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A Manchester City win would have sealed Chelsea’s spot in the UEFA Europa League. However, Manchester United pulled off a shock 2-1 victory over the bitter city rivals in Wembley on Saturday to turn permutations upside down.
Chelsea fans were dismayed by the news, especially after discovering their potential opponents for next season’s competition.
Initially, Chelsea hoped to qualify for the Europa League after finishing sixth in the Premier League under former manager Mauricio Pochettino. The club has previously won the Europa League in 2013 and 2019, and fans were optimistic about another successful run.
However, the FA Cup result means Chelsea will now compete in the Europa Conference League, a tournament they have never participated in before.
As a result of this shift, Tottenham Hotspur, who finished fifth, dropped to the second Europa League spot, pushing Chelsea into the Conference League and leaving seventh-place Newcastle United without any European football next season.
The Europa Conference League is in its third season, with Roma winning the first edition and West Ham United the second. This season’s final will feature Fiorentina and Olympiakos.
Chelsea fans are concerned about the travel involved in the competition, as it includes teams from countries like Lithuania, Georgia, Kosovo, Estonia, Montenegro, and Iceland. There could also be a return to Azerbaijan, where Chelsea won the Europa League against Arsenal five years ago.
Closer to home, teams from Northern Ireland (Linfield, Crusaders), Wales (Connah’s Quay Nomads, Bala Town, Caernarfon Town), the Republic of Ireland (Derry City, Shelbourne), and Scotland (St Mirren) are also in the mix.
