Chelsea face shock Champions League blow | OneFootball

Blues could pay the price under UEFA’s rules

Chelsea face shock Champions League blow

Chelsea may be forced to play Champions League knockout match away from Stamford Bridge because of UEFA scheduling rules in London.

Unexpected issue after Chelsea seal qualification

Chelsea secured direct qualification for the 2025 /26 Champions League season but the club has now been hit by unexpected problem linked to their home stadium.

The Blues earned valuable 3-2 away win over Napoli in the final matchday 8 game of the league phase finishing sixth in the overall standings.

The result confirmed their place in the knockout rounds but it also created new challenge ahead of the last 16 stage.

Why Chelsea could lose their home advantage

Chelsea’s sixth-place finish means they will not have the benefit of hosting second leg in the Round of 16 and possibly even in the quarter-finals.

Clubs that finished higher such as Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Tottenham will have priority when it comes to playing the return leg at home.

The bigger concern comes from lesser-known UEFA rule that prevents more than one major European match being played in the same city on the same night.

Since both Arsenal & Tottenham ended the league phase above Chelsea, they have priority to host their second-leg fixtures in London on 17 and 18 March.

This could leave Chelsea without the option of playing at Stamford Bridge on the scheduled date.

Neutral venue Scenario possible

If UEFA’s schedule cannot accommodate three London club hosting on the same evening, Chelsea could be asked to play their home leg at neutral stadium outside the city.

Such situation would be major setback for the club and its supporters especially at crucial point in Champions League season.

Possible round of 16 opponents

Chelsea’s potential opponents in the round of 16 include:

The exact fixture details will depend on the official draw and UEFA’s scheduling decisions.

A strong finish but new questions

Chelsea’s win in Naples was seen as key statement showing progress under pressure.

However the stadium issue could complicate their path in Europe as playing away from Stamford Bridge would remove important advantage.