May 26th 2024.
It looks like Chelsea has secured a spot in next season's Europa Conference League, making them the first team to have a chance at winning all three European trophies. Despite finishing sixth in the Premier League, they have been bumped down to the third-tier competition due to Manchester United's unexpected win over Manchester City in the FA Cup. This means that United will take the final Europa League spot, leaving Chelsea to compete in the Conference League.
There were some concerns that Chelsea may choose to withdraw from the Europa Conference League due to UEFA's strict financial regulations. The organization allows for losses up to €80 million for the monitoring period between 2022 and 2024. However, the Premier League's regulations offer a little more flexibility, allowing losses of up to £105 million. Unfortunately, Chelsea's pre-tax loss of £90.1 million puts them just shy of that number. Plus, their compliance with the Premier League's regulations was dependent on the sale of two hotels at Stamford Bridge to a sister company, which would not be factored into UEFA's calculations.
This puts Chelsea in a bit of a sticky situation, especially since the earnings from the Europa Conference League are significantly lower than those from the Champions League. However, the club has released a statement confirming their participation in the tournament following United's win in the FA Cup final. The statement reads, "Chelsea will play in the 2024/25 UEFA Conference League after England's European qualification spots were finalized."
This will be the first time that Chelsea competes in the Conference League, which was initially supposed to take place in the 2021/22 season. The club's participation in Europe may also hasten the departures of some homegrown players, such as Conor Gallagher and Trevoh Chalobah, whose potential sales would count as pure profit.
As for the upcoming tournament, Chelsea will enter at the play-off round and will have to win a two-legged tie to secure a spot in the league stage. This is part of the new format for all three of Europe's competitions, which have been overhauled for next season. The play-off round fixtures are scheduled for August 22 and 29, and the draw to determine Chelsea's opponents will take place on August 5.
At the moment, Chelsea has almost three times the coefficient of the next highest-ranked club in the competition, Real Betis. The Spanish side, along with German club Heidenheim and French side Lens, have already secured their spots in the play-off round. The eighth or ninth ranked Serie A club will also go straight to the play-off round, and the 12 teams eliminated from the Europa League play-off round will also qualify for the league stage of the Conference League.
It's an exciting time for Chelsea and their fans as they prepare for their first-ever participation in the Europa Conference League. With their strong position in the competition and the potential for profit from player sales, it's a promising opportunity for the club. Stay tuned for updates and analysis on all things Chelsea as they gear up for the tournament.
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