Chelsea will be thankful for a UEFA rule going into the second leg of their UEFA Conference League clash against Djurgarden. The Blues will take on the Swedish club in the second leg of their semi-final on Thursday night, having won 4-1 in the first leg at the 3Arena last week.
Enzo Maresca's side will now return to Stamford Bridge with a three-goal advantage as they aim to book a spot in the final, which will be played in Wroclaw, Poland later this month.
Chelsea will have several players unavailable for the clash against Djurgarden but, thanks to one specific UEFA rule, another star is not walking a disciplinary tightrope.
The 4-1 win in Sweden last week saw Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo the only Blues player booked in that tie. The caution was the second received by him during the Conference League campaign so far this season.
UEFA rules state that players who receive three bookings across a competition will then serve a one-match ban.
However, yellow cards are refreshed following the conclusion of the quarter-final stage, meaning the rule doesn't apply to semi-final matches.
As a result, the centre-back is not in danger of being banned for the Conference League final - should Chelsea get there. The only way he would serve a suspension for the final was if he was to receive either two bookings or a red card in the second leg against Djurgarden on Thursday night.
Adarabioyo has played a key role in helping Chelsea reach the semi-final of the Conference League, with the Blues just 90 minutes away from reaching a major European final in Maresca's first season in charge.
He has made 34 appearances in all competitions this term - nine of which have come in the Conference League.
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Chelsea ended the 2023/24 Premier League season on a high, but it is never quiet at Stamford Bridge and the summer looks set to be one full of news, with question marks over Mauricio Pochettino's future at the club and plenty of talk around transfers.
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