Image Credits: Imago Images
The Premier League’s rough week in Europe has raised eyebrows over what it could mean for the number of English sides that qualify for the Champions League next season.
English clubs endured a poor set of results in the Champions League round of 16, with several Premier League sides losing first‑leg ties, including Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham, and Manchester City.
Those setbacks inevitably sparked concern among Liverpool supporters about whether England could yet slip out of the top two associations in UEFA’s seasonal rankings, and with it lose the “extra” Champions League place. With Arne Slot’s side currently 6th in the table, the safety net of fifth qualifying for the Champions League feels more important than ever.
Under UEFA’s revamped format, two additional Champions League spots each season go to leagues whose clubs collectively perform best across the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League. Every win is worth two coefficient points and every draw one, which are then added up and divided by the number of clubs each league has in Europe to give an average score.
The top two leagues in that one‑season table each receive an extra Champions League place, which for the Premier League would mean the top five, not just the top four, qualifying.
But despite the last‑16 wobble, BBC Sport’s Dale Johnson reports that England still hold a strong lead in this season’s coefficient race. With all nine English participants still involved across UEFA’s three competitions and a healthy bank of bonus points already secured from the league phase:
“England is the only country to still have all teams active – there are nine of them into the last 16 across the three competitions,” he reported.
“It will be very hard for England to throw it away from this position, even with Tottenham, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City losing in the first leg of the Champions League last 16.”
“However, further bad results for the teams in the Europa League and Conference League on Thursday, and it could get interesting.”
“But the real damage can only be done next week if teams are eliminated.”
In practical terms, that means Liverpool – and whoever else is chasing the top five – can remain reasonably confident that fifth place will again carry a Champions League ticket at the end of this campaign, even if English clubs don’t go deep into every European knockout.
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