The current UEFA ranking would grant Italy an additional spot for the upcoming edition of the premier European competition, set to begin next season. Read on for more details.
Italy is fully in contention to secure the fifth spot in the upcoming Champions League. This new edition features a revamped format with 36 participating teams, 4 more than the current structure.
How can Italy earn the extra slot?
There are 2 possibilities: The first scenario involves an Italian team winning the Champions League or Europa League and finishing beyond fourth place in Serie A for the 2023/2024 season. The second option is for Italy to occupy the first two positions in the UEFA ranking for 2023/2024.
Achieving this would require Italian teams to have a performance similar to the previous season, when we had three finalists in every competition. Currently, adding yesterday’s results (Napoli’s victory and Inter’s draw), Italy is at the top of the ranking, surpassing Germany and Spain, thus earning the fifth spot in the Champions League. But just at this moment
New Champions League Format: What’s Changing
As mentioned, starting from the next season, there will be 4 additional teams. The format is also undergoing a significant transformation. Indeed, there will be a single large group, increasing the number of matches to 47 percent.
The tournament will span for 11 out of 12 months. Each team will play eight group stage matches instead of the previous six (four at home and four away). Opponents will be determined through a draw, considering the club rankings. The 36 teams will be divided into four pots of nine. The top eight teams in the single group will advance directly to the round of 16. Teams ranked from ninth to 24th will enter the playoffs, while those from 25th to 36th will be eliminated.
