Chelsea vs Gent LIVE! Conference League match stream, latest score and goal updates today

Chelsea vs Gent - LIVE!

Chelsea continue their Europa Conference League journey tonight as they host Gent in the opening match of the league phase at Stamford Bridge. The Blues had to come through qualifying just to reach this stage of the competition, edging past Servette in unconvincing fashion, but they are the big favourites to lift the Conference League trophy in Poland next May.

Enzo Maresca’s side have made an impressive start to the season, sitting fourth in the Premier League table with only defeat in their opening six matches. Chelsea beat Brighton in a thrilling clash last time out, as Cole Palmer scored all four goals in a 4-2 victory, but the England star is not involved tonight, after the Blues left him out of their squad for the league phase of this competition to “protect” his workload. Mykhailo Mudryk, Christopher Nkunku and Joao Felix all start.

Gent are third in the Belgian Pro League and had to progress through three rounds of qualifying to book their place in the Conference League proper. Their reward is a trip to Stamford Bridge to kick things off, while they will be in Northern Ireland just before Christmas to take on Larne. Follow all the action with Standard Sport’s LIVE blog below, featuring expert analysis from Dom Smith at the ground!

Chelsea vs Gent latest news

• GOAL! Veiga heads Chelsea into early lead

• How to watch: TNT Sports

• Chelsea team news: Palmer not involved as Blues rotate

• Standard Sport prediction

Dom Smith at Stamford Bridge

20:15 , Matt Verri

An assist for Mudryk will do him the world of good, but the no-look pass into him from Dewsbury-Hall made the goal possible.

It's then an excellent header from the left-back, Veiga. Chelsea up and running.

GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Gent | Renato Veiga 12'

20:14 , Matt Verri

Could see that coming a mile off!

Chelsea utterly dominant in the last five minutes or so and Gent cannot hold out any longer.

Mudryk moves over to that right wing, dinks a cross to the back post and Veiga arrives to score with a header back across goal.

Chelsea 0-0 Gent

20:12 , Matt Verri

10 mins: Starting to become a bit ominous for Gent.

Chelsea are clicking into gear, starting to really build the pressure and pin the visitors back.

Neto allowed to drift inside onto this left foot, great block as he shoots from 20 yards out.

Chelsea 0-0 Gent

20:10 , Matt Verri

8 mins: Better from Chelsea, as Neto gets to the byline and wins a corner.

Neto takes it himself, cleared away comfortably. Portuguese winger gets another chance, better ball in this time but Mitrovic is there to head it out.

Felix then drifts into the box, lovely footwork... shot blocked.

Chelsea 0-0 Gent

20:08 , Matt Verri

6 mins: Not exactly an all-action start to this match.

Chelsea haven’t really got going, beyond a couple of nice touches from Felix. All very sluggish at the moment.

Chelsea 0-0 Gent

20:05

3 mins: It’s Gent looking dangerous already.

Ball clipped into the box, Gudjohnsen could turn and get a shot away but opts to flick it back... to a Chelsea shirt. Not a great decision.

Offside flag up anyway.

KICK-OFF!

20:02

Up and running at Stamford Bridge!

Here we go!

19:58 , Matt Verri

Big roar as the players walk out onto the pitch. For once in London it’s not raining.

Time for the Conference League anthem, which I’m sure you are all very excited for.

Not long now...

19:53 , Matt Verri

Players will be in the tunnel in the next couple of minutes.

Would there there will be no complacency in the Chelsea ranks tonight, with pretty much every player in the side looking to prove they deserve more first-team opportunities.

It’s a big night for all of them.

Chelsea in strong form

19:47 , Matt Verri

Chelsea have lost only one of the eight matches they have played since they were beaten by Man City on the opening day of the season.

That came away to Servette in the Europa Conference League qualifying play-off round, but it was still enough to progress on aggregate.

Chaos is never too far away at Stamford Bridge, but it’s been impressive on the pitch, on the whole, from Enzo Maresca’s side.

Potter opens up on Chelsea culture

19:41 , Matt Verri

Graham Potter has lifted the lid on his sacking at Chelsea, revealing the one mistake he made regarding the owners and what made the job "impossible."

Potter lasted just seven months at Stamford Bridge after becoming Todd Boehly and Clearlake's first managerial appointment following the sacking of Thomas Tuchel in September 2022.

The former Brighton manager was tasked with overseeing a new revolution at Chelsea as the club spent record-breaking amounts to sign the world's best youngsters, but ended up being dismissed the following April with the lowest points-per-game return of any Chelsea manager.

Potter made a rare TV appearance, as a pundit on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football after more than 18 months out of the limelight, to discuss Chelsea, links with Manchester United and more.

“The culture at Chelsea over a period of time has got them success so I respect that," Potter said. "I suppose you could feel that from the outside, the media and the supporters. Perhaps the mistake I made was that I thought with new ownership there would be a change of culture.

“But culture runs a lot deeper than that. Before the World Cup, we’d only lost three matches in the Premier League — one to Arsenal, who were top at the time, and to Newcastle and Brighton away — but the world was closing in and we were close to crisis.”

Read his full comments here!

Dom Smith at Stamford Bridge

19:32 , Matt Verri

To put into perspective what Chelsea are up against, a Belgian journalist has just said Gent's priciest player cost £6m and is on the bench.

Chelsea's most expensive is on the bench too - £115m Moises Caicedo...

In the building!

19:26 , Matt Verri

If you were desperately hoping to watch a video of the Chelsea players strolling into Stamford Bridge, you really are in luck.

Dom Smith at Stamford Bridge

19:20 , Matt Verri

Enzo Maresca said this is a big night for the likes of Mykhailo Mudryk and Christopher Nkunku, and he is absolutely right.

Nkunku has delivered when called upon for the most part this season, but he was signed as an intended starter and is desperate to break into the club's Premier League starting XI.

So too is Mudryk, but he finds himself further out of the frame, hooked at half-time at Wolves in his only Premier League start this season, after which Maresca dug him out for his below-par display.

Gudjohnsen leading the line at Stamford Bridge...

19:13 , Matt Verri

Andri Gudjohnsen, son of former Chelsea striker Eidur, starts up front for Gent tonight.

The 22-year-old has spoken of his excitement to play at Stamford Bridge, a ground that brought so much success for his dad.

"It's quite typical, wasn't it, to get Chelsea in the draw?" he told BBC Sport.

"The first thing I did was call my father. He already knew. It's special for me and for him.

“I was born when my father played there. It's kind of a unique draw."

Dom Smith at Stamford Bridge

19:05 , Matt Verri

Can anyone stop Chelsea lifting the Conference League trophy next May?

Chelsea as expected!

18:59 , Matt Verri

Enzo Maresca makes plenty of changes, as we thought he would.

Jorgensen in goal, with Disasi slotting in at right-back and Veiga on the opposite side of the defence.

Plenty of pace and attacking threat in that front four - Neto, Felix, Mudryk and Nkunku. Could be a long night for Gent.

Madueke and Caicedo among those on the bench if required.

Gent team news

18:53 , Matt Verri

Starting XI: Roef, Brown, Watanbe, Mitrovic, Torunarigha, Gambor, Fadiga, Delorge, Ito, Surdez, Gudjohnsen

Subs: Schmidt, Gandelman, Vancsa, Gerkens, Sonko, Samoise, Araujo, Dean, Kums, Fortuna, Varela, De Vlieger

Chelsea team news

18:48 , Matt Verri

Starting XI: Jorgensen, Disasi, Tosin, Badiashile, Veiga, Casadei, Dewsbury-Hall, Neto, Felix, Mudryk, Nkunku

Subs: Sanchez, Colwill, Cucurella, Caicedo, Dyer, George, Madueke, Guiu

Dom Smith at Stamford Bridge

18:38 , Matt Verri

This is Chelsea's 300th match in European competition and it is difficult to think of one that mattered less than this.

Chelsea are the overwhelming favourites to win the Europa Conference League, with Real Betis, Fiorentina and Copenhagen just behind. Also considered in the mix are tonight's visitors, Gent. This really is Chelsea's tournament to lose.

They spent more this summer on transfers than every other team in the competition combined.

Mess up tonight - which they really shouldn't - and there will still be plenty of time to correct it in the rest of this six-game group phase.

Casadei explains decision to stay at Chelsea

18:33 , Matt Verri

Cesare Casadei believes he can become an “important” player for Chelsea, after revealing it was his decision not to leave the club on loan again this season.

The Italian midfielder is expected to start tonight against Gent.

Casadei, 21, spent the second half of the 2022/23 season on loan at Reading and played under Maresca on loan at Leicester in the first half of last season before being recalled by Chelsea in January.

He has made Chelsea’s squad for two Premier League games so far this season, and his only appearance during this campaign to date came in last week’s 5-0 win over Barro win the Carabao Cup.

“From the moment I decided to stay here, my goal is to become a Chelsea player — an important player for this team,” Casadei said on Wednesday.

“It was my decision [not to leave on loan this season]. Last season was not very easy for me, so at the start of this season I was thinking about what was the best solution for me.

“From the moment I spoke to the manager, I was 100 per cent sure that the decision to stay was best for me to improve and for my career.”

Jorgensen set for chance to shine

18:22 , Matt Verri

Enzo Maresca made no attempt to hide his frustration at having to answer a question about Chelsea’s goalkeeper situation, but he surely saw it coming.

Chelsea got away with the error-strewn performance of Robert Sanchez in Saturday’s meeting with Brighton thanks to Cole Palmer’s four-goal haul, yet Maresca will know that any criticism of Sanchez this season arrives at his door, too.

The Italian, after all, was responsible for restoring Sanchez to his previous status as Chelsea’s No1.

Sanchez was directly at fault for both of Brighton’s goals on Saturday. Little wonder, then, that Maresca was asked whether Filip Jorgensen, who will start tonight, can use the Conference League as a springboard to eventually replacing Sanchez in the Blues’ Premier League XI.

“Filip has to do well because we need him doing well, not because he has to put pressure on Robert,” a defiant Maresca said in his press conference ahead of Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge opener.

Read more on that here!

Chelsea reach 300...

18:11 , Matt Verri

Not exactly the most notable of landmarks, is it?

A 300th European match for Chelsea - try and contain your excitement.

Why is Cole Palmer not involved?

18:06 , Matt Verri

Enzo Maresca will be unable to call on star man Cole Palmer tonight or for the next five matches.

Indeed, the England international – along with Wesley Fofana and Romeo Lavia – all been left out of the club’s squad for the Conference League group stages.

The trio have not been included in a bid to manage their workloads across the gruelling campaign, in which Chelsea will be expected to go deep in every competition.

Lavia and Fofana continue to recover from long-term injuries, while Palmer is merely being rested. They could all return for the knockout stages, however.

“It’s very clear,’ Maresca said last month. “We try to protect the players.

“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.

“Cole is more or less is the same.”

Standard Sport prediction

17:55 , Matt Verri

Such is the strength of Maresca’s squad, anything less than a routine home win would be considered a real upset.

It would be no surprise to see 11 changes from the Blues and still boast a team with European experience.

Chelsea to win, 2-0.

Chelsea team news

17:47 , Matt Verri

Chelsea look set to hand starts to both Mykhailo Mudryk and Christopher Nkunku in attack for tonight’s Conference League clash with Gent.

Chelsea will be without four-goal hero Cole Palmer, Ben Chilwell, Wesley Fofana and Romeo Lavia,who were all omitted from the squad submitted to UEFA for the group stage.

Meanwhile, Mudryk has only made one start in the Premier League so far this season, but Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca insisted he and others can force their way into his starting XI for Premier League games if they perform well in Europe.

“Hopefully he can do a good game”, Maresca said of Mudryk. “But it’s not just Misha, also Christopher Nkunku. At the moment he’s not starting in the Premier League.

“It does not mean they’re not going to start in the next or two games — just this is the situation at the moment.”

Asked whether he regrets not including Chilwell in his Conference League squad to offer depth at full-back, Maresca asserted: “No.”

He said of his squad ahead of facing Gent: “They are all available, [apart from] the guys that are not in the squad and Reece [James]. They are all available.”

Predicted Chelsea XI (4-2-3-1): Jorgensen; Disasi, Tosin, Badiashile, Veiga; Casadei, Dewsbury-Hall; Neto, Felix, Mudryk; Nkunku

How to watch Chelsea vs Gent

17:37 , Matt Verri

TV channel: The game will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 1 in the UK, with coverage beginning at 7:45pm BST - after the conclusion of Tottenham’s Europa League game against Ferencvaros in Hungary. Kick-off is at 8pm.

Live stream: Subscribers will also be able to watch on a live stream online via the Discovery+ app and website.

LIVE coverage: Follow all the action tonight right here, with Dom Smith at Stamford Bridge.

Good evening!

17:28 , Matt Verri

Hello and welcome to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of Chelsea vs Gent!

The Blues begin the serious business in the Conference League tonight, having come through qualifying earlier in the season. Have to think that anything other than a European trophy in May would be a disappointment for the club.

We’ll have all the latest updates, build-up and team news ahead of kick-off, which comes at 8pm BST from Stamford Bridge!