GENEVA (AP) – Spain has earned a bonus to qualify for next season’s Champions League for the fifth time, UEFA announced Friday, and Real Betis is on track to qualify for the knockout stages. la liga standings.
Rayo Vallecano defeated Strasbourg in the Conference League semi-finals on Thursday. Spain’s irresistible advantage over Germany In the fight for an additional spot in the Champions League.
Since the Champions League was revised to a 36-team format in 2024, UEFA has awarded bonus spots to the two teams with the best overall results in the previous season’s three European competitions.
England, who top the table, have already secured their first bonus spot in next season’s Champions League, a prize worth tens of millions of euros ($) for the club.
Spain and Germany were in a close battle for second place.
Real Betis are in fifth place in La Liga with four matches remaining, six points behind sixth-placed Celta Vigo.
Betis only played in the Champions League for one season 20 years ago, failing to make it past the group stage behind Liverpool and Chelsea.
Champions League bonus entries have been awarded to Germany’s Borussia Dortmund and Italian side Bologna for the 2024-25 season. This campaign featured Newcastle and Villarreal.
England could play a record-tying six games in the next Champions League, just as they did this season.
The road to the Europa League
The winner of the Europa League will qualify directly for the next Champions League. Aston Villa heading into the final They will play against Freiburg in Istanbul on May 20th.
Villa are fifth in the Premier League with three matches remaining. If Unai Emery’s side finish fifth and win the Europa League, the team that finishes sixth in the Premier League will qualify for the UEFA bonus. Bournemouth are currently sixth in the table and will be making their first appearance in Europe.
Last season, Tottenham win the Europa League Despite finishing 17th in the Premier League, they qualified for the Champions League.
England and Spain will also play in the Conference League finals. Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano will face off for the Third Division title on May 27th in Leipzig, Germany. The winner will qualify directly for next season’s Europa League.
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