ANKARA: English Premier League side Chelsea will play Belgium's Gent in their UEFA Europa Conference League opener at 1900GMT on Thursday. The match at Stamford Bridge will be the first time that two-time Champions League champions the Blues will face 2022-23 Conference League quarterfinalists Genk. Gent boss Wouter Vrancken said of the upcoming duel: "Playing football at Stamford Bridge is always special." Gent's Israeli midfielder Omri Gandelman may not play against Chelsea, which may make things a bit more difficult for Vrancken's side. This is Chelsea's first Conference League campaign under new head coach Enzo Maresca. Apart from English fullback Reece James' hamstring injury, Maresca will have his full squad available for the Conference League match., UEFA Europa Conference League Fixtures: Wednesday: Istanbul Basaksehir vs. SK Rapid Wien Vitoria de Guimaraes vs. NK Celje Thursday: FC Heidenheim 1846 vs. Olimpija Ljubljana Astana vs. Backa Topola Cercle Brugge vs. St Gallen Dinamo Minsk vs . Hearts Legia Warsaw vs. Real Betis Molde vs. Larne Noah vs. Mlady Boleslav Omonia Nicosia vs. Vikingur Reykjavik Borac vs. Panathinaikos Chelsea vs. Gent FC Copenhagen vs. Jagiellonia Bialystok FC Lugano vs. HJK Helsinki Fiorentina vs. The New Saints FC Linz ASK vs. Djurgardens Petrocub-Hincesti vs. Pafos Shamrock Rovers vs. Apoel Nicosia Source: Anadolu Agency