Uefa have handed Italy a fourth qualification spot in the Champions League, but the extra Serie A side will have no affect on the Premier League’s places. There were genuine fears that England were in danger of losing their fourth place in the tournament after Premier League sides struggled to make an impact in the competition in the last five years.
But Uefa have opted against a reshuffle of the status quo with Italy instead being given four places from the 2018/19 season alongside England, Spain and Germany.
The English clubs will be relieved to hear the news, but are some way off the top five seeded clubs in the rankings. Leicester City are the only English side in this year’s quarter-finals with Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester City all going out.
‘Spain, Germany, England and Italy are confirmed as the top four associations regardless of what happens in the quarter-finals and beyond of the two club competitions,’ said Uefa in a statement.
‘And despite ending last season in fifth place, Portugal have fallen outside the top six and with all their clubs now out of Europe will not be able to overtake France or Russia (in the top six for the first time since 2010).’
Full UEFA statement
The associations’ positions in the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League access list are determined on the basis of the associations’ coefficients established at the finish of the 2016/17 campaign, on the basis of the associations’ coefficients from seasons 2012/13 to 2016/17.
Under the revised access lists for the revamped European club competitions from 2018, the top four nations in the association rankings will each receive four guaranteed places in the UEFA Champions League group stage while those countries ranked fifth and six gain two group berths plus a qualifying spot for the club finishing third.
Spain, Germany, England and Italy are confirmed as the top four associations regardless of what happens in the quarter-finals and beyond of the two club competitions. And despite ending last season in fifth place, Portugal have fallen outside the top six and with all their clubs now out of Europe will not be able to overtake France or Russia (in the top six for the first time since 2010).
The nations from seventh to tenth will all receive one automatic group berth and one qualifying spot, and Portugal, Ukraine, Belgium and Turkey currently hold those posititions. The Czech Republic and Switzerland, in 11th and 12th, would see their champions enter the play-offs and also join the top ten in being assured of at least one UEFA Europa League group slot.
In the club rankings, the calculations for which will change in 2018 but for determining next season’s seedings remain the same, Real Madrid retain a comfortable lead at the top over Bayern München of more than ten points, with Barcelona, Atlético Madrid and Juventus also in the top five. Notable rises include Monaco up to 32nd (from 58th at the end of last season) and Leicester City effectively a new entry in 56th.
Source / credit: Metro and UEFA
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