Chelsea have one foot in the Europa Conference League final after coming away from Stockholm with a comfortable win against Djurgarden in the first leg of their semi-final.
Jadon Sancho and Noni Madueke struck in the first half to settle the nerves for the Blues against their Swedish opponents.
Substitute Nicolas Jackson then bagged a second-half double, before 18-year-old Isak Alemayehu pulled one back for the hosts with the first goal of his senior career.
With a top-five Premier League place their main target, Blues boss Enzo Maresca made eight changes to Chelsea’s starting line-up before Sunday’s crucial Premier League meeting with newly crowned Champions Liverpool.
But it did not unsettle them as a dominant display will leave them confident of finishing the job in next Thursday’s return leg at Stamford Bridge.
Success in the competition will make them the first club to complete the full set of European trophies, having won the Champions League and Europa League twice.
A spectacular tifo display from Djurgarden supporters had welcomed Chelsea into the 3Arena, but the visitors drew first blood through Sancho after just 12 minutes.
Enzo Fernandez clipped a ball towards the back post for the on-loan winger to chest down and pass it into the back of the net, with the help of defender Marcus Danielson’s sliced clearance.
The artificial pitch, which was a cause of concern for Maresca before kick-off, did not seem to hamper the Londoners at all as they dominated both possession and chances throughout.
They were 2-0 up when Fernandez slipped in Madueke two minutes before the break and he beat goalkeeper Jacob Rinne at the near post with a sharp finish.
Maresca made four half-time changes, including bringing on Cole Palmer and Jackson and the latter capitalised on a horrible defensive mix-up between Danielson and keeper Rinne to make it 3-0 just before the hour mark.
The Senegal striker then bagged a second six minutes later as he found the top corner with a fine finish from the edge of the box to assert Chelsea’s control in the tie.
The vociferous home supporters were buoyed, though, by Alemayehu’s downward header in the 68th minute, although it will take something special for Djurgarden to stop Chelsea sealing their place in the Wroclaw showpiece on 28 May.
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