Tottenham Hotspur’s aspirations for Champions League qualification could see a significant upturn this week, as all six remaining Premier League teams gear up for crucial European fixtures. With UEFA’s revamped format for the Champions League set to accommodate 36 teams and introduce a “Swiss model” league system from next season, England’s performance in the current campaign holds immense importance.
Currently positioned third in the UEFA coefficient table, England is closely trailing Italy and Germany in the race for two additional spots reserved for the top two performing nations across all three UEFA competitions. As the Champions League progresses to the last 16 stage and parallel stages unfold in the Europa League and Conference League, the outcome of English clubs’ matches this week holds the key to securing an extra spot.Manchester City and Arsenal lead the English charge, with City aiming to seal their last 16 tie against Copenhagen and Arsenal gearing up for their home leg clash against Porto. However, the involvement of Liverpool, West Ham, Brighton, and Aston Villa in Thursday’s fixtures presents significant opportunities for England to climb up the coefficient table.The possibility of seven Premier League teams qualifying for the Champions League, although highly unlikely, has been opened up by Liverpool’s victory over Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final last month. Each victory in the European competitions earns two points, with additional points awarded for progressing to certain stages.England’s current total of 111 points may see an increase if City secures a win against Copenhagen, adding 0.375 points to the country’s score. Meanwhile, the performances of Bayern Munich and Leipzig in their second leg ties this week will also impact Germany’s standing, potentially allowing England to overtake them in the coefficient table.Liverpool’s fixture against Sparta Prague, Brighton’s clash with Roma, and West Ham’s encounter with Freiburg could directly influence the race for the extra Champions League slots. Furthermore, Aston Villa’s two-leg tie against Ajax holds significance in bolstering the Premier League’s position.As Serie A and Bundesliga clubs also vie for progression in the European competitions, Spain remains a contender with Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and Real Sociedad in the Champions League, along with Villarreal in the Europa League.With potential gains of 1.375 points if all English teams win this week, and a further 1.75 points if they progress in the subsequent week, Tottenham’s hopes for Champions League qualification could receive a substantial boost amidst the Premier League’s collective push in Europe.
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