Chelsea have to safe Champions League qualification for it to be a constructive season – Convention League glory would imply nothing.
That is the view of Arsenal legend Martin Keown, who has insisted the Blues are constructed to compete in Europe’s premier competitors.
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The west London outfit have not competed within the Champions League since reaching the quarter-finals within the 2022/23 season.
However they’re in with a fantastic probability of returning as they sit in fifth spot with one Premier League fixture remaining.
Although that conflict is away at Nottingham Forest, who sit one level behind in seventh.
Extremely, simply three factors separate Manchester Metropolis in third and Forest, with solely the highest 5 to seal their place within the Champions League.
However Chelsea know victory will guarantee their passage into the event – they usually go into the fixture in nice kind.
Enzo Maresca’s males have received 5 of their final eight league matches – notable beating champions Liverpool, in addition to Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.
And so they may nonetheless finish the season with silverware with Chelsea to face Actual Betis within the UEFA Convention League last on Might 28.
However for Keown, success in Europe’s third-tier competitors is not what would make a profitable marketing campaign – it is all about Champions League qualification.
The three-time Premier League winner commented on how Chelsea have been serial winners within the twenty first century, the place they scooped 21 trophies in 19 years below Roman Abromovich’s possession.
After he offered the membership in 2022, Chelsea have spent over £1.14billion on transfers, with Keown insisting their squad needs to be testing themselves in opposition to the most effective.
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Talking to talkSPORT.com, Keown was requested whether or not it will be thought of a constructive season if the Blues triumphed within the Convention League, however missed out on a prime 5 spot.
To which he stated: “Goodness, I feel they are a Champions League membership. We have grown with [Roman] Abramovich.
“We have seen 19 trophies in 21 years or no matter it was, it might have been the opposite method round.
“They’re geared for Champions League soccer.
“It has been a most cancers in the event that they win it [Conference League] this yr.
“They’ve fairly effectively been the breeding floor for his or her kids, which has been good to see.
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“For them, it is about Champions League soccer.
“The large blow, down to 10 males in Newcastle [in 2-0 defeat on May 11], that was a play-off sport.
“That is actually opened issues up as a result of Chelsea will nonetheless really feel that they’ll make it.”
The defeat at St James’ Park, which boosted the Magpies’ Champions League goals, noticed Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson obtain a straight purple card for an elbow on Sven Botman.
And Keown has claimed his absence shall be an enormous blow for the membership, insisting his presence up prime permits Cole Palmer to have extra freedom on the pitch.
Commenting on the sending off, he remarked: “I feel he is a bit unfortunate, really.
“I do not really feel that he is obtained… Folks say, he is carried out it, it is deliberate.
“I do not actually see that in his character. He is been fairly underrated for them.
“The motion he makes into the channel offers [Cole] Palmer that room to be free in that space.”
Earlier than including: “The Forrest sport developing on the horizon might be a winner-takes-all.”