Raheem Sterling has been omitted from Chelsea’s squad for their Europa Conference League play-off first leg against Servette. The 29-year-old England forward was also absent from Chelsea’s Premier League opener against Manchester City, marking the second consecutive match he has not been included in the matchday squad.
Alongside Sterling, defenders Ben Chilwell, Wesley Fofana, and Tosin Adarabioyo were also left out of the A-list squad submitted to UEFA for Thursday’s match at Stamford Bridge. The second leg of the play-off will take place in Switzerland on 29 August. If Chelsea progresses, they could still include Sterling in their squad for the group stage.
Before Chelsea’s defeat to Manchester City, Sterling’s representatives issued a statement seeking “clarity” on his future at the club. Despite spending around £185 million on 11 new signings this summer, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca faces the challenge of managing a squad of over 40 senior players.
Maresca expressed his desire to keep Sterling at Chelsea but acknowledged the difficulty of providing match time for all players due to the size of the squad. Since joining Chelsea from Manchester City for £50 million in July 2022, Sterling has made 81 appearances for the club.
