Other Games - 2024/25

[LeeS]

I’d previously been under the misapprehension that Arsenal winning would give us a 6th spot in next year’s competition. Now I know that doesn’t happen I’m cheering PSG all the way.

[Drummond]

I only want another English team to win a match in Europe if it benefits the Villa, otherwise I hope they all lose. Domestically, I'm happy for certain teams to win if it helps the Villa or adversely affects a club I don't like. Other than Sheffield United, because my youngest supports them as they're our local team, I don't mind them doing ok for him (and because they're absolutely no threat to us).

And Hallam FC, our local non-league team.

Arsenal join ManC, Chelsea, ManU, Tottenham,  Newcastle and absolutely Liverpool and Leeds as teams I just want to lose every game they play.

[lovejoy]

I do find I have to support a team regardless though. When I went to Verona vs Milan over Christmas I tooted for the home team (until the regrettable racism of course). Point is I can’t watch sport without a favourite, otherwise what’s the point?

[Nev]

How so? It probably was, wasn't it?

He is rightly entitled to take the plaudits of course. Perhaps a few days down the road it would OK to say that but post match it doesn't exactly scream "team effort" and being part of the collective. It reminded me of Billy Bluecoat at Wembley at the weekend, making it all about him when it's clearly not the case.

Woolwich strike me as team who think they have arrived a few miles before the final destination.

[cdbearsfan]

I’d previously been under the misapprehension that Arsenal winning would give us a 6th spot in next year’s competition. Now I know that doesn’t happen I’m cheering PSG all the way.

It would, but only in the massively unlikely event that they finish fifth.

[LeeB]

The Acker doctrine is never stronger than when other teams are playing in Europe.

[Dave]

I’d previously been under the misapprehension that Arsenal winning would give us a 6th spot in next year’s competition. Now I know that doesn’t happen I’m cheering PSG all the way.

It would, but only in the massively unlikely event that they finish fifth.

Would actually be the even more unlikely event of finishing sixth wouldn't it? As they'd still get their qualification via their league position in fifth.

[PaulTheVillan]

I really hope PSG win it now.

[Dave]

How so? It probably was, wasn't it?

He is rightly entitled to take the plaudits of course. Perhaps a few days down the road it would OK to say that but post match it doesn't exactly scream "team effort" and being part of the collective. It reminded me of Billy Bluecoat at Wembley at the weekend, making it all about him when it's clearly not the case

He's asked the question "In your reign as Arsenal boss, where does this one rank for you?", and he answers "one of the best nights in my football career, for sure".

He then goes on to say team efforty things like "to be able to win the tie in the manner we have done - I think we have to be very proud of ourselves" and "we had full belief that we could beat this team and the players did it."

I have no major love for the brittle Captain Scarlet-alike, but this is... just fine and normal.

[cdbearsfan]

I’d previously been under the misapprehension that Arsenal winning would give us a 6th spot in next year’s competition. Now I know that doesn’t happen I’m cheering PSG all the way.

It would, but only in the massively unlikely event that they finish fifth.

Would actually be the even more unlikely event of finishing sixth wouldn't it? As they'd still get their qualification via their league position in fifth.

Yes, but I meant in terms of Villa qualifying by finishing sixth. Obviously if we finish top five, we qualify regardless so that wouldn't matter.

[Dave]

I’d previously been under the misapprehension that Arsenal winning would give us a 6th spot in next year’s competition. Now I know that doesn’t happen I’m cheering PSG all the way.

It would, but only in the massively unlikely event that they finish fifth.

Would actually be the even more unlikely event of finishing sixth wouldn't it? As they'd still get their qualification via their league position in fifth.

Yes, but I meant in terms of Villa qualifying by finishing sixth. Obviously if we finish top five, we qualify regardless so that wouldn't matter.

But a hypothetical league of Arsenal finishing fifth, winning the Champions League and Villa finishing sixth we'd qualify for the Europa League. England would get five places for 1-5 in the league and a team who would have otherwise gone through qualifying go straight to the league stage.

In a (very) hypothetical league order of Liverpool - Newcastle - Man City - Chelsea - Forest - Arsenal - Villa and Arsenal win it, the top six all qualify and we still end up in the Europa League.

[Nev]

How so? It probably was, wasn't it?

He is rightly entitled to take the plaudits of course. Perhaps a few days down the road it would OK to say that but post match it doesn't exactly scream "team effort" and being part of the collective. It reminded me of Billy Bluecoat at Wembley at the weekend, making it all about him when it's clearly not the case

He's asked the question "In your reign as Arsenal boss, where does this one rank for you?", and he answers "one of the best nights in my football career, for sure".

He then goes on to say team efforty things like "to be able to win the tie in the manner we have done - I think we have to be very proud of ourselves" and "we had full belief that we could beat this team and the players did it."

I have no major love for the brittle Captain Scarlet-alike, but this is... just fine and normal.

I stand corrected then. The original quote I read was obviously out of context.

[cdbearsfan]

I’d previously been under the misapprehension that Arsenal winning would give us a 6th spot in next year’s competition. Now I know that doesn’t happen I’m cheering PSG all the way.

It would, but only in the massively unlikely event that they finish fifth.

Would actually be the even more unlikely event of finishing sixth wouldn't it? As they'd still get their qualification via their league position in fifth.

Yes, but I meant in terms of Villa qualifying by finishing sixth. Obviously if we finish top five, we qualify regardless so that wouldn't matter.

But a hypothetical league of Arsenal finishing fifth, winning the Champions League and Villa finishing sixth we'd qualify for the Europa League. England would get five places for 1-5 in the league and a team who would have otherwise gone through qualifying go straight to the league stage.

In a (very) hypothetical league order of Liverpool - Newcastle - Man City - Chelsea - Forest - Arsenal - Villa and Arsenal win it, the top six all qualify and we still end up in the Europa League.

No, sixth qualifies if a country gets the extra place and fifth also qualifies by winning a European trophy.

At least, it did last year, unless they've change the rules since. It didn't actually come into play as Atalanta ended up finishing in the top four (third), but it was widely publicised that sixth would have been a Champions League spot had they won the Europa League and finished fifth. Unless you know that it's different for Champions League winners for some reason?

https://www.tntsports.co.uk/football/champions-league/2023-2024/uefa-champions-league-atalantas-europa-league-win-could-see-six-serie-a-teams-in-next-years-competition_sto20006517/story.shtml

[Dave]

I’d previously been under the misapprehension that Arsenal winning would give us a 6th spot in next year’s competition. Now I know that doesn’t happen I’m cheering PSG all the way.

It would, but only in the massively unlikely event that they finish fifth.

Would actually be the even more unlikely event of finishing sixth wouldn't it? As they'd still get their qualification via their league position in fifth.

Yes, but I meant in terms of Villa qualifying by finishing sixth. Obviously if we finish top five, we qualify regardless so that wouldn't matter.

But a hypothetical league of Arsenal finishing fifth, winning the Champions League and Villa finishing sixth we'd qualify for the Europa League. England would get five places for 1-5 in the league and a team who would have otherwise gone through qualifying go straight to the league stage.

In a (very) hypothetical league order of Liverpool - Newcastle - Man City - Chelsea - Forest - Arsenal - Villa and Arsenal win it, the top six all qualify and we still end up in the Europa League.

No, sixth qualifies if a country gets the extra place and fifth also qualifies by winning a European trophy.

At least, it did last year, unless they've change the rules since. It didn't actually come into play as Atalanta ended up finishing in the top four (third), but it was widely publicised that sixth would have been a Champions League spot had they won the Europa League and finished fifth. Unless you know that it's different for Champions League winners for some reason?

https://www.tntsports.co.uk/football/champions-league/2023-2024/uefa-champions-league-atalantas-europa-league-win-could-see-six-serie-a-teams-in-next-years-competition_sto20006517/story.shtml

After Sky et al's uselessness in January with their "no, Villa sold a load of players so that means they can register Malen" stuff I'd be wary of TNT or anyone else's guesses.

Maybe it's changed or (more likely in my opinion), they've heard someone say that Italy could have had six teams, but it relied on Atalata winning the Europa League and then finishing outside the top five. Winning it and finishing fifth = five teams. Win it and drop to sixth = six teams. Like that stuff a couple of weeks ago about how England could have seven teams next year, but that relied on us winning it and finishing sixth or lower.

This is from UEFA's website from a few days ago:

What happens if the UEFA Champions League winners have also qualified for the league phase via their domestic league position?

One of the main principles of the new European club competition format post-2024 is the important role of the club coefficient – namely, a club's performance in European club competitions over the current five-year period.

It is for this reason that should the Champions League winners have also qualified for the league phase via their domestic league position, the club with the best individual coefficient of all the domestic champions involved in qualifying (the domestic champions of the national associations ranked 11 to 55*) will enter the league phase directly instead of the original round they had qualified for according to the access list.

Shakhtar Donetsk were the first such team – with the best individual coefficient of all the domestic champions – to enter the league phase for 2024/25.

Note that the domestic title winners from associations one to ten will have already automatically qualified for the league phase.

That seems pretty black and white unless there's something else that UEFA have said that contradicts it.

Edit - actually, there is more, on the Europa / Champions League difference:

What happens if the UEFA Europa League winners have already qualified for the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League via their domestic league position?

One of the main principles of the new European club competition format post-2024 is the important role of the club coefficient – namely, a club's performance in European club competitions over the current five-year period.

It is for this reason, under the 2024–27 club competition format, that if the Europa League winners have also qualified for the league phase of the Champions League via their domestic league position, then the club with the best individual coefficient of all the teams in Champions League qualifying (champions path and league path) goes directly to the league phase.

Last year, with UEFA Europa League winners Atalanta having already earned a 2024/25 UEFA Champions League slot, it was Benfica who were handed the bonus.

However, no leapfrogging is permitted here, meaning a team from the league path can only move to the league phase provided that this club is the highest ranked domestically of those from its association that have not already qualified for the league phase of the competition directly (see paragraph 3.04b of the official UEFA Champions League regulations). If this is not the case, the automatic league phase place goes to the club with the next best coefficient.

[Small Rodent]

Arsenal and Inter the best of the bunch when looking at how many games lost in the CL at the end of the QF stage…

Arsenal 1
Inter 1
Barcelona 2
Aston Villa 3
Dortmund 4
Bayern 4
Real Madrid 5
PSG 5