Sunday, November 17, 2024

What’s at stake in the top leagues: Cup finals, European places, relegation battles

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Athletic won the Copa del Rey and will be in the Europa League, though they will also finish in the first Europa League place in fifth. That means the other UEL place goes to sixth, which Real Sociedad have claimed.

Real Betis cannot be overtaken for the final European place.

Real Valladolid have been promoted back into the top flight. Either Leganes or Eibar will take the second automatic place, with the final round on Sunday, June 2.

Bundesliga
Season completed – subject to one European place

Title

Bayer Leverkusen won the first championship in their history with a remarkable unbeaten record.

Stream all Bundesliga games live on ESPN+ (US only)

Champions League (5)

The Bundesliga has sealed an extra place through the European Performance Spot, which sends the team in fifth to the UCL too.

CONFIRMED

WAITING ON DORTMUND

If Dortmund win the UCL final they will take the place reserved for the titleholders, and the European Performance Spot will pass down to sixth — so the Bundesliga would have six teams in the UCL.

It means that while Eintracht Frankfurt have a place in the UEL right now, they would be promoted to the UCL if Dortmund beat Real Madrid in the final on June 1.

Europa League (2)

Leverkusen beat second division side Kaiserslautern 1-0 in the final of the DFB Pokal (stream a replay on ESPN+, U.S. only), so both sixth (unless Dortmund win the UCL final) and seventh get a UEL place.

WAITING ON DORTMUND

CONFIRMED

Europa Conference League (1)

Heidenheim get a place in the UECL in their first-ever season in the Bundesliga.

CONFIRMED

Relegation (2+1)

Two teams are relegated automatically, while third-bottom takes on third place in the 2. Bundesliga in a playoff.

RELEGATION PLAYOFF

Bochum look destined to be relegated after losing 3-0 at home to Fortuna Düsseldorf. The second leg takes place on Monday.

RELEGATED

St. Pauli and Holstein Kiel have been automatically promoted into the Bundesliga.

Serie A
Season completed – subject to one European place

Title

Internazionale have wrapped up the Scudetto as runaway champions.

Champions League (5)

Like Germany, Italy has secured an extra place in next year’s competition through its clubs’ performance in Europe this season, meaning at least five clubs will qualify.

CONFIRMED

As Atalanta will finish in the top 4, Italy will remain on five places in the Champions League. Had Atalanta finished fifth, then AS Roma in sixth would also have been in the Champions League next season.

Europa League (2)

Juventus won the Coppa Italia, so sixth and seventh will qualify for the UEL.

CONFIRMED

IN CONTENTION

Fiorentina will be in the Europa League if they win the Europa Conference League on Wednesday.

Europa Conference League (1)

IN CONTENTION / WAITING ON FIORENTINA

  • 8. Fiorentina (37, 57)

  • 9. Torino (38, 53)

Eighth place will enter the UECL as it stands. But there’s a twist.

If Fiorentina win the UECL, they will play in the UEL and ninth will be in the UECL. If a country has a European titleholder who finishes outside the European places domestically before the EPS place is applied, then that’s a +1 regardless. Essentially, as Fiorentina by finishing eighth hadn’t qualified for Europe domestically without the EPS, Italy gets another +1.

So, Torino have a waiting game for the UECL final on Wednesday (Fiorentina face Olympiacos).

Relegation (3)

RELEGATED

Frosinone began the final day in 16th, but they lost to 17th-placed Udinese, and 18-th placed Empoli scored in the 93rd minute to climb out of the drop zone.

Parma and Cesc Fàbregas’ Como have been promoted to Serie A. Venezia and Cremonese meet in the playoff final, with the first leg on Thursday and the return on Sunday.

Ligue 1
Season completed

Title

Paris Saint-Germain secured the title with ease.

Champions League (3+1)

France gets three automatic places, with fourth place entering the UCL in the third qualifying round.

Remarkably Brest were in fourth when the games on the final day entered the 90th minute. Brest scored to go level with Lille on points and goal difference, but Lille stayed third on head to head. Then Lille conceded at home in the fourth minute of added time, sending Brest directly into the Champions League group stage.

CONFIRMED

Europa League (2)

The UEL places go to fifth and the winners of the Coupe de France — PSG beat Lyon 2-1 in the final, so the places passes to sixth … which is Lyon.

CONFIRMED

Europa Conference League (1)

CONFIRMED

Relegation (2+1)

Two teams are relegated, with third-bottom facing a playoff with a team from the second division to remain in Ligue 1.

RELEGATION PLAYOFF

Metz will play Saint-Étienne to fight to stay in the top flight. The first leg takes place on Thursday, with Metz at home in the return on Sunday, June 2.

RELEGATED

AJ Auxerre and Angers have been automatically promoted to Ligue 1.

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