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It’s mathematically impossible for Chelsea to finish in the top five of the Premier League, but they can still qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season.<\/h2>\n <\/p>\n\n
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\nChelsea can still qualify for the UEFA Champions League(Image: Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA\/Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/button><\/p>\n
Chelsea can still qualify for the UEFA Champions League, even though it’s mathematically impossible to finish in the top five of the Premier League.<\/p>\n
Nottingham Forest stormed past Calum McFarlane’s side at Stamford Bridge on Monday afternoon, significantly slashing the Blues’ chances of securing a place in Europe’s top-flight competition next term. Chelsea slumped to ninth in the table, falling 10 points behind Aston Villa and Liverpool in fifth and fourth, respectively.<\/p>\n
With only three games left, the west Londoners cannot finish higher than sixth. Fortunately for Chelsea, though, the position could earn them a place in the Champions League if Aston Villa win the UEFA Europa League and finish in the top five in the Premier League.<\/p>\n
That is because Unai Emery’s side would be granted a place in Europe’s top-flight competition as a reward for winning the tournament. As a result, the European Performance Spot (EPS) \u2013 earned collectively by English clubs for ranking in the top two of the coefficient table \u2013 would be passed down to sixth place.<\/p>\n
FOLLOW OUR CHELSEA FB PAGE!<\/strong> Latest Blues news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page<\/strong><\/p>\nAlthough Chelsea can still technically qualify for the Champions League, any hope of squeezing into the competition next season could be extinguished this week. On Thursday evening, Aston Villa will lock horns with Forest in the second leg of the Europa League semi-final.<\/p>\n
Vitor Pereira’s side banked a 1-0 aggregate lead in the first leg at the City Ground last week, leaving it all to play for at Villa Park. Even if the Villans were to overcome Forest, they would still need to beat either Freiburg or Braga in the final to upgrade sixth place into a Champions League spot.<\/p>\n
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Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Chelsea have a lot of work to do, just to stand a chance of getting into Europe’s top-flight competition. As it stands, the Blues are four points adrift of Bournemouth in sixth place, sandwiching Brentford and Brighton.<\/p>\n
In 10th and 11th are Everton and Fulham, who are also vying for a place in the hallowed top-six, with only goal difference separating them from Chelsea. Sunderland, in 12th, are only a point off the Toffees and the Cottagers, giving them an outside shot at European football.<\/p>\n
So, unless Aston Villa get their hands on a piece of silverware in Istanbul this summer, the Blues can only qualify for the Europa League and Conference League, whether that be via the Premier League or the FA Cup.<\/p>\n
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\nCole Palmer during Chelsea’s defeat to Nottingham Forest(Image: Robin Jones)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/button><\/div>\n
When asked whether the Chelsea squad have the ‘ drive and motivation’ in the race for European football, McFarlane said: “ Yeah, I know the group. I’ve known them for a little while now and they are driven.<\/p>\n
“They want what’s best for themselves, they want what’s best for this club and we’re going to do everything we can to try and win every single game we can from now to the end of the season.”<\/p>\n
The interim Blues boss later added: “All we can focus on right now and all I can focus on right now is we’re in tomorrow, we’re training tomorrow, we’ll review the game.<\/p>\n
“We’ll try and find the reason why and try and make sure that the performance level is of a higher level against Liverpool in five days’ time. I’m not looking at the bigger picture, the why, it’s about right now and attacking the moment right now.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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