Tonight’s hosts are the product of a 1991 merger between Boldklubben 1893 (B93) and Kjobenhavns Boldklub, or KB, to form FCK. Chelsea's connections with both go way back.

Copenhagen was the venue for the Pensioners’ first ever overseas match way back in May 1906, a 6-2 win against B93. That game was part of the post-season European tour in which George Hilsdon set himself on the road to legend by filling his boots with goals.

English football’s first great overseas star was Chelsea’s amateur wing-half Nils Middelboe (1913-23). ‘The Great Dane’ was signed from KB and returned there later as a director, arranging special friendlies with Chelsea in 1946 and again five years later for KB’s 75th anniversary.

That second visit came during the Blues’ miraculous escape from relegation in April/May 1951. Bottom of the table, Willie Birrell’s team needed to win all of their last four games to have any chance of survival.

Remarkably, they won the first three and faced a make-or-break final day against Bolton at the Bridge. However, straight after victory at Fulham the week before, they had flown from Northolt to Copenhagen to play Middelboe’s club on Sunday afternoon.

The Londoners won 2-1 in front of 30,000 including the King of Denmark – and sensibly cancelled another exhibition game planned for later in the week.

They returned home exhausted, but somehow, in the crucial last game and with nine of the same personnel, beat Bolton 4-0 to complete the four-game miracle, and survive with a 0.044 superior goal average to relegated Sheffield Wednesday's.

Forty-seven years later, the two sides met in round two of the Cup Winners’ Cup, holders Chelsea prevailing 2-1 on aggregate. The winner came in Copenhagen from the Blues’ Danish winger Brian Laudrup – a day before he joined them.

The Champions League Round of 16 of February 2011 brought the most recent reunion, former Chelsea winger Jesper Gronkjaer was then part of Copenhagen’s side. Goals in either half from Nicolas Anelka put Carlo Ancelotti’s team in charge and the second leg at the Bridge finished 0-0.