Aston Villa could qualify for the Champions League through Europa League victory or Premier League finish, with their success potentially opening up extra spots for English clubs
Unai Emery’s Aston Villa are contenders to win the Europa League(Image: Getty Images)
Aston Villa’s sole tangible prospect of silverware this season lies with the Europa League, which could also serve as another route to the Champions League for the following season. Villa are battling on two fronts, where the reward for both is a place in Europe’s premier cup competition next term.
Unai Emery’s squad slipped to fourth position in the Premier League table last weekend following their loss to Manchester United, and are merely two points ahead of fifth-placed Liverpool and three clear of sixth-placed Chelsea. Villa also have the Europa League to anticipate after the international break, having triumphed over Lille 3-0 on aggregate in their last-16 tie this week, which saw Emery and his team secure a spot in the quarter-final, where they will face Serie A side Bologna.
With Villa competing on multiple fronts at the crucial stage of the season, it appears that the outcome of the campaign could influence the rest of the Premier League. As Tottenham did last season, if Villa were to clinch the Europa League, they would automatically qualify for next season’s Champions League as a reward for their success.
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What might complicate matters is if Villa win the Europa League and also qualify for the Champions League thanks to their standing in the Premier League table.
A top-four finish in the Premier League would be sufficient for a club to qualify for the Champions League, whilst fifth will almost certainly be enough with England poised to receive an extra Champions League spot via UEFA’s coefficient rankings.
Consequently, Villa finishing in the top four or five in the Premier League and winning the Europa League could see the scenario change for the Champions League qualification picture.
If Villa were to finish fifth in the Premier League and win the Europa League, then another spot could be awarded to English clubs for the Champions League.
Villa finishing fifth would see all of the top five qualify for the Champions League, whilst sixth could also earn a spot in the competition thanks to the extra place being given to England for their coefficient ranking.
However, if Villa were to finish fourth and win the Europa League, then England would not receive a bonus Champions League qualification spot.
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Then, it would either be the top four or five clubs that qualify, depending on the UEFA coefficient rankings. Liverpool also have a role to play thanks to their participation in the Champions League.
If the Anfield outfit was to win the trophy, Villa win the Europa League, and both clubs occupy fifth and sixth place in the Premier League, then seventh place in the table would then become sufficient to qualify for the Champions League.
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