Next season’s Champions League will involve 36 teams and includes teams who will compete in the competition for the first time.
In what is the biggest revamp since it was rebranded from the European Cup in 1992, the number of teams taking part in Europe’s elite competitions will be increased and a ‘tennis-style’ seeding for the knockout stages will be adopted
Despite some major overhauls to how the Champions League group stage will work, the changes to the qualification processes are very minor with four more places on offer.
They will remain open and earned through a team’s performance in their own domestic leagues and cup competitions.
Instead of eight groups consisting of four teams, there will now be one league containing all 36 teams.
Next season’s new Champions League format will see 36 teams compete in the group stage
Two teams will make their debuts with the Bundesliga and Serie A represented by five teams each
The Bundesliga will have five teams in the competitions after Dortmund’s win over PSG
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England’s faint hopes of securing a fifth Champions League spot were ended by Dortmund’s win over PSG.
The Bundesliga will have five teams in the Champions League next season after Dortmund’s 1-0 win on Wednesday night meant Germany secured second place in UEFA’s coefficient table for this season.
Dortmund will be joined by Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern Munich, Stuttgart, RB Leipzig and possibly sixth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt if Edin Terzic’s side win this year’s competition.
In the Premier League, only two teams have so far secured qualification which is the top two, Arsenal and Manchester City. They will likely be joined by Liverpool and Aston Villa or Tottenham.
The Serie A is another league which will be represented by five teams. Champions Inter have secured qualification alongside AC Milan.
Girona will secure Champions League qualification for the first time if they beat Barcelona
Ligue 1 side Brest could also qualify for the first time as they currently sit third in the table
Among the teams who could join them are fourth-placed Bologna who look destined for the Champions League.
There looks set to be another surprise from LaLiga, with Girona also set to qualify for the first time.
Third in the table and 13 points ahead of fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao, Champions League qualification can be sealed this coming weekend if they were to beat local rivals Barcelona at home.
Ligue 1 side also look set to be in the hat for the first time as they currently sit third in their domestic league.
Real Madrid and Barcelona are also in the draw alongside PSV Eindhoven, Feyenoord and PSG, meaning 22 places remain up for grabs.
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