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England comfortably ahead in UEFA coefficient table for this season as they look set to secure a fifth Champions League place. A general view of the Champions League trophy. Picture: REUTERS England’s Premier League clubs are on course to secure an extra place in next season’s Champions League after a strong first half of the season.
Ahead of this season’s Champions League, organisers UEFA introduced the extra place in their elite competition for the two domestic leagues that performed best across their three club competitions in the previous. Italy and Germany claimed those two positions for this season's Champions League after a disappointing season for English clubs that included early Champions League exits for Manchester United and Newcastle. After Germany’s Borussia Dortmund and Bologna from Italian Serie A were the recipients of the extra Champions League places last season, an English team is well placed to secure an additional spot next season.
Premier League clubs has reasserted their position in UEFA competitions this season, with Liverpool winning their first seven matches in the expanded Champions League group stage and Arsenal set to join them in the knock-out round. Aston Villa are also pushing for a top eight finish in the Champions League group, which would give them a place in the last-16. Manchester City are struggling to get into the Champions League play-offs after collecting just eight points from their first seven matches, but Pep Guardiola’s side should have a chance to battle into the knock-out round if they beat Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.
The English league is leading the coefficient table by a distance so far this season, with Opta suggesting there is a 98% chance that the Premier League will earn an additional place in next season's Champions League next season. 1. England - points: 100; average: 14.
34 2. Italy - points: 88; average: 11.05 3.
Spain - points: 82; average: 11.77 4. France - points: 66 average: 10.
94 5. Germany - points: 79 - average: 9.88.
