There is always a tension to European nights in late spring, a sense of promise weighed against pragmatism. For Chelsea, travelling to face Djurgarden in the Europa Conference League semi-final, the dynamic is familiar: expectation, but with caveats.
Enzo Maresca’s side are clear favourites, not just for the tie but for the tournament. Yet, as has become typical of Chelsea’s modern existence, the situation is anything but simple.
With newly-crowned champions Liverpool visiting Stamford Bridge on Sunday in what could be a defining clash for European qualification via the Premier League, Maresca’s priorities are delicately poised.