Chelsea faces the risk of losing their top scorer for the Champions League

Chelsea is in danger of not being able to include Joao Pedro in their squad for the 2025/26 Champions League. The problem arises due to issues connected to UEFA's Financial Fair Play rules, even though the Brazilian forward has had a strong beginning with The Blues.

Finishing fourth in the 2024/25 Premier League secured Chelsea a spot back in the Champions League. However, the possibility that they might not be able to register their new signing Joao Pedro for the European competition is causing concern among fans.

The summer signing from Brighton & Hove Albion quickly proved his worth by scoring three goals and playing a key role in The Blues’ Club World Cup victory. At 23 years old, the Brazilian forward is expected to become a key figure in coach Enzo Maresca’s tactical setup. Nevertheless, ironically, Chelsea may have to leave Pedro out of their Champions League squad for the 2025/26 season if financial issues are not resolved.

The cause lies in UEFA’s strict Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations. Chelsea and their coaching staff have less than two weeks, until September 2nd, to prove their accounts are balanced. Otherwise, new signings, including Joao Pedro, will be barred from participating in the European squad.

During the summer transfer window, Chelsea was active in the market. Joao Felix moved to Al-Nassr, Djordje Petrovic joined Bournemouth, while Armando Broja and Lesley Ugochukwu transferred to Burnley on free transfers. However, UEFA does not consider these deals when assessing finances. This is because Chelsea agreed to a settlement in July after being accused of FFP violations, so only revenue from players listed in last season’s Europa Conference League squad is taken into account.

According to Mail Online, UEFA has sent a clear warning to Chelsea regarding this issue. This means The Blues face a major challenge: either prove legitimate income sources or risk being unable to use Joao Pedro in the Champions League. If the worst-case scenario occurs, coach Maresca will lose an important attacking option, significantly impacting their ambitions in Europe’s premier competition.

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