How Chelsea Could Be Banned From European Football Next Season
- Premier League giants Chelsea risk missing all European football next season due to an uncertain Premier League finish
- Financial expert Stefan Borson suggests Chelsea could even accept a voluntary UEFA ban if they breach their settlement agreement
- Dropping into the Europa League or Conference League could trigger major financial pressure and force big squad changes
Chelsea face the possibility of missing out on European football next season, even if they qualify for the UEFA Europa League or Europa Conference League through their Premier League finish.
If the Blues fail to break into the top five and therefore miss out on Champions League qualification, the consequences for next season could be significant.
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It is increasingly unlikely that Liam Rosenior’s side will close the gap on the teams above them, as they sit sixth, seven points behind Liverpool.
At the same time, they are only six points ahead of 14th-placed Newcastle United, meaning their place in any European competition is far from guaranteed.
Chelsea face prospect of European ban next season
The financial impact of missing out on Europe entirely could be major, especially given the Stamford Bridge outfit have already reached settlements with the Premier League and UEFA over financial breaches in recent months.
Speaking on talkSPORT, financial expert Stefan Borson suggested Chelsea could even consider voluntarily breaching their UEFA settlement and accepting a one-year European ban.
“The Champions League thing is obviously a very significant issue for a club with their cost base and with their losses,” he said.
Borson added that even if Chelsea adjust their accounts by stripping out player amortisation—estimated at around £216 million—it still remains a difficult financial situation, especially if they miss out on UEFA prize money of around £80 million and lose other competition revenue.
He warned the biggest issue comes if Chelsea drop into the Europa Conference League, arguing that their current UEFA settlement agreement could become unsustainable if they are not in the Champions League.
“There is a chance that if they fall into the Conference League, or even Europa League, they take the decision to breach the settlement agreement and take a ban like Juventus did in 2023,” Borson said.
He also suggested that such a move could involve accepting fines, ripping up the existing agreement, and taking a one-year absence from Europe before resetting their financial terms moving forward.
Source: YEN.com.gh
