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Chelsea star Mykhailo Mudryk has been ruled out of the Blues' last match of the season against Bournemouth at the Stamford Bridge on May 19. The Ukrainian forward was substituted in the 42nd minute in their previous match on Wednesday, May 15. He went off with a suspected concussion after a nasty collision with Brighton & Hove Albion's Tariq Lamptey.
In an Instagram post, Mudryk confirmed his absence against the Cherries at home. He posted a picture of himself in the Chelsea outfit with the caption:
"Unfortunately, the season for me is over. Thank you for all your messages, I feel better. See you next season, Blues. It’s part of the game innit."
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In the dying minutes of the first half, Lamptey and Mudryk got in a duel for the ball in the Brighton half. Amid the struggle, Lamptey's elbow hit Mudryk's jaw, and he fell to the ground in a heap. Chelsea's medical staff was quick to arrive and assess the situation.
However, the VAR team, led by Peter Banks and his assistant James Mainwaring, decided not to penalize the Brighton defender. After multiple reviews, he was adjudged to have not committed a foul due to a lack of conclusive evidence.
After a while, Mauricio Pochettino was bound to use a concussion substitute and replaced Mudryk with Christopher Nkunku. The former RB Leipzig player turned out to be crucial for Pochettino's men as he scored the Blues' second goal in the 64th minute. They won 2-1 despite losing Reece James to a red card late in the game.
Can Chelsea qualify for the Europa League next season?
Chelsea have made a remarkable comeback after the 5-0 loss to Arsenal on April 23. Mauricio Pochettino's men have recorded huge victories against Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United, Nottingham Forest, and Brighton. They also drew their match against Aston Villa away from home.
Before the last Premier League matchday, Chelsea are sixth in the table with 60 points. They are guaranteed a UEFA Europa Conference League spot if they finish in this position after the last matchday.
However, the Europa League qualification scenario is a little complicated. It depends on who wins the FA Cup final between Manchester City and Manchester United on May 25.
If Manchester City win the FA Cup, the team that finishes sixth will also play in the Europa League. However, if Manchester United win, the team finishing fifth will play in the Europa League, and the sixth-placed side will qualify for the Conference League. This is because United are currently eighth in the table and winning the FA Cup will give them automatic qualification for the Europa League.
To guarantee qualification for the Europa League, Chelsea must win their last match. They must also hope Tottenham Hotspur lose their last game against Sheffield United away to climb to the fifth spot. Alternatively, they will qualify if Manchester City win the FA Cup final against their city rivals.
