copenhagen, Real Betis and Heidenheim.
That has now been cut to just Real Betis or Copenhagen, after the play-off ties.
Conference League last-16 dates
The Conference League round of 16 will take place on Thursday, March 6, 2025.
The return legs are scheduled for Thursday, March 13, 2025.
