SERIE A are looking poised to enter SIX teams in the Champions League next season.
In the reformatted edition of next season’s competition, two countries will be given an extra group-stage place.
Italy are poised to receive an additional Champions League place as one of two countries with the best Uefa co-efficient.
Places will be assigned to the associations with the best collective performance – classed as their coefficient – by their clubs in Europe this season.
The Italians – who have four teams left in Europe – are frontrunners to profit from the rule change that has come about ahead of the competition’s expansion to 36 teams.
This means fifth place is set to qualify – which will currently benefit Roma – who have become somewhat Europa League staples.
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However, there is also a way in which Italy could enter a SIXTH team into the Champions League.
That is if Roma or Atalanta win the Europa League AND finish outside the top four in Serie A.
Atalanta currently sit sixth and stormed to a shocking 3-0 victory over favourites Liverpool in the Europa League first leg quarter-final at Anfield.
An Atalanta European triumph would free up another Champions League spot for an Italian club, as the additional place only applies to a team’s domestic league finish.
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The extra spot will not go to the Champions League or Europa League winners as they automatically qualify.
In theory, Roma or Atalanta would be excluded from the list and bump the spot down to seventh place in Serie A.
This means a seventh place finish in the Serie A could land Champions League football, if both the winners of the Champions League and Europa League are Italian clubs that finish outside of the top four.
However, Uefa have not entirely clarified the way the extra spot will be assigned regarding the Europa League victor.
It is therefore possible the clubs will ask for further clarification before going into the final, especially considering it is very tight in the race for a top five spot in Serie A.
Italy sit top with a coefficient of 18.714, with England – on 16.928 – now behind Germany on 16.875.
Bayer Leverkusen’s first-leg 2-0 victory over West Ham and Liverpool’s heavy home defeat has changed the complexion on the coefficients.
Aston Villa are in a commanding position in the Europa Conference League with their 2-1 win at home to Lille, while Arsenal and Manchester City’s Champions League ties could still go either way.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
