Race For Top four: What it means if English Club win both Europa and Champions League this season

The Premier League could claim both major European trophies before the season is over as English football continues its resurgence.

Liverpool and Tottenham secured their places in the semi-finals of the Champions League with aggregate successes over Porto and Manchester City respectively.

The Reds now take on Barcelona in the last four while Spurs must see off Ajax over two legs.

An all-English Europa League final is also a distinct possibility following quarter-final successes for Arsenal and Chelsea.

The excellent European form of Premier League clubs has led to uncertainty over what will happen in terms of qualifying
for next season’s competitions.

Dockaysworld have worked out what it all means – and it would be bad news for some

What happens to Champions League and Europa League winners?

UEFA rules state that the winners of the two European competitions go straight into next season’s Champions League group stage.

How many English teams can be in
Champions League?

The Premier League can have five clubs in the competition if the Champions League and/or Europa League winner does
not make the top four.

So, if Tottenham win the Champions League and miss out, they will still qualify alongside the top four. Likewise, with Arsenal or Chelsea if they win the Europa League.

How does that impact Europa League qualification?

While the number of Champions League clubs can be increased to five, the combined number of European spots doesn’t change.
So that just means two teams will be in the Europa League, rather than three.

If Arsenal or Chelsea lift the trophy in Baku in May, the respective round is rebalanced accordingly with UEFA’s rankings of respective associations.

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England are currently ranked third on the list, behind Spain and Germany.

If Spurs win CL and Arsenal/Chelsea win EL – and neither make top four?

Now this is where things start getting interesting. Liverpool, who are into the semi-finals, are assured of their top four spot but Tottenham certainly aren’t.

There is every chance they could finish fifth and win the Champions League – with Arsenal or Chelsea lifting the Europa League and coming sixth.

Both would still go into the group stages of the Champions League but UEFA rules state the lowest-placed Premier League side drops into the Europa League.

That means Manchester United could yet secure a top four spot but have to begin next term in the Europa League.

If Watford win the FA Cup as well?

The two domestic cup winners get entrance to the Europa League.

Manchester City won the Carabao Cup but will make the top four so won’t need that spot, which goes to sixth.

They could of course win the FA Cup too but Watford will have other ideas when they meet at Wembley.

Watford would enter the Europa League qualifiers as one of two English participants.
If not, they can still qualify through finishing seventh – as can Wolves , Leicester , Everton etc.

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