Chelsea fans just realising Servette clash in Europa Conference League play-off is NOT on TV due to little-known rule
CHELSEA fans won’t be able to watch their beloved Blues make their return to European football on TV.
The Stamford Bridge outfit take on Swiss outfit Servette in the Europa Conference League play-offs on Thursday night.
Chelsea have to qualify for the league stage of the competition by getting past Servette after their sixth place finish in the Premier League last season.
The Blues thought they had managed Europa League qualification, but were pushed out of the competition when Manchester United lifted the FA Cup and took their spot.
Now they have to earn their place in the Conference League proper by taking on last season’s third placed Swiss side.
But even those Chelsea fans who are excited about their club’s first appearance in Europe’s third competition will not be able to flick their TVs on to watch Enzo Maresca and Co take on Servette.
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That’s because there are no British TV rights for the playoff stage of the Europa League and the Conference League.
Only the Champions League Playoffs are available for fans to watch on TV.
The negotiated broadcast package by TV providers only includes the league stage onwards for Europe’s second and third competitions.
However, it doesn’t mean that Chelsea fans will be left without access to the game.
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Instead, clubs are allowed to sell their own broadcasting rights to the fixtures they compete in.
Supporters will have to fork out £4.99 for the pleasure of watching Chelsea’s bloated squad bid for a place in the next stage of the Conference League.
And plenty of fans are less than impressed with the cards they’ve been dealt – taking to social media to fume about it.
One wrote: “That’s outrageous!”
While another added: “This is the true level of this club nowadays.”
A third commented: “Embarrassing charging a fiver to watch a Conference League qualifier.”
And a fourth claimed: “We’re not watching it.”
Chelsea play host to Servette in SW6 first before heading to Switzerland for the second leg next Thursday.
Those two clashes will come either side of a tough away trip to Gary O’Neil’s Wolves side on Sunday.