Chelsea legend Pat Nevin feels the Blues could benefit from playing in the Europa League the same way Tottenham Hotspur have done in recent years.
The Stamford Bridge outfit’s European adventure in the present campaign came to an end after they lost 2-1 to Paris Saint-Germain in a Champions League Round of 16 second leg clash last night; the French champions won the first leg by the same margin at home in February.
With Chelsea currently being 10th in the Premier League, it seems highly unlikely that they will be able to qualify for next season’s Champions League by finishing in the top four.
Guus Hiddink’s team are however in the running to feature in Europe’s second-tier club competition, the Europa League, in the 2016/17 campaign.
On the other hand, Tottenham have been playing regularly in the Europa League since the 2011/12 campaign, with the north London club last featuring in the Champions League a season earlier.
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And Nevin thinks Chelsea could utilise their involvement in the Europa League to provide squad players and youngsters with vital game time, something which Spurs have done with aplomb over the years.
“Spurs have done it [blooding young players] year after year because they have struggled to get into the Champions League for quite some time; it looks as if they might make it this year”, he said on Chelsea TV following the PSG game.
“But that has helped a lot and you see them this year, a lot of those young players are growing and getting better.
“[Nacer] Chadli has improved, he got a lot of his games when he played in the Europa as well. He struggled at the start of his time with Spurs.
“Just look at them.
"Dele Alli got a lot of time there, even Harry Kane was coming through and getting European experience.”
