The quarter-finals of this year’s European competitions are only at the midway point, but England’s hopes of pipping Germany in the race for an extra Champions League spot look set to go down to the wire.
Heading into this week’s matches, English clubs sat ahead of their German counterparts – but only on countback with the two countries locked on the same coefficient points.
In the reformatted edition of next season’s competition, the two countries with the highest co-efficient will be given an extra group-stage place.
But Bayer Leverkusen’s first-leg victory over West Ham and Liverpool’s heavy home defeat at the hands of Atalanta has changed the complexion on the coefficients.
Italy sit top with a coefficient of 18.428 (but this will rise to 18.857 given the guaranteed points from AC Milan facing Roma in the Europa League) with England – on 16.750 – now behind Germany on 16.785. Spain are in fourth on 15.062, while France sit fifth on 14.750.
Every win English clubs can manage in this season’s continental tournaments will help – but with Arsenal facing Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals and West Ham in the Europa League against Bayer Leverkusen, the fact each match also affects Germany’s hopes makes every result all the more significant.
The change will see 36 teams competing in the competition in a ‘Swiss league’ style, allowing for an additional place to be allocated to the two countries whose clubs perform best across all UEFA competitions
Why does this fortnight mean so much?
Two leagues will get an extra place in the competition based on performances in Europe this season, which are measured by the coefficient rankings.
With Germany and England neck-and-neck, each win, draw and qualification for the next rounds is huge – and magnified only further with two English sides taking on German sides across the next fortnight.
Arsenal drew 2-2 with Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund lost 2-1 at Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, while West Ham were beaten 2-0 at Bayer Leverkusen on Thursday.
Liverpool’s shock 3-0 home defeat by Atalanta means Italy can mathematically secure an extra Champions League spot if Fiorentina win and Atalanta do not lose in their respective second legs next week
England has five teams left in Europe with Man City and Arsenal in the Champions League, Liverpool and West Ham through in the Europa League and Aston Villa progressing to the last eight of the Europa Conference League.
Germany have only three teams remaining – Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League along with Champions League quarter-finalists Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund
