The 2024/25 UEFA Champions League will be the first tournament under the new system, where 36 teams will compete in a league-based format.
This change in system leaves four extra places available compared to the current format, and two of these additional spots are going to be available through the ‘European Performance Spots’.
The European Performance Spots are set to be awarded to the associations with the best overall performance by their clubs in the previous season’s UEFA men’s club competitions, named as the coefficient ranking, providing the association’s respective leagues with an extra automatic qualification place for the Champions League.
With this season’s UEFA club competitions now coming towards their close, with all three currently entering into the semi-final stage, we’re going to take a look at who is most likely to be awarded these European Performance Spots:
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Italy
Italy’s coefficient ranking is currently the highest of any of the 55 countries that compete in the UEFA coefficient table, scoring at 19.428.
With three clubs still remaining in the competition across the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League, the Serie A is looking extremely likely to finish at least within the top two of the rankings and claim that extra Champions League place.
If Italy do keep this lead and earn an extra place then it would go to fifth in the Serie A, which is currently occupied by Roma, who hold a four-point lead over sixth-placed Atalanta with just seven games to go.
Germany
Germany are narrowly in second place at this current moment, scoring just 0.553 more than England.
However, similarly to Italy Germany also have three clubs remaining across the competitions, with Bayer Leverkusen also seen as the favourites to win the Europa League, and so they are looking extremely promising for the second extra spot.
Borussia Dortmund would currently be the team benefiting from the European Performance Spot as they sit fifth in the Bundesliga, holding a 14-point lead over sixth-placed Frankfurt.
England
England were by far the favourites to claim one of the European Performance Spots prior to the season beginning, dominating the coefficient rankings in many of the previous seasons.
However, this season has not quite gone to plan for many of the English sides in European competitions, with just one team now remaining from the initial eight that entered in to the three tournaments.
Fortunately for England that team is Aston Villa, who are seen as favourites to go on and win the Europa Conference League which could be crucial if England are to pick up that extra fifth place for automatic qualification into Europe’s elite competition.
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