‘Romeo Lavia to be blocked from Chelsea final after high-profile return’
Romeo Lavia won’t get a chance to appear in the Conference League final if Chelsea qualify.
Chelsea won 4-1 against Swedish side Djurgarden in the first leg of their Conference League semi-final and will host their opponents in the return leg on Thursday (8 May).
The result puts Enzo Maresca’s side in a strong position to qualify for their first European final since winning the Champions League in 2021.
During the group stage, Chelsea chose to leave key figures such as the currently out-of-form Cole Palmer, Wesley Fofana, and Lavia out of their squad in a bid to reduce the chances of their stars suffering injuries.
For the knockout stages, the English star and the French defender were both added to the squad as the Blues prepared to face off against more formidable opponents, but the former Man City midfielder was once again left out.
According to MailOnline, in spite of Chelsea being able to add an “unlimited number” of specific players to their squad before the game, Lavia will not play any part in the final of the Conference League, if the Blues qualify.
Romeo Lavia does not qualify to be added to Chelsea squad
According to the report, Chelsea cannot alter their “A” list of players, but they can add an unlimited number to their “B” list until 11pm the night before any game, so long as they meet the criteria.
Whilst Lavia does meet the criteria of being young enough to qualify for the B list, he has not been with the Blues for a long enough period to qualify as a “locally-trained player”.
UEFA states that a player may be registered on list B if he is born on or after 1 January 2003 and has, since his 15th birthday, been eligible to play for the club concerned for any uninterrupted period of two years, or a total of three consecutive years with a maximum of one loan period to a club from the same association for a period not longer than one year.
Despite being from the same association, Lavia’s time with Man City and Southampton do not count towards the registration rules.
Romeo Lavia must prove he can stay healthy or else Chelsea will move for replacement
Football Insider Verdict
Lavia remains one of the most exciting midfield talents in world football, in spite of hardly featuring for Chelsea since joining the club in the summer of 2023.
The Belgian midfielder looked sublime in Southampton’s relegated side in 2022/23, consistently winning fouls for his side with his brilliant dribbling, whilst being a fantastic conductor of his side’s tempo.
However, two seasons on from his transfer to West London, Lavia has only featured 16 times in all competitions.
| 2024/25 Premier League stats | Lavia |
| Appearances | 13 |
| Starts | 10 |
| Goals | 0 |
| Assists | 1 |
| Minutes | 689 |
There is little reason to doubt his capabilities, but as the saying goes, the best ability is availability.
Chelsea have been linked with a move for Kobbie Mainoo, and the Man United man does not necessarily represent an upgrade in talent, Maresca needs a midfielder he can count on to remain healthy throughout the course of a season.