Five teams in the Champions League, here are the countries that lead

2025-02-12 20:04:00, Sport CNA

With the new changes to the Champions League format, two countries will have the opportunity to be represented by five teams in this prestigious competition. So far, England has already secured this privilege, thanks to the excellent performances of its clubs in European competitions. However, the fight for second place is open and is becoming increasingly fierce between Italy and Spain.

Italy currently holds second place in the UEFA rankings, with a total of 17,562 points, while Spain is very close, with 17,464 points. The gap is minimal and any future results in European competitions could play a decisive role.

Real Madrid's victory over City in the play-offs gave Spain a huge boost, moving them closer to Italy. However, Serie A still has a strong chance of holding on to its position, as Milan, Atalanta and Roma remain in contention and could earn valuable points for the European coefficient.

In this battle, Germany remains the furthest behind, with only 14,921 points, and has virtually no chance of catching the top two. This means that the main battle for this place is taking place between Italy and Spain.

To maintain second place and have five teams in the Champions League, Italy must ensure good results in the remaining stages of European competitions. Based on the UEFA points system, a win in the Champions League play-offs is worth 2 points, while a draw brings 1 point. Passing to the 1/16 stage of the Champions League brings 1.5 points, while in the Europa League only 1 point.

This means that any victory for Milan and Atalanta in the Champions League will be crucial to maintaining the advantage over Spain.

Spain also has a good chance of turning the tables, with teams like Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid competing in the Champions League. If the Spanish teams achieve positive results, then the gap with Italy could quickly disappear.

Real Madrid have always been a major force in the Champions League and their victory over Manchester City sent a strong signal about the Spanish club's ambitions.

With Italy and Spain separated by just a few points, every match will be important in determining which league will take five places in next season's Champions League.