Is 5th place good enough for a CL place?

[BoringOldFan]

Looking on UEFA.com this morning, there are a number of changes mentioned. I saw this:

The maximum number of clubs from one association that can qualify for the UEFA Champions League is increased to five.

Does that mean the PL now has five CL places?

Another change says that the national cup (so FA Cup) winners no longer automatically qualify for the Europa League.

 

[wiggo24]

Looking on UEFA.com this morning, there are a number of changes mentioned. I saw this:



Does that mean the PL now has five CL places?

Another change says that the national cup (so FA Cup) winners no longer automatically qualify for the Europa League.

No. Winners of Europa now get a CL spot, so that rule applies to the fact it's possible in Spain, England etc that we could potentially have 5 teams in the CL next year.

 

[JerryGarcia]

I would love to see a complete reshape of European competitions instead of gradually changing the rules of the current ones to suit the needs of the top clubs.

I don't see the point in having so many teams from the arse end of nowhere competing in the group stages with the elite, their numbers should be reduced or they should have a seperate competition which would then allow them (in their own cup) and the top 7 or 8 clubs from the main leagues (in a seperate cup) to compete on a more level playing field.

It might sound harsh on teams like AEL who we played but in reality these matches are nothing more than training sessions for us and benefit nobody in the long run. Wouldn't it be better for AEL to play teams from Europe who are at the same level as they are and be able to compete all the way to the final of a cup? You could still allow maybe the semi finalists to all join the next seasons main cup or something along those lines.

Meanwhile teams like us and Everton are miles ahead of the pot 4 Champions League qualifiers yet the competition is 50% fodder for the top seeds. Both current European cups only get really interesting at the knockout stage so why not make the whole thing worth watching and let the competitive teams play each other?

I'm not saying the format I've suggested is the way to go, I'd just like to see a realistic approach taken in selecting the teams which compete. It might be nice for the minnows to test themselves against big clubs and there should still be ways for these teams to meet each other, but just not over the course of the whole Europa League group stage!

 

[Ron Burgundy]

What would happen if (for the sake of argument):

- An English team dropped out of the group stages of the CL, and went into the Europa
- They subsequently won the Europa league, and finished in the top 4 in England, thereby qualifying via two routes

Would the extra CL place go to the runner up of the Europa, or the next highest in the PL? My guess is the former but I'm not sure

 

[JerryGarcia]

What would happen if (for the sake of argument):

- An English team dropped out of the group stages of the CL, and went into the Europa
- They subsequently won the Europa league, and finished in the top 4 in England, thereby qualifying via two routes

Would the extra CL place go to the runner up of the Europa, or the next highest in the PL? My guess is the former but I'm not sure

Good question, I'm not sure of the answer but we'd probably find a way to get screwed over anyway.

 

[Amo]

If an English team wins Europa or CL and finishes in top-four, the top four go through

If winners of both cups are English and they both finish in top four, top four go through.

If winner of one cup is English and theu finish out of the top four, the top four plus that team go through

If winners of both cups are English and both finish outside top four, then top three sides plus those two teams go through.

That wouldn't apply for a league with less than four CL spots. If league has three spots, two teams from there win the cups and finish outside top three, all five teams would play in CL.

So no way will the team finishing 5th qualify unless they happen to win a European cup.

 

[Armstrong_11]

If winners of both cups are English and both finish outside top four, then top three sides plus those two teams go through.

this is how we still can get screwed if we finish 4th.

 

[Amo]

this is how we still can get screwed if we finish 4th.

But for that to happen, one of last year's top four would have to both win the CL and finish outside the four AND one of the other three+Everton have to win EL while also missing out on fourth.

If two of Chelsea, Man City, Arsenal and Liverpool finish outside of the top four we really should be seeing 3rd as very achievable. Who else will take their places?

 

[Armstrong_11]

But for that to happen, one of last year's top four would have to both win the CL and finish outside the four AND one of the other three+Everton have to win EL while also missing out on fourth.

If two of Chelsea, Man City, Arsenal and Liverpool finish outside of the top four we really should be seeing 3rd as very achievable. Who else will take their places?

nah just saying its just how we will get to 4th and get screwed again. but thats life.

 

[Sandros Shiny Head]

bullshit that the german league gets 4 teams when theres only 18 in the league overall

 

[CrazyConrad]

What would happen if (for the sake of argument):

- An English team dropped out of the group stages of the CL, and went into the Europa
- They subsequently won the Europa league, and finished in the top 4 in England, thereby qualifying via two routes

Would the extra CL place go to the runner up of the Europa, or the next highest in the PL? My guess is the former but I'm not sure

No, if the EL winner qualifies via the home league it goes away. The EL loser can not qualify.

 

[Lilbaz]

I would love to see a complete reshape of European competitions instead of gradually changing the rules of the current ones to suit the needs of the top clubs.

I'd like to see it done like the FA cup. With every team in the top leagues of Europe involved. The smaller leagues (Cyprus etc...) could start then the bigger leagues introduced at the 3rd round or so. 2 legs for the semi final (maybe quarters). Would only mean about 12 games for the smallest team to get to the finals. At a stroke it will cut the inequalities created by the CL in Europe and reballance the game.

Will never happen though as the big clubs wouldn't agree.

 

[JerryGarcia]

I'd like to see it done like the FA cup. With every team in the top leagues of Europe involved. The smaller leagues (Cyprus etc...) could start then the bigger leagues introduced at the 3rd round or so. 2 legs for the semi final (maybe quarters). Would only mean about 12 games for the smallest team to get to the finals. At a stroke it will cut the inequalities created by the CL in Europe and reballance the game.

Will never happen though as the big clubs wouldn't agree.

That's not a bad idea at all, I like it. It's just a shame that sponsorships and financial politics seem to dictate what UEFA and FIFA are willing to do.

 

[cwy21]

bullshit that the german league gets 4 teams when theres only 18 in the league overall

I don't get this logic? Germany gets 4 teams because they've been the 3rd best league in Europe the past five years.

 

[etchedchaos]

Could you imagine the shitstorm if the 4th place team misses out because both 5th and 6th place win the CL and EL . Knowing our luck it'd be us, again.

 

[Amo]

Could you imagine the shitstorm if the 4th place team misses out because both 5th and 6th place win the CL and EL . Knowing our luck it'd be us, again.

It's such an unlikely event, and the fact that they will extend it to five, that makes me think they should just go all the way and make it six. To make it +1 but not +2 is a little arbitrary.

And it would be really fucked up if for example, Hull had gone through, won the cup, got relegated and played in the CL, while the team finishing fourth missed out.