Chelsea Struggle Continues, Forest's European Dream Faces Trial

Chelsea's hopes of securing Champions League football next season are fading fast as they prepare for a crucial clash against Aston Villa on Saturday.

The Blues briefly flirted with a title challenge at the end of 2024 but have since managed just two wins in their last nine league games, suffering an early FA Cup exit along the way.

Their 3-0 defeat to Brighton last weekend was labelled the worst performance of his tenure by manager Enzo Maresca, who now faces growing concerns over the future of star midfielder Cole Palmer. Without Champions League qualification, Palmer could seek an exit in the summer.

Aston Villa, Chelsea's weekend opponents, are also struggling for form. Despite pushing Liverpool to the limit in a thrilling 2-2 draw on Wednesday, Unai Emery's men have slipped to ninth in the table, five points adrift of the top four.

Nottingham Forest's remarkable campaign has seen them rise to third place with just 13 games left, but their credentials will be put to the test in the coming weeks.