Can Chelsea still qualify for European football next season? How the Blues can finish strong in the Premier League

The 2023/24 Premier League season has seen a number of ups and downs for Chelsea, but Mauricio Pochettino's young side are finishing on a high note.

A dramatic 3-2 win at Nottingham Forest saw the Blues level on points with sixth-placed Newcastle United. If Manchester City beats Manchester United in the FA Cup final, sixth place will mean qualification for the UEFA Europa League.

Mauricio Pochettino's men missed out on European football this season after finishing a dismal 12th last year, their worst finish since 1993/94.

The Sporting News takes a look at Chelsea's most likely routes to Europe.

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Can Chelsea still qualify for European football next season?

Chelsea can still qualify for either the Europa League or the Conference League next season.

A guaranteed route to the Europa League is pretty far-fetched. Pochettino's side would need to win their two remaining games away at Brighton and at home to Bournemouth, while hoping that fifth-placed Tottenham lose to both title chasers Manchester City and relegated Sheffield United.

The Blues would also need to improve on Newcastle's results at Manchester United and Brentford. Although it is unlikely to result in a fifth-place finish, it will be Chelsea's main goal in the final week before waiting to see what happens in the FA Cup final at Wembley on May 25.

If City win the FA Cup, sixth place would be a place in the Europa League and seventh would be a route to the Conference League. A United win would mean that seventh place would not mean European qualification unless Erik ten Hag had previously gotten past Newcastle and Chelsea to finish in the top six.

Chelsea are 10 points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa, meaning the Champions League is out of reach.

Previous European qualification places for the Premier League

As of May 11, these are the English teams occupying the qualifying places for the 2024/25 European competitions.

Champions League: Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, Aston Villa

Europe League: Tottenham Hotspur

Conference league: Newcastle United

(R) = relegated

*10 points deducted for violating profit and sustainability rules. On appeal the sentence was reduced to six points, but on April 8 a further two points were deducted for another offence.

**On March 18, four points were deducted for violating profit and sustainability rules.