Chelsea and Aston Villa's Champions League Hopes Hit by Draws

Feb 21, 2026

73 min

Feb 21, 2026 21:30

Chelsea, Aston Villa held in blow to Champions League hopes

## Chelsea's Draw with Burnley

Chelsea's aspirations for Champions League qualification took a hit after a 1-1 draw against Burnley at Stamford Bridge. Joao Pedro gave Chelsea an early lead, but the team couldn't capitalize further. The situation worsened when Wesley Fofana received a second yellow card, leaving Chelsea with ten men. Burnley capitalized on this, with Zian Flemming scoring a late equalizer.

Chelsea's manager, Liam Rosenior, expressed disappointment over the team's defensive lapses, particularly in set-piece situations. Despite the draw, Chelsea moved into the Premier League's top four, but only on goal difference.

## Aston Villa's Late Equalizer

Aston Villa also faced a setback in their Champions League pursuit, drawing 1-1 with Leeds United. Leeds took the lead with a remarkable free-kick by Anton Stach. However, Villa's Tammy Abraham managed to equalize just before the final whistle.

Villa's recent form has seen them struggle to keep up with Arsenal and Manchester City in the title race. The draw leaves them needing to improve to maintain their Champions League hopes.

## Other Premier League Highlights

James Milner set a new record for Premier League appearances, playing his 654th match in Brighton's 2-0 victory over Brentford. Meanwhile, West Ham missed an opportunity to climb out of the relegation zone after a goalless draw with Bournemouth.

Looking ahead, Manchester City can close the gap on league leaders Arsenal with a win against Newcastle. Arsenal will face Tottenham in a crucial north London derby.

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