It was one of the more memorable games of last season – Real Madrid turning around a Champions League semi final against Bayern Munich with two late goals in a way that only the Spanish giants could. As the world watched, they fed on the drama and pulled off an incredible result on the way to lifting the trophy.
Among the millions watching, transfixed by the action, was Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali. According to a long and fascinating piece on ESPN today, he sent a message to others at the club at full time which read “we need Champions League football in our lives.”
Fans all agree – being in the Conference League this year feels like thin gruel compared to the glories of Europe’s top competition, one we were taking part in not long ago. But how can Eghbali and his colleagues make that happen? When they took over, we were in that competition. We haven’t made it back since they arrived.
Their argument would be that the club has just had a vast restructure from top to bottom. Staff, stadium, players and contracts have all gone through an unprecedented period of alteration. Now things are set to settle down, will we get “Champions League football in our lives?”
Chelsea prepare Champions League push
Well, there’s only one way to do it – win football games. And the easiest way to guarantee it is simple – finish in the top 4 in the Premier League. And while the final table won’t be decided until May, the points you win in August are worth just as much. That creates a fascinating dynamic – there is a lot of season left to go, yet manager Enzo Maresca will feel the pressure rising quickly with every dropped point. A draw with Crystal Palace is “part of the process” right now, but come May, could be fatal for him.
