Raheem Sterling Excluded from Chelsea’s UEL Play-Off

Raheem Sterling has not been included in Chelsea’s squad for the Europa Conference League play-off first leg against Servette. This marks the second consecutive matchday that Chelsea has left out the 29-year-old England forward, following his exclusion from Chelsea’s Premier League opener against Manchester City. Chelsea also omitted defenders Ben Chilwell, Wesley Fofana and Tosin Adarabioyo from their A-list submitted to UEFA for the match at Stamford Bridge on Thursday (20:00 BST).

The second leg of the play-off will take place on 29 August in Switzerland. If Chelsea advances to the group stage, they could reintroduce Sterling to the squad. Sterling’s representatives have requested “clarity” on his future at the club, especially after Chelsea’s substantial summer spending spree of approximately £185 million on 11 new signings. This spending has led to a squad of over 40 senior players, creating challenges for manager Enzo Maresca in selecting his matchday squads.

After Chelsea’s recent defeat to Manchester City, Maresca expressed his desire to keep Raheem Sterling at the club but admitted that he cannot accommodate all players regularly. Sterling, who joined Chelsea from Manchester City for £50 million in July 2022 has made 81 appearances for the club. The current situation highlights the difficult balancing act Chelsea faces as they integrate new signings while managing existing players.