Which team will lift the Champions League trophy this season?Which team will lift the Champions League trophy this season?
Which team will lift the Champions League trophy this season? | AFP via Getty Images
Man United would secure a spot in the Champions League if they beat Spurs in the Europa League final.
It would be a massive boost for either Spurs or United to win the Europa League, as they would have a much stronger pulling power in the summer transfer window if they have Champions League football secured.
So far, 24 teams have been confirmed for the Champions League next season, with just two Premier League teams having qualified so far - Liverpool and Arsenal - leaving the remaining spots to go down to the final day next weekend.
Who has qualified for the Champions League?
Arsenal and Liverpool will be joined by fellow Premier League rivals Man United or Tottenham in the Champions League. But there will also be three more English sides in the competition, with the likes of Man City, Newcastle, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest all battling for a top five spot.
In Europe’s other top leagues, many of which have finished, teams have secured a spot in the Champions League. The Premier League and La Liga have both got five spots for the competitions due to their teams’ performances in Europe so far. That currently hands Chelsea and Villarreal a place in next season’s competition.
Here are the 24 teams to have secured a spot in the Champions League:
England: Arsenal, Liverpool
Spain: Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Athletic Bilbao, Villarreal
Italy: Napoli, Inter, Atalanta
Germany: Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt, Borussia Dortmund
France: PSG, Marseille, Monaco
Netherlands: PSV, Ajax
Portugal: Sporting CP
Belgium: Union Saint-Gilloise
Turkey: Galatasaray
Czechia: Slavia Praha
Greece: Olympiacos
How much could Man United earn for winning the Europa League?
The winners of the final on Wednesday will receive a prize money pot of £10.95 million, but qualifying for the Champions League is where the real money is at.
Due to the fact that the league phase has expanded to 36 teams as of this season, the prize pot is also increased. If United qualify for the Champions League, they will get £15.7m even if they lose every game.
Every win in the league phase earns the club an extra £1.8m, with a draw being worth £590,000. Finishing in the top eight of the league phase earns £1.7m, with £233,000 also allocated for each place in the table.
There is also a financial incentive for teams going further in the Champions League knockout phase. The Round of 16 is worth £9.4m, Quarter-finals are worth £10.7m, Semi-finals are £12.9m, and the final is £15.9m. The winner of the competition will get a boost of £21.5m.
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