At Stamford Bridge on Thursday, May 8, the second leg of the UEFA Europa Conference League semi-final between Chelsea and Djurgarden will take place. The 4-1 win earned by the Blues in the first leg, played last Thursday at the 3Arena in Stockholm, makes things significantly easier for the English side, who would only miss out on the final—against either Fiorentina or Real Betis—if they lose by four or more goals. Given Chelsea's form in this season's Conference League, such an outcome appears highly unlikely. Enzo Maresca’s side has lost only one match in the competition so far and is coming off four consecutive wins, the latest being a 3-1 victory over newly-crowned Premier League champions Liverpool. The Londoners are not only strong favorites to lift the UEFA Europa Conference League trophy but are also fifth in the league and preparing for a crucial clash with Newcastle United this weekend, meaning squad rotation could be a factor. In contrast, Djurgarden are going through a rough patch. Although it's still early in the Allsvenskan, they're already lagging behind, partly due to their European commitments. Last week, the Swedish side suffered a heavy home defeat, conceding twice in each half (goals by Sancho, Madueke, and a brace from Jackson) before grabbing a late consolation goal through Alemayehu. Regardless of the result, Kimmo Honkavaara’s men have already exceeded expectations by becoming the first Swedish team in 38 years—since IFK Goteborg—to reach a European semi-final.

Chelsea Recent Form and Key Stats

Chelsea are enjoying a good run of form heading into the match against Djurgarden. Their recent 3-1 win over Premier League champions Liverpool marked their fourth straight victory, following league wins over Fulham, Everton, and the first-leg triumph in Sweden. These results have propelled them to fifth place in the league table, keeping them well in the hunt for a Champions League spot next season.

In the Conference League, the Blues have been nearly flawless, winning 10 matches and losing just once—an irrelevant defeat in the second leg of the quarter-finals against Legia Warsaw after already securing a 3-0 win in the first leg. That game also represents their only loss in their last 12 home matches across all competitions.

Djurgarden Recent Form and Key Stats

Djurgarden are struggling in the early stages of the Allsvenskan, having collected just eight points from six matches. Last time out, they managed only a 1-1 draw against AIK Stockholm, continuing a concerning trend—they've lost all three of their domestic league matches that followed Conference League fixtures.

Their European journey has been inconsistent, with 6 wins, 1 draw, and 4 losses. Among the semi-finalists, they have scored the fewest goals (19). Away from home, they’ve managed 3 wins, 1 draw, and just 1 loss, averaging 1.8 goals scored and 1 conceded per game.

Chelsea vs Djurgarden Prediction and Tactical Preview

The technical and international experience gap between the two sides was already evident in the first leg, and with home advantage now in Chelsea’s favor, it’s hard to imagine the Swedes overturning the three-goal deficit from Stockholm.

Although Chelsea’s only loss in this season’s Conference League came at Stamford Bridge (1-2 vs Legia Warsaw), that match saw heavy squad rotation after a 3-0 win in the first leg. This may prompt Maresca to opt for fewer changes this time around, despite the important weekend fixture against Newcastle.

Djurgarden managed to score four goals away at Rapid Vienna in the quarter-finals, but needed extra time and faced a much less challenging opponent compared to the Blues. Moreover, their recent domestic struggles suggest that if things start poorly, they might shift focus to preserving energy for their league campaign.

The comeback—or even a draw—looks even less likely given the long list of injuries for Honkavaara’s side: over ten players are out, including starting goalkeeper Manojlovic. On the Chelsea side, Nkunku, Fofana, and Guiu are confirmed absentees.

For all these reasons, Chelsea are strong favorites to win this match. The BetMines algorithm’s prediction for Chelsea vs Djurgarden heavily favors the home side.

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Chelsea vs Djurgarden Predicted Lineups

CHELSEA (4-2-3-1): Jorgensen; Acheampong, Badiashile, Adarabioyo, Gusto; James, Dewsbury-Hall; Rak-Sakyi, Palmer, Sancho; George. Coach: Enzo Maresca

DJURGARDEN (4-3-2-1): Rinne; Tenho, Une, Danielson, Kosugi; Finndell, Stensson, Gulliksen; Haarala, Nguen; Priske. Coach: Kimmo Honkavaara