Chelsea should prioritise their Premier League position over Champions League glory, despite being genuine contenders to become kings of Europe, a four-time Blues trophy winner has exclusively told Sports Mole.
Enzo Maresca's men resume their continental campaign away to Azerbaijani outfit Qarabag on Wednesday night, seeking a third win from four UCL matches after home successes over Benfica and Ajax.
Chelsea only find themselves outside of the automatic last-16 places on goal difference, and few can forgetthe Blues' memorable 3-0 triumph over reigning Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germainin the 2025 Club World Cup final.
However, Maresca's side have been hit and miss in the Premier League so far in 2025-26, winning five of their 10 matches to occupy seventh place in the table, eight points adrift of leaders Arsenal.
As a result, Gus Poyet - an FA Cup, Cup Winners' Cup, Community Shield and UEFA Super Cup winner with the Blues - has urged his former side to focus on domestic matters rather than the Champions League
Gus Poyet: 'Chelsea should focus on Premier League not Champions League'
Chelsea's Malo Gusto celebrates with Reece James after winning the Club World Cup on July 13, 2025
Asked by Sports Mole if Chelsea are candidates to win the Champions League, the Uruguayan replied: “Well, if you base it on what they’ve done three months ago, yes.
"But it's a long way. I think Chelsea now need to settle down in the Premier League - they need to aim to be closer to the top.
“People ask about Chelsea, Spurs, Liverpool, Aston Villa because they are not there. Nobody talks about Arsenal, they keep going and they’re already six points ahead.
“I think the teams need to concentrate on the Premier League. Then these international tournaments, the teams have different levels and maybe it's the coach's ability to manage how to play, but Chelsea need to play to win trophies. So this is another opportunity.”
Should Chelsea prioritise Europe over Premier League?
Chelsea's Joao Pedro celebrates scoring on August 30, 2025
Some teams and some managers far prefer knockout football to league action - just ask Unai Emery's Sevilla - and the Blues more than proved their credentials in the former setting last season.
Conquering both the Conference League and the Club World Cup, Chelsea rubbed shoulders with some of the globe's best last year and still came out on top, although PSG's exhaustion after a long season may have played a part in their final performance too.
The Blues have already been comfortably swept aside by Bayern Munich in the league phase of the Champions League, though, and it is difficult to see Maresca's inconsistent side going into games against the likes of Barcelona as favourites.
Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City's top-four spots in the Premier League should not be up for debate, and with Bournemouth and Sunderland flying high while Manchester United enjoy a renaissance, Chelsea's UCL spot is far from a guarantee.
Poyet is therefore right in saying that Chelsea should prioritise the top flight, but if their injury issues settle down in the second half of the season, there is no reason why they cannot compete on both fronts.
Gus Poyet was speaking to Sports Mole on behalf of BetWright.
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