Why Joao Felix won't play the Chelsea vs Servette Conference League fixture

Here is why Joao Felix will not be available for selection for Enzo Maresca in the Chelsea vs Servette conference league fixture.

Chelsea's new signing, Joao Felix, will not be included in the squad for their second-leg match against Servette. Felix recently joined Chelsea on a permanent transfer from Atletico Madrid for a fee of up to £46.3 million, having previously spent six months on loan at the club during the 2022/23 season.

Will Joao Felix play Chelsea vs Servette?

Questions as to why Joao Felix will be missing the Chelsea vs Servette second leg fixture of the conference League have been raised and here is why this is the case:

His exclusion is not due to injury or any issues with the coach but is instead the result of UEFA regulations. The timing of his transfer meant that his name could not be added to the squad list for the UEFA Conference League.

Here are the general rules for the UEFA Conference League:

• Each club can register a maximum of 25 players for the group stage.
• Players must be registered before the UEFA deadline, usually set in September.
• Clubs can make changes to their player list during the January transfer window.
• Players under 21 do not count towards the 25-player limit.
• Clubs must submit two lists: List A, which includes players registered for the group stage (maximum of 25), and List B, which covers players under 21 and those who have been with the club for at least two years since the age of 15.

Felix could have been eligible to play in the second leg if his registration had been completed before 11 pm WAT on the Wednesday preceding the first leg which was played on Thursday, August 22, 2024.

However, with Chelsea's large squad, the club is facing challenges in naming their 25-man European squad, particularly because UEFA regulations stipulate that clubs can have no more than 17 non-homegrown players on List A, with the remaining eight spots reserved for locally-trained players.