Five massive clubs at risk of missing out on Champions League football
Five massive clubs at risk of missing out on Champions League football The UEFA Champions League is bigger than ever with the expanded format making participation, and prize money, more lucrative for Europe's top teams. Even with the format increased to 36 teams, there are some massive clubs in danger of missing out on qualification. Chelsea Chelsea have been regulars in the Champions League since the turn of the century, becoming the first London team to win the competition in 2012.
The Blues were crowned European champions for a second time in 2021 and have a proud history in UEFA competition, as the first English club to have won all three major UEFA trophies of the past, and the first club overall in the present form. However, the West Londoners need a hugely unlikely turn of events to qualify for next season's Champions League. Results required for Chelsea to finish sixth and secure Champions League football Chelsea to beat Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland Aston Villa to lose to Manchester City and beat SC Freiburg in the Europa League final Liverpool to beat Brentford Brighton to fail to beat Manchester United Juventus How costly could Juventus 's shock setback against Fiorentina prove to be?
Champions League qualification was in the hands of the Old Lady, but a 2-0 home defeat to their fierce rivals has seen them drop down to sixth. Juventus had a man advantage after Lucas Ranieri's red card for Fiorentina, but conceded a second in a dismal defeat. Juventus must beat Torino on the final weekend and hope AS Roma and Como both fail to win.
Bayer Leverkusen Bayer Leverkusen will play no part in next season's Champions League after a sixth-place finish in the Bundesliga. Leverkusen are ranked ninth in UEFA's club coefficient table , but a disappointing domestic campaign has cost them a place in the Champions League. Just two seasons after winning a maiden Bundesliga title with an unbeaten campaign, Leverkusen failed to do enough to make Germany's top four.
Benfica An incredible tale unfolded in Portugal this season as Benfica became only the third team this century to complete a season unbeaten, and not win the title. Amazingly, Benfica finished the Primeira Liga campaign third, despite not losing, after drawing 11 games. It means the two-time European champions will watch the Champions League from the sidelines next season.