Arsenal’s victory over Porto in the Champions League has intensified the competition for an additional place in next season’s tournament, providing a significant boost to their Premier League rivals
Arsenal’s victory over Porto in the Champions League last-16 clash has significantly influenced the race for an additional place in next season’s Champions League.
Mikel Arteta’s side, initially beaten in the first leg, secured their progress with a penalty shootout at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night.
The outcome of this match holds substantial implications for Premier League rivals Aston Villa, Tottenham, and Manchester United, as it could play a pivotal role in determining whether the league secures an extra spot in the Champions League for the upcoming season.
The new Champions league format
The 2024/25 Champions League campaign will feature an expanded tournament with 36 teams, adding four more than the current format.
Two of these spots will be allocated to the associations with the best collective performance, determined by their coefficient. This season’s performance will influence the assignment of these spots.
For the Premier League, which already receives four Champions League spots, the expansion would potentially include the fifth-place team as well.
However, English clubs have faced a subpar season, with both Manchester United and Newcastle exiting the Champions League in the group stages.
Metro sports further clarfies how, Europa League and Europa Conference League representatives missed out on additional coefficient points by qualifying as group winners and skipping the Play-Off round.
Uefa coefficients
In the calculation of coefficients for European competitions, wins contribute two points, draws earn one point, and there is no reward for a defeat.
Bonus points are also awarded for participation at different stages of the tournaments. The total points are then divided by the number of clubs from an association in Europe, creating a coefficient average.
Before Arsenal’s match against Porto, Italy led the race with 116 points across their seven clubs, resulting in an average of 16.571. Germany followed in second place with 15.500, and England was third with 14.625, closely pursued by France.
Following Tuesday’s matches, the updated coefficient standings are as follows:
Italy: 16.571
Germany: 15.500
England: 15.000
France: 14.416
Spain: 13.812
Czech Republic: 13.000
Arsenal’s victory, coupled with a bonus point for progressing to the quarter-finals, adds 0.375 points to the Premier League’s coefficient score.
Despite Napoli’s loss, Italy remains in a strong position with five active teams progressing well, making them a formidable contender for the top spot.
The battle for the second European Performance Spot is expected to be contested by Germany, England, France, and Spain.
In Germany, Bayern Munich’s victory over Lazio keeps them leading the Bundesliga charge in Europe.
RB Leipzig’s elimination slightly dented Germany’s hopes, but Borussia Dortmund could contribute to their coefficient score if they progress against PSV.
Additionally, Freiberg’s surprise 1-0 victory over West Ham and Bayer Leverkusen’s comeback from 2-0 down against Qarabag are notable developments, with the Freiberg vs. West Ham tie potentially playing a decisive role in the final coefficient standings.
