Premier League teams might actually have to LOSE to make it to the Champions League in a strange twist on the last day.
Something pretty unusual might happen on the last day of the Premier League season – teams could actually gain by losing their games as they try to get into the Champions League. SPORTbible has the full story.
As the Premier League heads into the final few games, with most teams having three matches left, the excitement is building at both the top and bottom of the table. Arsenal and Manchester City are fighting for the title, while Spurs, West Ham, and Nottingham Forest are battling to stay in the league.
Manchester United secured a Champions League spot with their win over Liverpool on Sunday. Meanwhile, Arne Slot’s team seems likely to qualify too, sitting six points ahead of sixth-placed Bournemouth.
The Premier League already has a fifth spot guaranteed in next season’s Champions League thanks to the European Performance Spot (EPS). Right now, Aston Villa, who are fifth, would get this spot unless they win the Europa League. If Villa win the Europa League – they currently trail 1-0 on aggregate to Nottingham Forest after the first semi-final leg – the EPS spot would move down to sixth place, currently held by Bournemouth.
If Villa finishes fourth and wins the Europa League, it won’t affect other Premier League teams, so sixth place would still qualify for the Europa League.
At the moment – before Chelsea’s game against Forest on Monday – there are just seven points between 13th place Newcastle and Bournemouth in sixth. Teams like Sunderland, Everton, Fulham, Chelsea, Brighton, and Brentford all hope to qualify for European football in some form.
Newcastle, Crystal Palace, and Leeds could still sneak into the Champions League, but that’s a long shot.
The team that finishes seventh will get at least a spot in the Conference League, and Villa’s results won’t change this.
Here’s the twist: if Manchester City or Chelsea win the FA Cup and finish in the top seven, the rules shuffle again. Then, seventh place gets into the Europa League, and the Conference League spot moves down to eighth.
As mentioned, the team in sixth place might actually benefit from losing on the last day. Brighton play Manchester United and Brentford face Liverpool. If United and Liverpool win, Villa will finish fifth, which could help teams below, including Brighton and Brentford.
In that case, it might actually be better for Brighton and Brentford to lose their final games if they’re confident of finishing sixth. If Villa wins the Europa League and finishes fifth, sixth place would earn a Champions League spot.
Eight English teams are expected to qualify for Europe next season, but there’s a small chance the number could go up to ten – if Nottingham Forest win the Europa League and Crystal Palace win the Conference League while finishing below eighth.