Aston Villa secured a crucial win against Bournemouth on Saturday evening, keeping their Champions League hopes alive. Despite a difficult recent spell—including exits from two major cup competitions—Unai Emery's side have responded impressively with back-to-back 1–0 Premier League victories.

The win saw Villa move ahead of Nottingham Forest, prior to Forest’s fixture against Leicester City, climbing to 63 points. That puts them level with Chelsea and Newcastle United, although that will change when those two sides meet at St James’ Park on Sunday.

Manchester City currently lead that pack, but their dropped points against Southampton have left them in a vulnerable position. Based on the remaining fixtures and the league standings, the sixth-place spot will likely come down to either Villa or Forest. And intriguingly, finishing sixth could still be enough to qualify for Champions League football.

This possibility stems from the ownership situation involving BlueCo, who hold significant stakes in both Chelsea and French side RC Strasbourg Alsace. Strasbourg are also in contention for a Champions League spot, currently sitting fifth in Ligue 1, with a top-four finish likely to secure at least a play-off berth.

UEFA Rules on Multi-Club Ownership

UEFA had long prohibited clubs under the same ownership from participating in the same European competition. However, as multi-club ownership models have become more widespread, the rules have evolved. The current regulations no longer impose a blanket ban but instead assess each situation on a case-by-case basis, particularly in relation to the Champions League.

This season, both Manchester City and Manchester United faced scrutiny over their affiliations with Girona and Nice respectively. However, UEFA ultimately approved their participation in the same competitions after structural adjustments were made to meet compliance.

The UEFA rulebook states that clubs may not feature in the same competition if:

“No one is simultaneously involved, directly or indirectly, in any capacity whatsoever in the management, administration and/or sporting performance of more than one club participating in a UEFA club competition; and no one has control or decisive influence over more than one club participating in a UEFA club competition.”

In the case of Chelsea and Strasbourg, one favourable factor is that Strasbourg maintains an independent board and president, with operational decisions made separately. This structural separation may help both clubs remain eligible, depending on how UEFA interprets the situation.

What This Means for Aston Villa

While it remains unlikely, Aston Villa could still gain entry into the Champions League if Chelsea and Strasbourg both qualify but fail to meet UEFA’s multi-club ownership criteria. In such a scenario, one of the two may be barred from participation—potentially opening the door for another club like Villa to take their place.

Although Villa are not directly connected to the issue, the implications of UEFA’s decision could ripple across Europe. Should either Chelsea or Strasbourg be ruled ineligible, and Villa finish sixth, Unai Emery’s men might find themselves heading into Europe's top club competition—despite not finishing in the top five.

For now, Villa must continue focusing on results and hope that circumstances beyond their control might play in their favour.