Premier League loses out on potential UEFA Champions League bonus
Both Arsenal and Manchester City were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League, weakening England’s position in the UEFA coefficient ranking system, according to reports from Daily Mail. This ranking determines how many Champions League spots each country receives.
This development casts a shadow on Manchester United and Tottenham’s hopes, currently 5th and 6th on the Premier League table, as chances of them making the Champions League spot become slimer.
With four teams remaining in Europe (AC Milan, Roma, Fiorentina, Atalanta), Italy is currently in a good position to claim one of the additional Champions League spots.
Europe’s Top Leagues Vie for Extra Champions League Glory
The upcoming expansion of the Champions League format has sparked competition among Europe’s top leagues for two additional spots.
The Champions League will be revamped next season, expanding from 32 to 36 teams with a “Swiss” format. This format involves an eight-match qualification stage followed by a knockout round.
Two extra Champions League spots will be awarded to the best-performing leagues based on the UEFA coefficient ranking. This ranking considers a country’s performance in European competitions over a five-year period.
England’s remaining hope and the domino effect
While England’s Champions League hopes seem bleak, there’s still a chance as they have three remaining representatives in European competitions – Liverpool (Europa League), West Ham (Europa League), and Aston Villa (Europa Conference League).
A win for Bayer Leverkusen against West Ham would mathematically eliminate England from contention for the fifth Champions League spot.
The outcome will not only impact the UEFA Champions League race but also affect qualification for the Europa League and Conference League. With fewer English teams in Europe, securing spots in these competitions could become easier for Premier League clubs.
Meanwhile Sports Buddy reported in other news that Opta Supercomputer has identified the frontrunners for this year’s UEFA Champions League
