A fourth-placed finish in the Premier League could yet mean a club misses out on qualifying for Europe's premier club competition next season
The race for a place in the Premier League's top four looks set to be the most exciting for some time, with up to six sides fighting it out to finish in the three places behind champions-elect Chelsea.
But there could yet be a final twist in the tail for one of those sides even if they do secure fourth-place in the top-flight.
The winners of both the Champions League and Europa League are guaranteed participation in next season's Champions League while no country is allowed more than five participants in the competition.
That means, if both Leicester City and Manchester United go on to lift European silverware and finish outside the top four, then only the top three in the Premier League will qualify for Europe's premier club competition.
Leicester will almost certainly finish outside the top four given their domestic struggles this season, and though they are huge outsiders to go on and win the Champions League, their recent upturn in form means they will likely be a match for anyone.
United, meanwhile, sit sixth in the Premier League table despite a 17-match unbeaten run, with fixture congestion meaning they remain outsiders for a top-four finish. They are, however, heavy favourites to go on and win the Europa League.
And so while both remain in European competition, the likes of Tottenham, Manchester City and Arsenal may need to start thinking about ending up in the top three, rather than just settling for a fourth-place finish.
0 comments:
Post a Comment