Extra Champions League Spot: Still a long-shot for Italy despite improved ranking
The Champions League trophy EPA-EFE/JEAN-CHRISTOPHE BOTT
An extra spot in next season’s Champions League is still looking like a long-shot for Italy despite moving up in the latest UEFA rankings after the latest round of European fixtures played this week.
Italy up to eighth in race for an extra Champions League spot
The latest round of European fixtures saw Inter beat Feyenoord 3-0 away from home in the Champions League, Roma lost 3-2 away against Manchester United, Como smashed Lens 9-1 in an historic scoreline whilst Napoli lost 4-1 away against Porto. In the Europa League, Juventus claimed a 2-1 victory over AZ Alkmaar, but Milan fell to a 2-0 defeat at home against Ferencvaros. Atalanta were held to a 1-1 draw by FC Kairat in the Conference League.
It was a mixed set of results for the Italian sides competing in Europe this week, but these results were still enough for Italy to move one place up in the UEFA season association coefficient, which is used to determine the two nations that are awarded an extra Champions League spot in next year’s competition.
Italy began the week in ninth place in the UEFA season association coefficient, and have since moved up to eighth place in the rankings after the latest update on Thursday night.
Italy’s overall score has also improved from 6.500 to 7.500 after the latest round of European results.
As things stand, England sit at the top of the rankings with a score of 9.166, Portugal are in second with 8.900, Belgium in third on 8.400, Germany in fourth with 8.285, Turkiye in fifth with 7.900, Spain are sixth with 7.875 and the Netherlands are in seventh with 7.666.
How are the extra Champions League spots decided?
Italy, along with England, Spain and Germany, are among the nations whose leagues are guaranteed four places in the Champions League, but there is also a chance of a fifth being added.
Two nations are awarded an extra Champions League spot each, known as the European Performance Spot, which went to England and Spain for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 tournaments. Italy and Germany received the extra Champions League spots in 2024-25, the first edition of the tournament after its expansion to 36 teams.
The European Performance Spot is awarded to the two nations that finish the previous season at the top of the UEFA Season Association Coefficient.
In this system, nations are awarded points based on the performances of their teams competing in the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.
Each team is awarded two points for a victory, one point for a draw and zero for a defeat. Those points are halves for qualifying and play-off matches. Clubs are also awarded bonus points depending on their positions at the end of the league phases, and extra points for each round they progress through after that.
Those scores are added up and divided by the number of clubs a nation has competing in UEFA competitions that season.
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