What Aston Villa’s Europa League triumph means in the race for European football
I told you an explainer was coming.
After Aston Villa triumphed in the Europa League on Wednesday, it meant that the dynamic of the battle for Europe changed… rather dramatically.
Unai Emery’s side have already qualified for Europe’s premier competition organically via the league, after taking Liverpool to the cleaners five days prior to their historic victory at the Tupras Stadium.
Villa currently sit fourth and are three points better off than Liverpool going into the final day on Sunday. However, their goal difference is four goals worse than the Reds’, which means they could still feasibly finish fifth in the table.
If they lose to Manchester City at the Etihad in their last game, and Arne Slot’s side get past European-chasing Brentford, then the team that finishes sixth in the Premier League will qualify for the Champions League.
This would mean that Bournemouth, who are currently sixth place and three points behind Liverpool, or Brighton, who are a further three points back behind the Cherries, could make their bow in club football’s most prestigious competition, depending on results.
If Villa lost, Liverpool won, and Bournemouth beat Nottingham Forest on the final day, then the south coast side will be hearing the Champions League anthem at the Vitality Stadium next season.
But in the same scenario, should they lose to Forest and Brighton turn over Manchester United, then it would be the Seagulls that take sixth spot and a place among Europe’s elite.
And that’s just the Champions League places…
To find out more about how Europe could be decided, read below:
