The Premier League will have five teams in the Champions League next season after obtaining one of the additional places for the performance of clubs through the three European competitions.
Two leagues will be rewarded with a European performance point (EPS), which was introduced last season as part of a overhaul to extend the Champions League to a competition at 36 teams.
England was well at the top of the table during most of the season, and the additional place was almost confirmed by a bad results catalog for Italian clubs during the playoff and the round of 16.
This left the Premier League to need a single victory or two draws on a draw, remaining matches and which was sealed on Tuesday when Arsenal won 3-0 at home against Real Madrid.
Fifth place in England will now be qualified for the Champions League. Chelsea (53 points) is fourth with Newcastle United (53) in fifth (and the Magpies have a crucial game in hand.) But a crowd of clubs fights for the first five, including Manchester City (52), Aston Villa (51), Fulham (48) and Brighton & Hove Albion (47).
If Aston Villa wins the Champions League (they play Paris Saint -Germain in the quarterfinals) and finish fifth, then six teams qualify for the Champions League – the first four, the title holders of the Champions League and the EPS, which falls in sixth place.
The maximum number of places in the Champions League could be seven: the first four, EPS, as well as Villa and Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur as winners of the Champions League and the Europa League.
The Premier League could have 11 teams in Europe next season if Villa, Man United or Spurs and also Chelsea won the three titles and finished outside the national qualification. Title holders are automatically considered to be additional places if they do not do so at the national level.
If Arsenal or Aston Villa wins the Champions League and finish in the first four, there is no transfer to the Premier League; Only the first five will qualify.
Spain – which, like the Premier League, still has five active European competition clubs – should take second place but could still be captured by Italy.
Last season, Italy and Germany were the beneficiaries, Bologna and Borussia Dortmund finishing in fifth place in their respective league tables.
