The Champions League quarterfinal between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, along with Freiburg vs. Celta Vigo, looms as crucial in determining whether Spain and LaLiga can secure an extra Champions League berth for the second straight year. That possibility would open the door for Spain to have more teams in European competitions next season.
Spain and Germany are battling tooth and nail for a fifth place in the Champions League, with the top spot, currently held by the Premier League and England, already out of reach.
The strong performances of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid in the Champions League have pushed Spain up UEFA’s annual ranking, the one that determines the two extra berths for the 2027 Champions League.
Three Spanish clubs are in the Champions League quarterfinals, compared to only one from the Bundesliga, Bayern Munich. Spain has widened its lead over its closest pursuer and now stands on 20,281 points, while Germany is third and lurking on 19,428. Spain has already made major progress toward the prize of that extra berth, because the points contributed by its Champions League clubs have been boosted by a healthy haul from the Europa League and the Conference League. The progress made by Celta, Betis and Rayo Vallecano carries huge value looking ahead.
How do the points in European soccer work?
From here on out, every match is crucial. Every point won by Spanish clubs is gold, especially because Spain will lose one representative from the Barcelona-Atlético tie. That is why it is vital for Spain for Madrid to eliminate the German giant and reach the semifinals.
Each win is worth two points and each draw one point. The same system applies across all three European competitions, which is why victories by Madrid or Barcelona count just as much as those by Celta or Rayo. Advancing to the next round brings an additional 1.5 points in the Champions League, one point in the Europa League, and 0.5 points in the Conference League. All of those points are then divided by the total number of clubs from that country that competed in Europe that season. Spain, for example, divides by eight, which is a slight handicap compared with Germany, which this season divides by only seven.
Current coefficient standings in Europe
| Country | Teams left | Points |
|---|---|---|
| England | 5/9 | 24,791 |
| Spain | 6/8 | 20,281 |
| Germany | 3/7 | 19,428 |
| Portugal | 3/5 | 18,900 |
| Italy | 3/7 | 18,571 |
| France | 4/7 | 16,392 |
| Poland | 0/4 | 15,750 |
| Greece | 2/5 | 13,800 |
| Denmark | 1/4 | 12,250 |
| Cyprus | 0/4 | 12,156 |
Germany is in a delicate position because it has to overtake Spain while doing so with only three clubs still alive in European competition: powerhouse Bayern Munich in the Champions League, Freiburg in the Europa League, after Stuttgart was eliminated, and Mainz in the Conference League.
Spain still has six teams alive that can keep adding points. Italy, with no teams left in the Champions League, looks more like a supporting actor in that race from fifth place on 18,571 points. The surprise alternative is Portugal. It has climbed to fourth and has 18,900 points. Sporting CP is still delivering in the Champions League, while Porto and Braga are keeping hope alive in the Europa League. If they make deep runs, Portugal could become an uncomfortable rival for that extra berth, since all of its points are divided by only five.
Even though England saw three of its Champions League teams eliminated in one swoop, its cushion is wide enough to remain comfortable on 24,791 points. Strong league-phase performances, with five clubs finishing in the top eight of the Champions League and Aston Villa also flying high in the Europa League, have driven its total up.
Spain though is moving with confidence and charging toward that fifth berth, which always belongs to the league, not to any one team. If the club that finishes fifth in the domestic table, right now Betis, has already secured a Champions League place by another route, such as winning the Champions League or Europa League, that extra berth is not lost. It would instead pass down to the sixth-place team, and so on.
With UEFA’s revamp of its continental competitions ahead of the 2024-25 season, Germany and Italy secured the first two extra berths. Borussia Dortmund and Bologna were the two fifth-place beneficiaries. The following season, the places went to England and Spain. Newcastle United and Villarreal have played in this year’s Champions League because of that gift.
LaLiga lands a blow on the Premier League
From a 9-1 record in favor of Premier League clubs in direct meetings with Spanish teams during the Champions League league phase to a total turnaround in the round of 16. It has been a 180-degree swing. Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid sent Manchester City, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur packing, respectively.
LaLiga landed a heavy blow on English clubs in this knockout round. The numbers were brutal. Across six matches, four went Spain’s way, one ended in a draw, and there was only one defeat, Atlético’s 3-2 loss in London against Tottenham. Spain also routed England in attacking efficiency. Taken together, the three ties produced a combined 20 goals for the Spanish teams and only nine conceded. The powerful English sides looked a lot less powerful against Madrid, Barça and Atleti.
Of the six English teams that began the tournament, only two remain alive: Arsenal and Liverpool. Spain, meanwhile, is once again the league with the most clubs still in contention to win it all, with three teams.
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