Chelsea faces a decisive moment as it determines which three players will be registered for the Champions League list
Chelsea now faces a late decision within the next hours about which three players will earn a spot on their Champions League list A. The situation centers on Joao Félix, who could end up not playing in the Champions League for Chelsea. It may seem odd, but that is the risk the Portuguese forward faces as the club weighs whether to sign him on loan from Atlético Madrid through June 30. The key question is why Félix might not appear in Chelsea’s European campaign. UEFA rules cap the list A at 25 players, and only up to three signings can be altered while keeping those 25 slots intact. If Jorginho leaves for Arsenal, Zakaria departs, and Hakim Ziyech moves on, those players would be removed from the list, but Chelsea’s incoming signings would need to be added. The result is sometimes described as an overbooking scenario, where available spaces are extremely tight.
Enzo Fernández and Mihailo Mudryk expected to secure a regular Champions League role
Chelsea currently has eight candidates for three spots. In this winter window, the club added seven players in addition to Joao Félix: Benoît Badiashile, Wesley Fofana, Enzo Fernández, Mihailo Mudryk, Santos, Noni Madueke, and Joe Slonina. Of these, five have not yet appeared in the Champions League this season. The prevailing view inside Chelsea is that Enzo Fernández, acquired from Benfica for €121 million, and Mihailo Mudryk, purchased from Shakhtar Donetsk for a total package around €100 million, are the most likely to secure the two clear veteran slots on the list. Given their high price tags and immediate impact, those two names are expected to claim permanent, ongoing involvement. This leaves Chelsea with a debate about which third spot might go to Félix, Badiashile, Fofana, Santos, Madueke, or Slonina.
Badiashile emerges as a strong rival to Félix for the list spot
With the makeup of the new signings and the club’s current needs, it seems likely that the race for the third Champions League list slot will come down to Félix versus Badiashile. Félix has shown potential, but the presence of Badiashile, who has established himself under Graham Potter and helped the team keep clean sheets in recent league outings, adds real competition. Chelsea paid a substantial €39 million for the defender, signaling the confidence the club has in his continued contribution. The battle for that coveted list place has taken on heightened significance as the club weighs long-term development against short-term rotation needs.
Joao Félix’s position on Chelsea’s list is in question
There are broader questions about Félix’s ownership status with Chelsea and how that may affect his minutes. A red card in his debut against Fulham has already cost him action, and under current circumstances, he cannot feature until February 11. Potter faces a tough decision: use Félix extensively when available, or protect him and prioritize players with guaranteed registration on the Champions League list. If the club ultimately excludes Félix from the A-list for the knockout rounds, it would mark a notable setback for his loan spell from Atlético Madrid. Chelsea has a deadline approaching at midnight on February 2 to announce the trio who will participate in the round of 16.