Who will go into the Champions League and Europa League group stages?
Who faces qualifying for those competitions? And how could Chelsea salvage a European spot?
With the season reaching its climax, a complicated pattern of potential outcomes means domestic and European results will have a major effect on a number of Premier League clubs and their fixture list in 2016/17.
With the season reaching its climax, a complicated pattern of potential outcomes means domestic and European results will have a major effect on a number of Premier League clubs and their fixture list in 2016/17.
Here, we explain the permutations…
Methods of qualifying for the Champions League and Europa League
There are several ways Premier League teams can qualify for the Champions League and Europa League.
- League position - Winners will be seeded in the Champions League group stage. Second and third also make the group stages. Fourth would qualify for Champions League play-off round - although this is not currently assured. There are a further three positions for Europa League qualification which will be split between cup winners and league positions.
- Champions League win - guarantees a place in the group stage of the Champions League for the following season.
- Europa League win - guarantees a place in the Champions League play-off round for the following season but could also secure a group stage spot.
- FA Cup win - guarantees a Europa League group stage spot.
- League Cup win - guarantees a Europa League third-qualifying round spot.
Leicester City are guaranteed a top-three finish in the Premier League - that means they will be in the group stage of the Champions League next season.
Manchester City won the Capital One Cup - that guarantees them a spot in the third qualifying round of the Europa League.
Why could fourth place not mean a place in the Champions League play-off round?
Should Manchester City win the Champions League, Liverpool win the Europa League and neither finish in the top four, the team finishing fourth would go into the Europa League group stage.
This is because both City and Liverpool would qualify for the Champions League, in addition to the Premier League's top three, and nations are limited to a maximum of five teams in the Champions League.
How could Liverpool's potential Champions League qualification via the Europa League be affected by Manchester City?
Europa League semi-finalists Liverpool would qualify for the Champions League play-off round should they win that competition.
However, if the Champions League winner this season also qualifies for the Champions League group stages through their own domestic league - ie: City, Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid or Bayern Munich finish third or above in their respective divisions - the Europa League winner will be promoted to an automatic Champions League group stage entry next season.
How has the Capital One Cup affected Premier League teams and their European qualification?
Manchester City are guaranteed a place in the third qualifying round of the Europa League for winning the Capital One Cup. Should City secure Champions League or Europa League group stage football through their league position or Champions League success, their place in the Europa League third qualifying round will be passed on to the next highest finisher in the Premier League who has not qualified for Europe.
How will the FA Cup affect teams?
The winners of the FA Cup qualify for the 2016/17 Europa League group stage - unless they have already qualified for Europe through other means.
That means that while Crystal Palace, Everton and Watford would take up that place, Manchester United - should they secure European football with their league position - could win the cup and pass on a European spot to the next highest finisher in the Premier League who has not qualified for Europe.
What does that mean for qualification via league positions?
Those permutations mean a series of knock-on events could see eighth place in the Premier League awarded with a Europa League qualifying spot. That means Chelsea - currently 10th, seven points off eighth-placed Southampton with a game in hand - could still return to European action next season…
Premier League winners:
Will qualify for the Champions League group stage and be seeded
Runners-up:
Will qualify for the Champions League group stage
Third:
Will qualify for the Champions League group stage
Fourth:
Will qualify for the Champions League play-off unless Man City and Liverpool win the Champions League and Europa League respectively and finish outside of the top four. Or Man City finish fourth and win the Champions League.
Fifth:
Will qualify for the Europa League group stage unless Man City finish fifth and win the Champions League
Sixth:
Will qualify for Europa League third qualifying round if Man City finish in top four or win Champions League
Seventh:
There are several ways Premier League teams can qualify for the Champions League and Europa League.
- League position - Winners will be seeded in the Champions League group stage. Second and third also make the group stages. Fourth would qualify for Champions League play-off round - although this is not currently assured. There are a further three positions for Europa League qualification which will be split between cup winners and league positions.
- Champions League win - guarantees a place in the group stage of the Champions League for the following season.
- Europa League win - guarantees a place in the Champions League play-off round for the following season but could also secure a group stage spot.
- FA Cup win - guarantees a Europa League group stage spot.
- League Cup win - guarantees a Europa League third-qualifying round spot.Leicester City are guaranteed a top-three finish in the Premier League - that means they will be in the group stage of the Champions League next season.
Manchester City won the Capital One Cup - that guarantees them a spot in the third qualifying round of the Europa League.
Why could fourth place not mean a place in the Champions League play-off round?
Should Manchester City win the Champions League, Liverpool win the Europa League and neither finish in the top four, the team finishing fourth would go into the Europa League group stage.
This is because both City and Liverpool would qualify for the Champions League, in addition to the Premier League's top three, and nations are limited to a maximum of five teams in the Champions League.
How could Liverpool's potential Champions League qualification via the Europa League be affected by Manchester City? Europa League semi-finalists Liverpool would qualify for the Champions League play-off round should they win that competition.
However, if the Champions League winner this season also qualifies for the Champions League group stages through their own domestic league - ie: City, Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid or Bayern Munich finish third or above in their respective divisions - the Europa League winner will be promoted to an automatic Champions League group stage entry next season.
How has the Capital One Cup affected Premier League teams and their European qualification?
Manchester City are guaranteed a place in the third qualifying round of the Europa League for winning the Capital One Cup. Should City secure Champions League or Europa League group stage football through their league position or Champions League success, their place in the Europa League third qualifying round will be passed on to the next highest finisher in the Premier League who has not qualified for Europe.
How will the FA Cup affect teams?
The winners of the FA Cup qualify for the 2016/17 Europa League group stage - unless they have already qualified for Europe through other means.
That means that while Crystal Palace, Everton and Watford would take up that place, Manchester United - should they secure European football with their league position - could win the cup and pass on a European spot to the next highest finisher in the Premier League who has not qualified for Europe.
What does that mean for qualification via league positions?
Those permutations mean a series of knock-on events could see eighth place in the Premier League awarded with a Europa League qualifying spot. That means Chelsea - currently 10th, seven points off eighth-placed Southampton with a game in hand - could still return to European action next season…
Premier League winners:
Will qualify for the Champions League group stage and be seeded
Runners-up:
Will qualify for the Champions League group stage
Third:
Will qualify for the Champions League group stage
Fourth:
Will qualify for the Champions League play-off unless Man City and Liverpool win the Champions League and Europa League respectively and finish outside of the top four. Or Man City finish fourth and win the Champions League.
Fifth:
Will qualify for the Europa League group stage unless Man City finish fifth and win the Champions League
Sixth:
Will qualify for Europa League third qualifying round if Man City finish in top four or win Champions League
Seventh:
Will qualify for Europa League qualifiers if Manchester United win the FA Cup and finish in the top six and Man City finish in the top five
Eighth:
Will qualify for Europa League qualifiers if Liverpool win the Europa League and finish seventh, and Manchester United win the FA Cup and finish in the top six, and Manchester City qualify for the Champions League
Eighth:
Will qualify for Europa League qualifiers if Liverpool win the Europa League and finish seventh, and Manchester United win the FA Cup and finish in the top six, and Manchester City qualify for the Champions League
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