UEFA's Gianni Infantino has explained the improbable circumstances that would allow a seventh-placed Italian team to reach Europe.
Infantino's statements, released in a Press conference after a UEFA executive meeting, dashed hopes of the eighth-placed Milan that coming seventh could translate into European qualification.
UEFA's Gianni Infantino has explained the improbable circumstances that would allow a seventh-placed Italian team to reach Europe.
Infantino's statements, released in a Press conference after a UEFA executive meeting, dashed hopes of the eighth-placed Milan that coming seventh could translate into European qualification.
But the General Secretary's detailed explanation of the European regulations shows that a seventh-placed Serie A team making it into Europe is something that could still happen, even if it is highly unlikely, and not an option specifically for Milan.
“The only case in which a federation will gain an extra place [in Europe] in the next season is this: if one of their clubs wins the Champions League or the Europa League, while simultaneously coming short in their championship of a position that would guarantee European qualification,” he said.
This means that the only case in which seven Italian teams could play in Europe would necessitate Napoli or Fiorentina to win the Europa League while simultaneously tumbling to seventh place or below in Serie A.
The same would be true of Juventus winning the Champions League and falling below seventh place in the League, a circumstance that is one game away from becoming mathematically impossible.
Infantino then went into further detail about how the number of teams in the Champions League is affected by performance in the championship.
“A federation that has, for instance, four slots in the Champions League can raise that to five slots if one of their clubs won the Europa League in the previous season.
“If such a club is already qualified for the Champions League thanks to the championship, then the federation remains with four slots.
“But if this team's performance in the championship only qualifies it for the Europa League, then the number of teams taking part in the Champions League is bumped up from four to five, while the teams playing in the Europa League fall from three to two.”