'Unknown Rule' Could Hold Chelsea Back From European Games After Roman Abramovich Is Sanctioned By UK Government

Chelsea could face a huge problem with competing in their Champions League matches due to the strict measures put in place through their ‘special licence,’ according to reports.

Roman Abramovich, 55, confirmed his intention to sell the Premier League club after mounting pressure over the Blues owner to be sanctioned.

However, the Russian oligarch’s hopes to sell Chelsea have been thwarted after sanctions were imposed on Abramovich amid Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Abramovich has been accused of having close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which Chelsea’s billionaire owner has denied.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has imposed crippling economic sanctions on Russia, with the assets of seven Russian oligarchs being frozen in response to Putin’s war.

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Abramovich’s assets being frozen means that Chelsea can no longer sell any match tickets, which would prevent the Blues owner from making money from the club.

Chelsea has received a special licence that will allow the club to continue fulfilling certain requirements, including staff pay and allowing fans who have already purchased tickets to attend matches.

However, one of the conditions outlined under the special licence restricts Chelsea’s travel costs to and from matches to a “reasonable” value, which cannot exceed £20,000.

“Reasonable costs of travel to and from fixtures (for the purposes of training or practice) by any of the club teams for players and essential staff (including the reasonable cost of any travel company making such arrangements and necessary security staff or contractors) not exceeding the value of £20,000 per game, per club team,” reads the terms of the licence.

ITV’s Robert Peston tweeted that Chelsea’s requirement to take their staff and squad to and from a European fixture on a budget of £20,000 or less is “literally hilarious.”

“Someone in the Treasury’s sanctions unit obviously has a sense of humour,” he tweeted.

“The idea the full Chelsea squad and staff spend £20k or less when travelling to and from the continent for European games is literally hilarious.

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“And thinking about it, I’ve never met a Chelsea supporting… Treasury official, though loads of Arsenal and [Man] Utd fans.”

Chelsea are one of four English teams remaining in this season’s Champions League, with the Blues scheduled to face Lille on 16th March in their second-leg tie.

Thomas Tuchel’s men won the first-leg last-16 clash 2-0 at Stamford Bridge last month, but fears have been raised over the cost of their trip to France due to Abramovich’s sanction.