I can't figure out how England gets 4 group stage spots. Assenhole was supposed to go to the playoff round to replace Spuds. I mean, I guess it's a good thing since now no Italian team will have to face them in the playoff round, but it still seems somewhat unfair.
Spuds were sent down to the Europa League group stage, and Newcastle now enters the Europa League playoff round.
I know but Spurs were supposed to be in CL qualifying. You are saying that all 4 are in CL Group. I think Arsenal play in CL Qualifying
The top 3 teams from the BPL are awarded automatic CL qualification, like Serie A used to have. Since Chelski won the CL Final they gain automatic qualification (the Liverpool rule). Hence all 4 BPL teams are in the group stages automatically.
I don't think UEFA has made any decision yet. Good chance that Arsenal will have to qualify as it would drop to fourth in the pecking order just like Tottenham dropped to fifth.
No. All four Champions League teams from England are playing the Group Stage. I thought Assenhole had to play in the Playoff Round, but, nope, they don't have to. It screwed things up a little bit. Russia's second place team, and Portugal's third would've had to play in the third round of qualifying, but they've been bumped up to the playoff round to compensate for Arsenal not having to play in the playoff round.
Where did you find that? First, I don't think any FA has officially sent their list of clubs to UEFA. And there is nothing on the UEFA site. If Arsenal is granted direct qualification to the CL group, it will be at the expense of someone else. There are too many political implications to do that. Most likely, Arsenal will have to qualify.
Here's how it works: 22 teams enter the Group Stage automatically. They are the Title Holder, 12 Champions of coefficients 1-12, 6 second place teams from coefficients 1-6, and 3 third place teams from coefficients 1-3. In the event that the Title Holder has already entered the Group Stage, then the Champion from coefficient 13 will enter the Group Stage. This is all decided on before the season even begins.
That would make it pointless. What if they fail to qualify, they dont have a chance to defend their title. The whole point was to have the winner in the competition so they can defend their title
Juve are 6th choice at 18-1 with Paddy Power. Barca and Madrid co favorites 7-2 then City at 13-2 Bayern and United at 10-1 Chelsea at 12-1. I'm kind of suprised that they put us ahead of Milan.
How could City be 13-2?? They aren't that good. If the Premier League had the same tiebreaker system that Serie A uses, United would be Champions. It's a joke. Just goes to prove how weak Europe really is right now.
i think whoever wins CL deserves to be in it next year, no matter their position in the domestic league table
CONCACAF Champions League and AFC Champions League don't let the title holder automatically qualify. The title holder of the Copa Libertadores qualifies automatically for the second stage. Interestingly enough, the winner of the Copa Sudamericana, which is the equivalent of the Europa League, gets a Libertadores qualification. The CAF Champions League doesn't really say for certain whether the winner gets an automatic qualification.
Technically Chel$ki take the Spurs 4th spot which is a qualifying spot. I'm pretty sure that means Chel$ki needs to qualify and not an automatic group stages.
The Title Holder gets an automatic qualification to the Group Stages. I posted the rules up above. The end result is England gets 4 Group Stage places. There's no argument.
Tottenham is the only team who gets shafted out of all of this. If Bayern Munich wins, then the Champion from Belgium (RSC Anderlecht) goes to the Group Stages, and Tottenham goes to the playoff round. Chelski winning is also a benefit to Lille and Spartak Moscow, who would have had to play in the third round, but now they get bumped up to the playoff round.