The London club has spent over £1 billion since the summer of 2022 to return to the competition they won the year earlier
21:28, 29 Mar 2025
Pedro Neto of Chelsea
Pedro Neto of Chelsea(Image: Getty Images)
Chelsea could run into a UEFA-sized headache if they manage to finish in the Champions League places this season.
The Blues are currently fourth in the Premier League table which would grant them passage to Europe's premier club competition next season.
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A fifth place finish would also, likely, do with English clubs racking up the coefficients points as both Aston Villa and Arsenal made it to the quarter-finals.
If Enzo Maresca’s side do make it over the line, however, their Champions League participations could be dashed due to their multi-club ownership model throwing a spanner in the works.
The BlueCo consortium, including Todd Boehly, owns Chelsea - and also Strasbourg in France's Ligue 1.
Manager Liam Rosenior led his team to a recent 4-2 win over Lyon, moving them to within a point of their Champions League spots.
But loopholes may need to be adopted if both clubs seal a place in UEFA’s top competition.
According to UEFA's own guidelines, there is a way both clubs can take part in same competition without one side sitting out or any potential repercussions. Once the conditions met - the two clubs can not partake in any transfer activity directly between the clubs.
Goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic and Brazilian Andrey Santos are currently on loan in Alsace from Chelsea, while Diego Moreira signed permanently.
UEFA regulations say that no single entity can have “control or influence” over more than one club participating in one of their club competitions.
Todd Boehly at Stamford Bridge to watch Chelsea
Todd Boehly at Stamford Bridge to watch Chelsea(Image: Getty Images)
It is standard for the governing body to launch an investigation in the ownership and off-field structures at both clubs in such instances.
Directors cannot be involved at both clubs and in Chelsea and Strasbourg’s case one might need to have a third-party, or trust, placed in charge during the period where they are in the same competition.
They may also be blocked from using any shared data on players and recruitment that is currently available to both clubs.
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Both RB Salzburg and Leipzig have been through the process in recent years, alongside Manchester City and Girona this season while Manchester United and Nice faced investigation with both sides in the Europa League.
Following an investigation into the respective ownership models, UEFA said that after “the implementation of significant changes by the concerned investors” all clubs were permitted to play.
Should Chelsea, who sit fourth in the Premier League table, and Strasbourg end up in different UEFA competitions next season there is unlikely to be any need for structural changes behind the scenes at eight club.