Athletistic / Football. The 2023/2024 season will be the last with the current Champions League format. If previously 32 teams took part in the group stage of Europe’s main club tournament, the group stage will be completely changed from the next campaign. Now 36 teams will participate in the main draw of the tournament, and the group stage itself will be held according to the Swiss system instead of being divided into groups of 4 teams.

Interestingly, an additional place in the tournament will be given to the two strongest countries whose clubs achieve the best results in the current European Cup season. If everything is now more or less clear with the leader – it is Italy – then a serious struggle is taking place in the fight for the vacant second place. Germany and England are now side by side in this battle, with the Budesliga taking a slight advantage on March 5. How ironic that the captain of the England national team is helping the Germans overtake the English in the fight for another place in the Champions League.

The fact is that Harry Kane scored a brace in yesterday’s match against Lazio. The striker not only helped Bayern defeat the Romans (3:0) and reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League, but also scored Germany the most important points in the coefficient table of UEFA. Now, depending on the season, German clubs are higher than England in this ranking. Is the Premier League no longer the premier championship in Europe? Probably not. The English championship continues to be the most competitive in Europe and, thanks to its financial aspect, is able to attract the best players. What is there then?

Photo source: UEFA

Six of England’s eight clubs have reached the round of 16 of the European Cup. The losers of the European season were Manchester United and Newcastle United, who took last and fourth place in their quartet in the Champions League group stage. Manchester City and Arsenal are battling it out in the Champions League, Liverpool, West Ham United and Brighton & Hove Albion are about to start play in the Europa League round of 16 and Aston Villa are in the Conference League. The failures of Manchester United and Newcastle are linked to a number of reasons: there are an incredible number of injuries in the lineups of both teams, and the lack of necessary experience among the players and coaching staff of the Magpies, and the disastrous matches of the Red Devils under the leadership of Erik ten Hag, and much more.

Germany continues to play in Europe with Bayern, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig (all in the Champions League), as well as Bayer and Freiburg in the Europa League. In the spring, the Union failed in the group stage of the Champions League and Freiburg was not ready for the Conference League.

How points are awarded in the UEFA odds table:

  • 2 points – for winning any tournament;
  • 1 point – for a draw.
    (in qualifying, points are divided in half)
  • Participation in the group stage of the Champions League – 4 points;
  • Reach the quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals of the Champions League – 1 point;
  • Victory in the Europa League group – 4 points;
  • Second place in group LE – 2 points;
  • Released in 1/8, 1/4, 1/2 and final LE – 1 point.
  • Victory in the Conference League group – 2 points;
  • Second place in the Best Club group – 1 point.
  • Reach LC semi-finals and finals – 1 point.

An important point is that the number of points scored during each season is divided by the number of teams who played for their association (country) during that season.

England were initially at a bit of a disadvantage, having 8 teams in European competition this season (thanks to West Ham, who won the Conference League last season). But that’s not the only reason why the Premier League risks losing another Champions League place.

Photo source: Bundesliga

Bayer is having incredible performances this season. Leverkusen, led by Xabi Alonso, is not only on fire in the Bundesliga, but also has 6 wins in the Conference League group stage. By tradition, Bayern is excellent (6 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss), Freiburg is very good (5-1-2), Leipzig (4-0-3) and Borussia (3-3-1). No matter how one criticizes Bayern’s continued dominance in the Bundesliga, this tournament is growing and is a formidable force in European football. The Germans have long moved away from their old system of relying on their own students and, after adopting that of the Premier League, began buying foreign players. However, the difference between Germany and England is that in the Premier League they accept anyone for any money, while Bundesliga clubs look for young talents around the world and then, developing them , resell them at a profit – including to Foggy Albion.

At the moment it is unclear how the fate of the additional Champions League ticket will ultimately be resolved. England has an advantage with Manchester City (in the Champions League) and Liverpool (in the Europa League). And Aston Villa with Unai Emery are perhaps considered the main favorites in the Conference League. However, Germany has a real chance to create a sensation and punch the arrogant Brits on the nose.

Before the start of the 2023/2024 season, no one doubted that England would represent five teams in the Champions League next season. Currently, Tottenham Hotspur are in fifth place in the Premier League. It would be funny if their student and legend leaves Spurs without the Champions League.

Nikita Serbakov, Athletistic


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