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The Premier League’s aspiration to secure an additional spot in the upcoming season’s revamped Champions League has suffered a setback due to disappointing results in European competitions this week.
The Champions League will be enlarged starting with the 2024/25 season, allowing 36 teams to participate. Two of the extra four slots will be given to countries whose teams have the strongest performance in the European competitions this season.
According to Uefa’s website, England is in third place in the standings, ranking behind Italy and Germany. This would result in Serie A and the Bundesliga getting an additional Champions League spot for the upcoming season.
The gap between Germany and England has increased after the Europa League matches on Thursday.
Brighton suffered a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Roma, while West Ham lost to Freiburg. However, the Hammers will be aiming to redeem themselves at their home stadium next week.
In the Europa Conference League, Aston Villa and Ajax played to a scoreless tie in Amsterdam. This leaves Liverpool as the only team to secure a win, defeating Sparta Prague 5-1.
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Manchester City advanced to the quarter-finals of the Champions League after defeating FC Copenhagen by a 6-2 aggregate score.
This suggests that Manchester United and Tottenham will have to depend on City and Arsenal’s success in order for England to secure a fifth spot in the upcoming Champions League.
As of now, Aston Villa holds the fourth spot in the Premier League, granting them an automatic spot. Tottenham is in fifth place and Manchester United in sixth.
Achieving fifth place would secure a spot in the following year’s Champions League, as long as England finishes in the top two of this season’s Uefa club coefficient table. The rankings are determined by dividing the total club coefficient points earned by each club from an association by the number of clubs from that association.
Last season, England would have ranked within the top two countries, alongside the Netherlands, if the ranking system had been applied. The coefficient of England’s ranking was increased due to the success of Manchester City in the Champions League and West Ham in the Europa Conference League.
This year, Italy holds the lead with a score of 16.571, followed by Germany in second place with 15.500 and England in third place with 14.625. France follows closely with a score of 14.416.
Both Manchester United and Newcastle United were eliminated from the group stage of the Champions League before Christmas. However, Manchester City and Arsenal advanced to the last-16 round.
Arsenal lost the first leg of their last-16 tie against Porto but will be hopeful of overturning that 1-0 defeat at the Emirates on Tuesday 12 March.
As a result of Liverpool’s win in the Carabao Cup final, seventh place will now earn entry to the Europa Conference League, as long as Liverpool also secures a spot in the top four.
Source: independent.co.uk
