Chelsea finished sixth in the Champions League final standings to make their way in the Round of 16 directly. However, Arsenal and Tottenham were first and fourth respectively and that could be a problem for Chelsea.
With three wins in their last four games, Chelsea have made their way directly into the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League much to the delight of their fans. The impressive resurgence of Liam Rosenior’s side in the Champions League helped them finish sixth in the league phase of the premier European club competition.
A top eight finish not only pushes teams directly into the Round of 16 but also gives these teams the chance to play the second leg of their knockout games at home.
The Blues earned a dramatic 3-2 comeback win over Napoli on the final matchday to become the third club from London after Arsenal and Tottenham to storm into the Round of 16. While more London sides will be a welcome news for English football fans, but this could turn into a problem for Rosenior’s men.
Why Chelsea might lose home advantage
Arsenal finished at the top of the Champions League standings with a perfect record. They were the most dominant side in the league phase and won each of their eight matches. With five wins, two draws and a loss, the Spurs finished fourth. At sixth came Chelsea with five wins, a draw and a couple of losses. Because of three clubs from the city qualifying, one of them might have to move to a neutral venue as per the UEFA regulations.
The Round of 16 matches will take place across March 17 and 18. With three massively popular clubs scheduled to play in the matter of 24 hours, UEFA’s rules are likely to push one of these games out of the city. UEFA regulations state that clubs cannot play “in the same stadium, the same city or in cities within a radius of 50km” on the same night.
Due to security and logistical constraints on hosting multiple high-profile matches in the capital on the same dates, Arsenal and Tottenham, as the higher-ranked sides, gain priority to play their return leg games at home. Chelsea, ranked lower at sixth, risk being unable to host at home if no workaround is found. This could force them to play at a neutral venue.
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