Jurgen Klopp could be left red-faced if Chelsea overcome the odds to win the Champions League this season, for a few different reasons. The first being that if the Blues were to become three-time winners of the competition, they would take a place in it next season.
That could result in the team league standings losing a place, but only if a side outside of the top four won the Europa League too - with Manchester United and Arsenal still in the competition - so fourth would no longer qualify for next campaign's tournament. With Liverpool hunting down Tottenham in fourth, it could all be for naught if Graham Potter manages to overcome the odds to win the Champions League.
The second reason Klopp could be embarrassed is through his snubbing of Chelsea when discussing favourites for the rest of this season's contest. Discussing the Champions League final eight after his side's loss to Real Madrid, the German coach said: "With the experience they [Real Madrid] have, with the confidence they have they are one of the favourites.
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"But whoever wants to win the competition has to beat Real Madrid, Man City or Napoli, who are a really good football team. Bayern Munich are there as well, and there are now only really strong football teams involved. Madrid with their history is a team who for sure can win it."
The snubbing of Chelsea isn't unjustified, given the west London outfit's struggles in adapting under their new management alongside a huge squad turnover in the transfer market. However, it shouldn't mean they should be ruled out of the competition at this stage though.
The Blues have begun to pick up some form, winning their last three games on the bounce and with momentum finally on their side, who knows what could happen. It could see a repeat of Thomas Tuchel's first season in charge, where the manager took an unfavoured side on to European glory.
The side were written off back then too, with former defender Frank Leboeuf snubbing them in a discussion with ESPN: "I know the bookies are wrong. You can say you have a feeling but you can’t say Chelsea have a chance to win the Champions League, you have to be far away from really thinking that.
"Of course, in one game you don’t know what can happen and it happened for them when they played Bayern Munich in 2012, playing the final in Munich. It’s possible. But they will have to be more consistent up front, stronger in the middle of the park to just hope of winning something.
"Manchester City, Bayern Munich, PSG – I think are still better right now than Chelsea. It will be a lot of circumstances to see Chelsea getting the trophy. I wish them, I really wish them but it will be really something amazing."
Chelsea are in a different place now, under new ownership and management and with a playing squad that has totally transformed over the past year. However, writing the side off from the competition that all focus will be on could be a mistake ahead of the quarter-finals.
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