LONDON — Arsenal’s triumph over Real Madrid has decisively granted England a coveted fifth guaranteed spot in next season’s Champions League. The new format of the tournament, which features an expansion to 36 teams, allows UEFA to allocate additional places to the two countries whose clubs achieve the best collective results across the three European club competitions this season.
England, having maintained a lead in the rankings since the early part of the season, boasts the largest representation with five teams still competing across the competitions. Following Arsenal’s impressive 3-0 victory against the reigning champions in the first leg of the quarterfinals, the English Premier League officially secured its fifth Champions League berth. This achievement ensures England cannot be surpassed by Italy, currently holding third place.
Meanwhile, Spain occupies second place in the UEFA rankings but remains at risk of being overtaken by Italy. In the current football season, Italy and Germany benefited from the bonus entries due to their positive European results, which allowed fifth-place Serie A and Bundesliga teams, Bologna and Borussia Dortmund, to enter the competition.
There’s a possibility for England to achieve a record seven entries among the 36 teams in the next Champions League season. This scenario would occur if Aston Villa were to win the Champions League while finishing lower than fifth in the Premier League, thus claiming the slot designated for the titleholder.
Additionally, the Europa League champion also gains entry into the subsequent Champions League, an opportunity that Manchester United or Tottenham could seize. Both clubs remain contenders for the European title even as they find themselves positioned well below the top five in the Premier League standings.