Chelsea are built for the Champions League – it’ll be disastrous if they slip up at Nottingham Forest

Chelsea need to secure Champions League qualification for it to be a positive season – Conference League glory would mean nothing. That’s the view of Arsenal legend Martin Keown, who has insisted the Blues are built to compete in Europe’s premier competition. Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea side are in a fight to secure a Champions League spotGetty The west London outfit haven’t competed in the Champions League since reaching the quarter-finals in the 2022/23 season. But they’re in with a great chance of returning as they sit in fifth spot with one Premier League fixture remaining. Though that clash is away at Nottingham Forest, who sit one point behind in seventh. Incredibly, just three points separate Manchester City in third and Forest, with only the top five to seal their place in the Champions League. But Chelsea know victory will ensure their passage into the tournament – and they go into the fixture in great form. Enzo Maresca‘s men have won five of their last eight league matches – notable beating champions Liverpool, as well as Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United. And they could still end the season with silverware with Chelsea to face Real Betis in the UEFA Conference League final on May 28. But for Keown, success in Europe’s third-tier competition isn’t what would make a successful campaign – it’s all about Champions League qualification. The three-time Premier League winner commented on how Chelsea have been serial winners in the 21st century, where they scooped 21 trophies in 19 years under Roman Abromovich’s ownership. After he sold the club in 2022, Chelsea have spent over £1.14billion on transfers, with Keown insisting their squad has to be testing themselves against the best. Cole Palmer knows victory over Forest will seal Chelsea a top five placeGetty The Blues go into their match at the City Ground having lost just once in the league since March 16Getty Speaking to talkSPORT.com, Keown was asked whether it would be considered a positive season if the Blues triumphed in the Conference League, but missed out on a top five spot. To which he said: “Goodness, I think they’re a Champions League club. We’ve grown with [Roman] Abramovich. “We’ve seen 19 trophies in 21 years or whatever it was, it may have been the other way around. “They are geared for Champions League football. “It’s been a cancer if they win it [Conference League] this year. “They’ve pretty well been the breeding ground for their youngsters, which has been good to see. Chelsea know defeat against Forest could see them miss out on the Champions League “For them, it’s about Champions League football. “The big blow, down to ten men in Newcastle [in 2-0 defeat on May 11], that was a play-off game. “That’s really opened things up because Chelsea will still feel that they can make it.” The defeat at St James’ Park, which boosted the Magpies’ Champions League dreams, saw Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson receive a straight red card for an elbow on Sven Botman. And Keown has claimed his absence will be a huge blow for the club, insisting his presence up top allows Cole Palmer to have more freedom on the pitch. Commenting on the sending off, he remarked: “I think he’s a bit unlucky, actually. “I don’t feel that he’s got… People say, he’s done it, it’s deliberate. “I don’t really see that in his character. He’s been quite underrated for them. “The movement he makes into the channel gives [Cole] Palmer that room to be free in that area.” Before adding: “The Forrest game coming up on the horizon could be a winner-takes-all.”

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Chelsea are built for the Champions League – it’ll be disastrous if they slip up at Nottingham Forest

Chelsea need to secure Champions League qualification for it to be a positive season – Conference League glory would mean nothing.

That’s the view of Arsenal legend Martin Keown, who has insisted the Blues are built to compete in Europe’s premier competition.

Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea side are in a fight to secure a Champions League spot

The west London outfit haven’t competed in the Champions League since reaching the quarter-finals in the 2022/23 season.

But they’re in with a great chance of returning as they sit in fifth spot with one Premier League fixture remaining.

Though that clash is away at Nottingham Forest, who sit one point behind in seventh.

Incredibly, just three points separate Manchester City in third and Forest, with only the top five to seal their place in the Champions League.

But Chelsea know victory will ensure their passage into the tournament – and they go into the fixture in great form.

Enzo Maresca‘s men have won five of their last eight league matches – notable beating champions Liverpool, as well as Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.

And they could still end the season with silverware with Chelsea to face Real Betis in the UEFA Conference League final on May 28.

But for Keown, success in Europe’s third-tier competition isn’t what would make a successful campaign – it’s all about Champions League qualification.

The three-time Premier League winner commented on how Chelsea have been serial winners in the 21st century, where they scooped 21 trophies in 19 years under Roman Abromovich’s ownership.

After he sold the club in 2022, Chelsea have spent over £1.14billion on transfers, with Keown insisting their squad has to be testing themselves against the best.

Cole Palmer knows victory over Forest will seal Chelsea a top five place

The Blues go into their match at the City Ground having lost just once in the league since March 16

Speaking to talkSPORT.com, Keown was asked whether it would be considered a positive season if the Blues triumphed in the Conference League, but missed out on a top five spot.

To which he said: “Goodness, I think they’re a Champions League club. We’ve grown with [Roman] Abramovich.

“We’ve seen 19 trophies in 21 years or whatever it was, it may have been the other way around.

“They are geared for Champions League football.

“It’s been a cancer if they win it [Conference League] this year.

“They’ve pretty well been the breeding ground for their youngsters, which has been good to see.

Chelsea know defeat against Forest could see them miss out on the Champions League

“For them, it’s about Champions League football.

“The big blow, down to ten men in Newcastle [in 2-0 defeat on May 11], that was a play-off game.

“That’s really opened things up because Chelsea will still feel that they can make it.”

The defeat at St James’ Park, which boosted the Magpies’ Champions League dreams, saw Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson receive a straight red card for an elbow on Sven Botman.

And Keown has claimed his absence will be a huge blow for the club, insisting his presence up top allows Cole Palmer to have more freedom on the pitch.

Commenting on the sending off, he remarked: “I think he’s a bit unlucky, actually.

“I don’t feel that he’s got… People say, he’s done it, it’s deliberate.

“I don’t really see that in his character. He’s been quite underrated for them.

“The movement he makes into the channel gives [Cole] Palmer that room to be free in that area.”

Before adding: “The Forrest game coming up on the horizon could be a winner-takes-all.”