Given where they finished, the Blues will not be playing in any European competition this campaign. While that’s obviously something clubs the size of Chelsea seek to avoid, there are benefits to playing just one game a week.
Since the so-called ‘Big Six’ – Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man City, Man Utd and Tottenham – all finished in the top six of the Premier League for the first time in 2010-11, nine of their sides have had no European football to play, with Chelsea and Tottenham set to join that list this season.
All but one have finished higher in the Premier League, with sides moving up five places and taking 16 more points on average than they did the previous season.
While Conte’s Chelsea obviously took full advantage by winning the title, Liverpool also came very close to lifting their first Premier League trophy in 2013-14. After finishing seventh the season before, an absence of European football saw them take 23 more points but they ultimately fell just two short behind champions Manchester City.
