Why does Chelsea's Conference League game on Thursday kick off so early? | OneFootball

Chelsea are flying high in the Premier League but they return to continental action on Thursday.

The Blues currently lead the Europa Conference League table after four matches having blitzed many of their opponents in the competition and are aiming to extend their excellent record midweek. However, durability will be put to the test not by their opposition, but by the journey and conditions.

Enzo Maresca's side travel all the way to Kazakhstan for their upcoming European encounter, locking horns with capital side Astana.

It will be the first time that Chelsea have battled a team from the country in a competitive fixture, with this season's new-look European competitions throwing up some unprecedented clashes.

Chelsea supporters desperate to see their side in action must beware, however, with Thursday's fixture kicking off earlier than the usual.

When does Astana vs Chelsea kick off?

Astana are Chelsea's opposition on Thursday / Jan Kruger/GettyImages

Chelsea have grown accustomed to the Conference League this season but all of their matches in qualifying and during the league phase have kicked off at 17:45 or 20:00 GMT. These are the standard slots for European competition.

However, there are sometimes exceptions due to scheduling conflicts and travel. Chelsea find that out the hard way on Thursday as they prepare for their 15:30 GMT kick-off with Kazakhstan's Astana.

Why does Astana vs Chelsea kick-off so early?

Chelsea make the gruelling trip to Almaty on Thursday / THOMAS KIENZLE/GettyImages

Away days in European competition are rarely as arduous as the journey to Kazakhstan.

Astana are currently playing their European home matches in the city of Almaty, approximately 1,200km away from the capital, due to renovations on their regular home stadium. As a result, Chelsea will make the eight-hour flight directly to Almaty, taking a route that avoids travelling through Ukraine, Russia and the Middle East due to conflicts in these regions.

The reason the match is being played at 15:30 is due to the time zone in Kazakhstan being five hours ahead of the United Kingdom, meaning the match will be played at 20:30 local time. The same slot was used for Portuguese side Vitoria de Guimaraes' recent trip to in the same competition.

The conditions will be tough for Chelsea, too. The temperature is likely to range from -6 to -11 degrees during Thursday's encounter, making current British weather look decidedly toasty.

Maresca is expected to make wholesale changes to his starting lineup and many of the club's first-teamers won't even make the trip. A host of fringe and academy players will be called upon as Chelsea look for a fifth straight league phase victory.

Chelsea return to domestic action on Sunday when they face fellow west London outfit Brentford in the Premier League. However, the match will be affected by Conference League commitments.

Instead of playing in the afternoon on Sunday as is customary for those who have been in Europa League or Conference League action, Chelsea will host the Bees at 19:00 GMT instead, allowing them extra recovery time following their travels to and from what is essentially central Asia.