Chelsea Axe Player From Champions League Squad on Eve of Bayern Clash

Chelsea have made a dramatic late change to their Champions League squad list hours before they face Bayern Munich.

Chelsea kick off their league phase with a trip to face Bundesliga champions Bayern at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday.

The Blues are among a record six Premier League teams competing in the league phase, along with Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Newcastle and Spurs.

Several high-profile Chelsea players have been left out of the club’s squad for the Champions League this season including both Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi.

They’ve been relegated to the so-called ‘Bomb Squad’ and are being made to train away from the rest of the first-team after being deemed surplus to requirements by head coach Enzo Maresca.

Chelsea have now made a late change to their squad just hours before their first Champions League game – capitalising on a new UEFA rule only brought in last week.

The London club have taken Dario Essugo out of their squad and replaced him with Facundo Buonanotte, with the change confirmed on UEFA’s official squad list.

Summer signing Essugo, who joined Chelsea in a £18.5m move from Sporting, has been ruled out for a minimum of 12 weeks with a thigh injury picked up on international duty with Portugal U21s.

He has now been replaced by the loan signing from Brighton, Buonanotte, who started the 2-2 draw away at Brentford on Saturday night.

Chelsea were able to make the switch due to a recent change in UEFA’s squad rules, which only came into force last week.

What is the new UEFA rule?

UEFA’s ruling executive committee announced last week it had agreed an ‘amendment’ to squad regulations for the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.

Clubs are now allowed the ‘temporary’ replacement of one outfield player ‘with a long-term injury or illness’ up until the sixth competition match day in December.

UEFA said in a statement: “The reasoning for the adaptation is to ensure that squad lists are not unfairly reduced and players are safeguarded from additional workload pressure.”

An injury or illness is considered ‘long-term’ by UEFA if it lasts at least 60 days as of the day the injury or illness occurred.

If the player recovers before the end of this 60-day period, they remain ineligible to participate in any UEFA club competition.

Clubs must provide UEFA with the relevant medical information to prove the change isn’t tactical, with European football’s governing body reserving the right to have the player inspected by an independent medical professional at the club’s expense.

Who do Chelsea play in the Champions League?

After facing Bayern on Wednesday, Chelsea will next take on Benfica at Stamford Bridge on September 30.

They will then host Ajax (October 22) before travelling to face Azerbaijani side Qarabag on November 5.

Their toughest test of the league phase could come at home to Barcelona on November 25 before they take on Atalanta in Italy on December 9.

Maresca’s side play their final home game of the league phase against Cypriot side Pafos on January 21 before wrapping things up with a difficult trip to Serie A champions Napoli on January 28.