What Chelsea Need to Do to Secure Champions League Qualification After Manchester City’s Big Win

According to The Chelsea Chronicle, Chelsea are on the brink of returning to the UEFA Champions League after missing out last season.

The Blues can guarantee their spot in Europe’s top club competition this weekend if they beat Nottingham Forest in Sunday’s Premier League finale. This would mark their first Champions League appearance since the 2022/23 season.

After the second-to-last round of fixtures, Chelsea sit fifth—currently the final Champions League qualification place—tied on points with Aston Villa but holding a better goal difference. This edge could be crucial when the season concludes Sunday afternoon.

Chelsea could even move up to fourth place if they win and Newcastle United fail to beat Everton at St James’ Park.

Meanwhile, Aston Villa, who reached the Champions League quarter-finals this season, must rely on Chelsea or Newcastle dropping points if they want to secure qualification again.

The stakes are high for Chelsea, who also face the Conference League final against Real Betis in Poland shortly after their match with Forest. That European final offers another potential path to continental football next season, raising the importance of this critical period.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca expressed frustration with the scheduling of these crucial games. He criticized La Liga’s decision to allow Betis to move their weekend match against Valencia 48 hours earlier to Friday, giving the Spanish side extra recovery time before the final.

“I’m not happy, 100%, you cannot allow another team 48 hours more when you play a European final,” Maresca said. “Either we play Friday or they play Sunday like us. If you ask people in this room if it is normal to play a final where another team has 48 hours more to prepare, it is not normal.”

With a Champions League spot and a European trophy on the line, Chelsea face a defining week that could turn their season from hopeful to historic—and build a strong platform for Maresca’s future at the club.