How a league could have an astonishing SIX teams in the Champions League next season – and currently on track to do so

SERIES A are prepared to enter SIX teams into the Champions League next season.

In next season’s reformatted edition of the competition, two countries will receive an extra place in the group stage.

4

4

Italy is set to receive an additional place in the Champions League as one of the two countries with the best UEFA coefficient.

Places will be awarded to the federations with the best collective performance – classified as their coefficient – ​​by their clubs in Europe this season.

The Italians – who still have four teams in Europe – are the first to profit from the rule change that took place before the competition expanded to 36 teams.

That means fifth place is set to qualify – which will currently benefit Roma – who have become a staple of the Europa League.

However, there is also a way for Italy to enter a SIXTH team in the Champions League.

That’s if Roma or Atalanta win the Europa League AND finish outside the top four of Serie A.

Atalanta are currently in sixth place and achieved a shock 3-0 victory over favorites Liverpool in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final at Anfield.

One Atalanta A European triumph would free up another Champions League spot for an Italian club, as the additional spot only applies to a team’s national league result.

BEST UK BOOKMAKER FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS

The extra place will not go to the winners of the Champions League or Europa League, as they qualify automatically.

In theory, Roma or Atalanta would be excluded from the list and fall to seventh place in Serie A.

This means that a seventh-place finish in Serie A could lead to Champions League football, if the winners of the Champions League and Europa League are Italian clubs who finish outside the top four.

However, UEFA has not fully clarified how the extra place will be awarded to the winner of the Europa League.

Therefore, it is possible that clubs will ask for more clarification before going to the final, especially considering that the race for the top five places in Serie A is very tight.

Italy are in the lead with a coefficient of 18.714, with England – with 16.928 – now behind Germany with 16.875.

Bayer Leverkusen’s 2-0 victory over West Ham in the first leg and Liverpool’s heavy defeat at home changed the appearance of the coefficients.

Aston Villa are in a commanding position in the Europa Conference League with their 2-1 home win over Lille, while Arsenal and Manchester City’s Champions League games could still go ahead anyway.

4