James' corner to the far post causes issues for Legia, it is knocked back across the area and Chris Nkunku nearly turns it home with a back heel.

Nkunku's effort is blocked and the move ends with a Chelsea foul in there somewhere.

Chelsea have their first forward foray, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's cross from the right blocked behind for a corner.

Reece James will take the set piece.

Reece James being transported back to his Wigan Athletic loan days with a start in central midfield here.

The England international has not seen much of the ball yet.

Chelsea may be heavy favourites, but Legia are stroking the ball around unintimidated.

The Blues eased through the early games in the Conference League, but they were tested by Copenhagen last time out and it looks like they won't have it all their own way here.

Legia have started this game well.

They have a couple of corners in quick succession, from the second the ball bounces free in the area but forward Luquinhas scoops his shot well over the top.

Legia Warsaw immediately look to ping a long ball forward to put Chelsea under pressure, but the cross towards Ryoya Morishita is cut out.

Morishita generally plays on the left wing, but an injury crisis for Legia means he is being played as a striker tonight.

Off we go amid clouds of flare smoke in the Polish capital.

Image source, PA Media

Joe Cole
Former Chelsea and England midfielder on TNT Sports

Don't give the crowd anything to get behind and they'll soon quieten down.

Every atmosphere has a different feeling. Poland is certainly a very boisterous place to go.

Image source, Getty Images

Here we go, the players have emerged at the Polish Army Stadium.

There is a large, rather bloody tifo being held aloft by the home fans of a knight in armour stabbing a lion through the jaw, with the words "fear no one" underneath.

The atmosphere sounds absolutely blistering.

For those unaware, the full name of Legia Warsaw's ground is the Stadion Miejski Legii Warszawa im. Marszałka Józefa Piłsudskiego.

It is also known as the Polish Army Stadium. If you don't mind, I'll use the nickname to save my fingers tonight.

Chelsea

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca speaking to TNT Sports, on Christopher Nkunku starting ahead of Nicolas Jackson: "We trust Christo to help us win the game. Hopefully, we can win. We know it will a tough game for different reasons but hopefully we are ready."

On Cole Palmer: "He is already playing a big part since we started the season and, for sure, he is going to continue playing a big part.

"The Conference is important, the Champions League is important, but we can't think to win the conference without beating them [Legia Warsaw] tonight or the next two games. The next target is the semi-final and hopefully we can get that."

Chelsea fans making the trip to Warsaw tonight might be inclined to save their leftover Zloty after tonight, as they could be back in Poland next month.

The Conference League showpiece this season takes place at the Wroclaw Stadium, approximately 208 miles from Legia Warsaw's ground.

Image source, Getty Images

Second qualifying round: Beat Caernarfon Town 11-0 on aggregate

Third qualifying round: Beat Brondby 4-3 on aggregate

Qualifying play-off: Beat Drita 3-0 on aggregate

Group stage

Legia Warsaw 1-0 Real Betis

TSC 0-3 Legia Warsaw

Legia Warsaw 4-0 Dinamo Minsk

Omonia 0-3 Legia Warsaw

Legia Warsaw 1-2 Lugano

Djurgardens 3-1 Legia Warsaw

Round of 16: Beat Molde 4-3 on aggregate

Legia and Chelsea have never previously met, but the Polish side have faced three English teams previously - Manchester United, Blackburn Rovers and Leicester City.

They faced United in the semi-finals of the 1990-91 Cup Winners' Cup (ask your parents), with the Manchester side winning 4-2 on aggregate on their way to lifting the trophy.

Legia were drawn with Blackburn in the 1995-96 Champions League group stages (Blackburn in the Champions League? It happened!), with the Polish side winning 1-0 at home before earning a goalless draw at Ewood Park.

Far more recently, Legia played Leicester in the 2021-22 Europa League group stage, winning 1-0 in Warsaw but were beaten 3-1 at King Power Stadium.

Image source, Getty Images

Historically, Legia Warsaw are the biggest side in Polish football. No team can boast more Ekstraklasa titles nor Polish Cup wins than their 15 league wins and 20 domestic cup triumphs.

Things have been tougher in recent years though, with no league titles since 2021 and this season they currently sit fifth in the top flight, eight points off the European qualification places.

But their fans are famous for their giant tifos and indimidating atmosphere, which has helped Legia have success in the Conference League this season - after coming through three qualifying rounds, they finished seventh in the league phase to join Chelsea in directly reaching the round of 16, where they beat Molde after extra time.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Legia and Chelsea have never met. Spurs fans have another reason to back the Poles though - their veteran striker on the bench today, Tomas Pekhart, came through the Tottenham academy.

There are not too many other recognisable names for Premier League fans, although lining up at left back for Legia tonight is Ruben Vinagre, formerly of Wolves, Everton and Hull.

Group stage

Chelsea 4-2 Gent

Panathinaikos 1-4 Chelsea

Chelsea 8-0 Noah

Heidenheim 0-2 Chelsea

Astana 1-3 Chelsea

Chelsea 5-1 Shamrock Rovers

Round of 16

First leg: Copenhagen 1-2 Chelsea

Second leg: Chelsea 1-0 Copenhagen