The Premier League and Tottenham’s hopes for the fifth Champions League qualifying berth were crushed as Borussia Dortmund defeated PSG.
BVB defeated PSG 1-0 in UCL.
They have been confirmed into next season’s UCL, which is a blow for the Premier League and Tottenham Hotspur.
What happened?
Dortmund’s 1-0 victory in the first leg of the Champions League semifinal against Kylian Mbappe’s Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday evening at Signal Iduna Park has far-reaching consequences for the top-tier European football landscape in the coming season. With Dortmund’s victory, the Bundesliga has secured a staggering five Champions League positions for the next season. This milestone comes after Germany secured second place in UEFA’s coefficient system for the current season, confirming its standing as a European football superpower.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
The European success Spots programme, part of a larger overhaul to extend the Champions League to a 36-team format, awards leagues based on their overall success in European tournaments. Serie A had already clinched first position, leaving the race for second place to England, Germany, and France. However, Dortmund’s success assures that Germany cannot be surpassed, leaving the Premier League and Ligue 1 in the dust.
WHAT Edin Terzic SAID
Edin Terzic, Dortmund’s manager, had mixed feelings after the vital victory, saying: “We intended to qualify for the Champions League via the Bundesliga, not this manner. However, the fact that it will be enough to qualify for fifth place is due in part to our achievements and contributions. The minimum aim was to qualify for the Champions League. Now it [extra slot] does not boost our Bundesliga season, but it does provide a more comfortable landing.”
Did you know?
The Premier League’s chances of finishing second were high, but a series of poor outcomes in the semifinals shattered them. Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, and West Ham United all failed to advance in their respective European tournaments, leaving just Aston Villa to represent England in the Europa Conference League.
Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen defeated their English rivals, Arsenal and West Ham in the Champions League and Europa League, respectively, to proceed to the semifinals, securing Germany’s claim to an extra Champions League ticket
WHAT IS NEXT?
If Dortmund wins the Champions League and maintains their fifth-place position in the domestic league, the Bundesliga will have an unprecedented six representatives in the Champions League the next season. Eintracht Frankfurt will gain in this scenario, since they are presently in sixth position.