Liverpool and Arsenal's draw for the rest of the Champions League knockouts looks set to hand the Premier League an extra place in next year's competition.
With Europe's top club competition being expanded from this season, additional qualification spots are on offer. Three English clubs remain in the knockouts, with Aston Villa joining Liverpool and the Gunners.
The Reds face a difficult draw against Paris Saint-Germain, while Arsenal will face PSV Eindhoven and Aston Villa will take on Club Brugge. The trio have all ended up on the same side of the draw.
That means Liverpool could take on Villa in the quarter-finals, and one of those two sides could face the Gunners in the semi-final. If the three teams do make it into the last eight, that would boost England's co-efficient ranking.
Regardless of competition, each win is worth two coefficient points, a draw gets you one point, and you get nothing for a defeat. If a match goes to extra time, the score after 120 minutes is used. So, penalties are not taken into account if the game is drawn, as they are used to determine the tie rather than the individual match.
England currently leads the way with 106.6 points, with Italy second on 93.4 and Spain third on 89.1. An extra Champions League place will be awarded to the top two countries in those rankings.
Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have been drawn together for the last 16, with Bayern Munich facing Bayer Leverkusen. That deals a serious blow to both Spain and Germany's hopes of rising up the co-efficient rankings.
Germany currently sit fourth, with Borussia Dortmund their final representative in the knockout stages. For Spain to overtake England in the rankings they would likely need one of their clubs to win the Champions League, and hope English sides do not reach the latter stages.
The points earned by clubs from the same domestic league are added up and divided by the number of clubs the league has in Europe - England and Spain have seven while Italy has eight. Manchester United and Tottenham have reached the last 16 of the Europa League, while Chelsea have made it to the same stage of the Conference League.
Bonus points are also available to clubs playing in the Champions League. England have an advantage with three teams left, particularly as Liverpool could play Villa in the quarter-final to guarantee at least one English club in the semis.
If England are awarded an additional place, that would mean five teams qualify for the Champions League next season. That extra place would be handed to the team finishing fifth in the Premier League - currently Bournemouth.
Last season, it was the Bundesliga and Serie A which received the extra places, with Borussia Dortmund and Bologna the beneficiaries. If Italy again receives an additional spot, Lazio would receive it as they sit fifth in Serie A.
Siuuuuuuu7
0
because you are afraid of Liverpool
Liverpool is literally my wife. Salah is gonna cry again if we meet
Fawelortyz
0
Last game for liverpool, from 4 to 3 and now 2 anf finally zero again
Another clueless clown !
Fawelortyz
0
Both Liverpool en Arsenal are exiting UCL in Round of 16
Most of the little boys on here predicting Liverpool's demise are clueless. Apart from Real Maxrid, the one team that nobody wants to draw is Liverpool ! Have people forgotten 2019. Everyone said we would be destroyed by Barcelona after the first leg. Liverpool at Anfield is much more than 11 men in a red shirt !!
Fawelortyz
0
i think arsenal win ucl this season
Arsenal do not have a single striker !!
Vodbcinr
0
Both Liverpool en Arsenal are exiting UCL in Round of 16
if they make it you can remove them by yourself nah you be FIFA pikin
bijoy93
2
i think arsenal win ucl this season
biubdeknos
1
i
iamadiehardmadridfan
0
because you are afraid of Liverpool
what a joke 😂
Singapore2899541
0
Both Liverpool en Arsenal are exiting UCL in Round of 16
Last game for liverpool, from 4 to 3 and now 2 anf finally zero again
yutacilrst
2
both will get knocked out soon
Dazcknprs
2
Both Liverpool en Arsenal are exiting UCL in Round of 16
because you are afraid of Liverpool
Costiga
0
Both Liverpool en Arsenal are exiting UCL in Round of 16
🤣🤣🤣 las las it's Madrid that will exit just watch and see 🤣🤣
GunnArs
4
real vs. atletico, bayern vs. leverkusen, psg vs. brest (quali round)… i don’t like this new ucl system. after the old system teams from the same league couldn’t be drawn together in the round of last 16. in ucl i want to see different leagues competing against each other.
Liueknpruy
1
no one sees tht it was dtage so 5 spots for epl how come 2 bundislegue 2 spanish but each englic club separte
Siuuuuuuu7
3
Both Liverpool en Arsenal are exiting UCL in Round of 16
Zemabisyz
1
What premiere league title race are we talking about? There will be no race at all!!! But if there is one, it will surely be a one worse race; Liverpool against total points achived.
soubkorsuz
1
nice one