Uncertainty surrounding Liam Rosenior's position at Chelsea is intensifying just as two senior figures have been stripped of their roles. Unlike those two individuals, however, Rosenior will no longer fall under the BlueCo umbrella should he face the sack.
Chelsea co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart have been removed from their positions on the board of fellow BlueCo entity Strasbourg. Those at the helm of Todd Boehly's consortium are taking the necessary steps to guarantee there's no conflict of interest should two of his clubs find themselves competing in the same European tournament next season. Anxiety at Stamford Bridge reached a new high on Tuesday following the Blues' feeble 3-0 thrashing away to Brighton. Chelsea failed to register a single shot on target at the Amex Stadium and are struggling in the wake of seven defeats in their last eight matches.
The Blues are barely holding onto seventh place, which would be sufficient to enter qualifying for next season's Conference League. Brighton have overtaken Rosenior's side into sixth and are presently on track to qualify for the Europa League, meanwhile.
Nevertheless, league position isn't Chelsea's only potential pathway into the Europa League. The club would also secure a berth in Europe's second-tier competition by lifting this season's FA Cup.
Rosenior's team face Leeds at Wembley on Sunday in the semi-finals of this year's competition. Either Manchester City or Southampton lie in wait in next month's final, where the winner will secure a Europa League place provided they're not already qualified for the Champions League.
L'Equipe reported BlueCo are acting proactively by removing Winstanley and Stewart from their roles at Strasbourg. In doing so, they'll aim to prevent a recurrence of the controversy that cost Crystal Palace a place in this season's Europa League, owing to a conflict of interest involving John Textor, who previously owned both them and fellow participant Lyon.
Strasbourg are extremely unlikely to qualify for next term's Europa League via the Ligue 1 table. They sit eighth in the standings, 10 points and three places adrift of the required standard with only five matches remaining.
Nevertheless, they have a strong possibility of qualifying for the Europa League through either the Conference League or the Coupe de France. They're scheduled to compete in the semi-finals of both tournaments, and silverware in either competition would grant them a spot in the league phase of next campaign's Europa League.
It could still prove advantageous for Chelsea if Manchester City edge them to the FA Cup. This would mean all European qualifying positions in the Premier League table shift down one, ensuring seventh would actually be adequate for a Europa League berth.
Whether Rosenior remains in position to oversee that project is a far more contentious matter, though, given the recent collapse in form. And in the latest wave of Chelsea dismissals, his would prove more permanent.
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