Chelsea: Why isn't Romeo Lavia playing in the Conference League final?
Chelsea will contest the Conference League final tonight as they look to secure a first piece of silverware since 2021, but will be without a key player.
Romeo Lavia will not be eligible to play for the Blues tonight, despite travelling to Wroclaw with the squad and being pictured in pre-match training sessions at the Stadion Miejski.
The central midfielder has struggled with injury throughout this campaign, a persistent hamstring issue limiting him to just 16 Premier League appearances, but he has been key to restoring Chelsea's balance in the middle since returning in late April, playing a starring role as Enzo Maresca's side clinched Champions League qualification on the final day of the season with a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest.
Lavia has not appeared in the Conference League since making a seven-minute cameo against Swiss side Servette in the qualifying play-off first leg in August, a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge.
That will be his final involvement in the competition, though, as he has not been named in the squad to face Real Betis in the final. He was not named in Chelsea's squad for the knockout stages, and cannot be added due to UEFA regulations.
Said regulations stipulate that squads be split into an 'A' and 'B' list. The A list cannot be changed once submitted, though the same is not true of the B list, which can be updated until midnight the day before a game. In order to be added, though, players must have been born after January 1, 2004, and been with their club for at least two uninterrupted years.
Lavia, born on January 6, 2004, satisfies the age requirement, but, having signed to Chelsea on August 18, 2023, has not yet been with the club long enough to be added.
Three other ineligible players have travelled with the squad in reserve goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli, injured defender Wesley Fofana, and Aaron Anselmino.
Mykhailo Mudryk is expected to watch the tie, having been spotted mingling with fans in Wroclaw, but did not travel with the club. He remains provisionally suspended after testing positive for a banned substance in December, a charge he denies.
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