LAGOS, Nigeria — Chelsea fit face serious ban wey go fit stop dem from next season’s Champions League if dem no meet up with UEFA demand. As e stand now, dem dey sit for fifth position for Premier League, wey go qualify dem if dem finish for di top five by di end of di season.
Di Blues don dey fight for dem chance, styled under manager Enzo Maresca, wey don lead dem to di Europa Conference League final against Real Betis. Winning dat match, or finishing sixth for di Premier League go fit secure dem place for next year’s Champions League.
However, di ownership matter fit cause wahala. Chelsea dey owned by BlueCo, a group wey also get majority stake for French club Strasbourg. Di two clubs fit run into problem because UEFA no allow any party control two clubs wey go dey compete for di same competition. Currently, Strasbourg dey sixth for Ligue 1, and if dem make am to di Champions League, e fit complicate tins for Chelsea.
“We have been in talks with UEFA since January about making a structure wey go comply with their regulations,” one source from BlueCo talk. E mean sey dem dey plan to put Strasbourg for wetin dem call a ‘blind trust’ to avoid any conflict wey fit come from dem controlling both clubs.
As di season dey wind down, Chelsea still dey try to secure dia place for di Champions League, but dem need to keep an eye on how Strasbourg dey perform for their last matches. Di last two games for Strasbourg go be against teams wey dey fight relegation, and if dem win, e go mean sey dem dey in contention for di Champions League.
Geoffrey Harper, a sports analyst, talk sey, “Chelsea don face plenty financial scrutiny, and if dem no find a way to align dem ownership with UEFA rules, e go fit cost dem dearly.”
As for Chelsea, dem don reach di quarter-finals for di 2022/2023 season before dem knock out. Last time dem get chance to showcase for di Champions League, it dey clear sey di team get strong ambition to return to di top. But di current rift wey dey surround dem ownership fit become major hurdle.
Di last matches of di season dey come fast, and Chelsea need to ensure sey dem no just focus on top five finish, but also solve di ownership and UEFA matter before e turn serious wahala. “I dey confident sey we go fit navigate dis challenge,” Maresca talk confidently. “Dis na an opportunity for us to show sey we be top club.”
As di drama dey unfold, fans go dey keep eyes on both Chelsea and Strasbourg as dem try to chase European glory while managing di complexities of multi-club ownership. Wetin go happen next? Time go tell.
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