Why Chelsea Could Play Champions League Last 16 Tie in Neutral Stadium
- Chelsea may have to play their Champions League Round of 16 home leg at a neutral venue due to UEFA rules
- Arsenal and Tottenham’s higher league positions give them priority for the March 17–18 fixtures, potentially affecting Chelsea’s scheduling
- Rosenior’s side could request to swap the order of home and away legs, but they must first wait for the play-off results to know their opponent
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Chelsea may face an unexpected setback in this season’s Champions League because of a little-known UEFA regulation.
Liam Rosenior’s side reached the Round of 16 after a thrilling 3-2 comeback victory away to Napoli. Joao Pedro struck twice in style after Enzo Fernandez had given the Blues an early lead in Naples.
Source: Getty Images
Antonio Conte’s team responded to go 2-1 ahead by half-time, only to exit the competition following a dramatic second-half collapse.
Even with a place secured in Europe’s elite knockout stage, Chelsea could now be forced to surrender home advantage for one leg of their Round of 16 tie.
Newcastle, Monaco, Qarabag and Paris Saint-Germain are the four possible opponents Rosenior must prepare for.
Chelsea could be moved away from Stamford Bridge
It would represent a significant setback for the west London club regardless of which side they draw. Under normal circumstances, each team hosts one leg, but Chelsea may be required to stage their “home” fixture at a neutral venue instead.
According to Mail Sport, UEFA rules state that only one Champions League match can take place in the same city on a given night. Because Arsenal and Tottenham finished higher than Chelsea in the league phase, they hold priority for the March 17 and 18 match dates.
This regulation exists to ensure matches can be properly policed without overstretching security services. If Chelsea’s scheduled home leg clashes with one of their London rivals, the club would have to apply for special dispensation from UEFA to override the rule.
Approval from London authorities would also be necessary. Another possible workaround could see the Premier League side request to play their match on a Thursday evening instead.
UEFA’s competition rules further specify that teams cannot play in the same stadium, the same city, or in cities within a 30-mile radius on the same matchday.
Regarding knockout fixtures, UEFA state:
“The national association and clubs are required in advance to identify and announce an alternative stadium where a match can be played in the given match week.
“In such a case, the team with the lower ranking in the league phase must play in the alternative venue.
“Exceptionally however, in such a case, a team qualified to play the second leg of these rounds may decide, by informing the UEFA administration before the draw, to reverse the tie and play the first leg at home instead of playing the second leg in an alternative venue.”
This opens the door for Rosenior’s team to request a swap of the scheduled home and away legs. They must first wait for the play-off ties to conclude before discovering their Round of 16 opponent for March.
Source: YEN.com.gh
