Premier League clubs have a huge opportunity to seal a place in the Champions League this season, with fifth place looking more and more likely enough for a place in Europe's elite.
This year's race for the Champions League spots has been one of the nearest ever, and with teams knowing that they can finish fifth and claim a place, the pressure was picked up a notch.
Liverpool and Arsenal seem nailed to qualify for the Champions League, but it is much less certain for the teams of them. There are only seven points between Nottingham Forest in Third and Bournemouth in the ninth and clubs must be aware that they can make a real push if they can put together a winning run.
It would be a fairytale story if clubs such as Nottingham Forest, Brighton or Bournemouth could seal a place in the Champions League and that looks like a real possibility if one of the two coveted extra Champions League spots is given to England.
And that could happen in tonight if two Italian clubs are eliminated from the Europa League and Conference League in the Last-16 Second Legs, with Lazio, Roma and Fiorentina all in action.
Last season, Italy and Germany both received five Champions League spots, in which Borussia Dortmund and Bologna benefited from that advantage, after teams from those countries surpassed clubs in England and Spain.
The performance in Europe is the key to stimulating the coefficient of a competition and with England are in a strong position for an extra place. They still have two teams in the Champions League despite the exit of Liverpool – after Aston Villa and Arsenal invaded the quarters after they had defeated Club Brugge and PSV respectively.
In the meantime, there are two in the Europa League (Tottenham and Manchester United) and one in the Conference League (Chelsea) – which gives England a CO -efficient of 23,035.
Spain stands second in line with Barcelona and Real Madrid in the Champions League, Athletic Bilbao, Real Sociedad in the Europa League and Real Betis in the Conference League, where their division has a co-efficient of 20.892.
Italy is currently third in that race at 19,375 with only four teams left in Europe – and only one of those (Inter Milan) in the Champions League.
On Thursday, Lazio will be confronted with a Viktoria plzen, with the total score on 2-1, while Roma is also 2-1 until aggregated prior to their journey to Athletic Bilbao.
In the Conference League, Fiorentina was reduced 3-2 to Panathinaikos and Premier League teams only need two of them to go out on Thursday to ensure that England gets the extra Champions League spot.
Manchester City is currently in fifth place, but is confronted with a fight to finish so high after a number of sketchy in the Premier League after their 1-0 defeat against Rivals Nottingham Forest.
Newcastle is right on points with them at 47, while Brighton is 46, Aston Villa at 45 and Bournemouth is 44 – so that the last place is really someone for taking if a team can enjoy the season.
Nottingham Forest is third in 51 points, so their qualification is far from secure, while Chelsea is only two points behind 49.
Comments