First in the gym and then under brilliant blue skies, the players got to work fully focused on our return to European action two-and-a-half months after our last Conference League assignment, the big home win over Shamrock Rovers.

Since that victory in December there are new names in our Conference League squad for the knockout stages: Trevoh Chalobah, Mathis Amougou, and Cole Palmer.

Should Palmer play in the Danish capital, it wouldn’t actually be his European debut for the club – he came on as a sub in the second leg of our play-off tie against Servette in Switzerland back in August.

Christopher Nkunku scored in that game and the forward went on to net in four of his five appearances in the league phase of the competition.

The French forward was in good spirits today as he looks to add to that impressive tally in the Conference League, and also build on his crucial opening goal against Southampton a week ago.

Enzo Maresca has been adamant since the Blues’ European journey began this season that there is nothing to be gained from looking too far ahead, even though many pundits have Chelsea as favourites to win the competition.

‘Now that we are in the next round we have to be focused on the next round, and then if we are able to win, go on to the next one,’ he stressed in December.

‘Thinking about playing the final or winning the competition when there are still six games to go to reach the final, I don’t think that is correct.’

It is with that short-term focus in mind that the Blues will travel to Copenhagen.