Premier League to lose Champions League spot? Coefficients explained...

Chelsea were knocked out of the Champions League by PSG on Wednesday

Chelsea's defeat by PSG on Wednesday was a shock for all involved, but fans of other Premier League teams were concerned at how it may impact that fourth Champions League place. Here, we explain why your fears should be reserved, for now...

Will the Premier League always get four Champions League places?

No. That coveted fourth place in the Premier League – occupied by Arsenal for three of the last four years – has been a privilege since the 2001/02 season.

For fairness, UEFA hand out Champions League places depending on how a particular country has performed in the last five years. At its height, the Premier League had a Champions League finalist in each season between 2005 and 2012, winning three. But events of the last two-and-a-half years have threatened to ruin all that hard work…

Why are people now saying the Premier League could soon lose a Champions League spot?

Everton could be England's only hope in Europe come next week

English clubs' underwhelming record in Europe this season was highlighted when Chelsea were knocked out of the Champions League by PSG on Wednesday night.

Liverpool went out at the group stage and were then knocked out of the Europa League round of 32, Arsenal must overcome a 3-1 first-leg deficit at Monaco, Manchester City go to Barcelona 2-1 down, and Everton are the only side left in Europe’s secondary competition.

Which countries get which places?

Currently, the top three ranked countries – Spain, England and Germany - are given four Champions League places, while the three countries below - currently Italy, Portugal and France - are given three.

The countries are ranked on a coefficient score, based on 'points' gained from performance in the Champions League and Europa League.

How is this coefficient score calculated?

The coefficient is calculated by working out an average score for the country, which is gained by dividing the number of 'points' obtained by the total number of clubs representing a country (for example, England have seven clubs this season).  

That resulting number is then added to the results of the previous four seasons to calculate the coefficient. 

Still with us? Good. Each team gets two points for a win and one point for a draw, though points are halved for matches in the qualifying and play-off rounds. 

Clubs that reach the last 16, quarter-final, semi-final or final of the Champions League, or the quarter-final, semi-final or final of the Europa League, are awarded an extra point for each round. 

In addition, four points are awarded for participation in the group stage of the Champions League and four points for qualifying for the last 16.

So how many points have we got this season?

Chelsea have gained 20 points, Arsenal 19.5, Man City 15, Everton 12, Liverpool 10, Tottenham 11 and Hull 2.5, meaning up to now England have scored 90 points. Dividing that by seven gets you 12.857, England’s current coefficient score for the season.

How does this compare to other countries this season?

England’s score of 12.857 is currently fourth-best; Spain have 14.642, Germany 13.857 and Italy 13.833. France trail England in fifth with 10.250.

So where are England in the overall rankings when taking into account the past five seasons (including 2014/15)?

England are currently second in the overall coefficient ranking – the one that counts - with 79.677 points over the past five seasons. That's 18.357 (2010/11) + 15.250 (2011/12) + 16.428 (2012/13) + 16.785 (2013/14) + this year's 12.857.

Spain are top with 94.427, while Germany are just behind England with 77.415.

Could anybody overtake England this year?

Manchester United reached the 2011 Champions League final, losing out to Barcelona

It is virtually impossible for England’s closest challengers, Italy, to overtake this year. They are currently just over 14 points behind England in the overall standings. To put that into context, in the whole of the 2013/14 season, Italy gained 14.166 points, while England gained 16.785.

However, with the 2010/11 season dropping off the coefficient list next season, the gap will narrow considerably. With Manchester United reaching the final in 2011, England gained 18.357 points to Italy’s 11.571, meaning Italy will gain just under seven points.

The most points scored in a single season in the past five years was Spain's 23 in 2013/14 when both Atletico Madrid  and Real Madrid reached the Champions League final, as well as Sevilla beating Benfica in the Europa League final.

So Italy are the biggest threat to the Premier League's fourth spot?

Yes – and they still have six teams playing this season. Juventus are 2-1 up in the Champions League last-16 as they travel to Dortmund, while Torino, Roma, Fiorentina, Napoli and Inter Milan remain in the Europa League.

However, it would take a few years of rapid decline for Italy to overtake England in the coefficients.

What can Everton do to help the situation?

Everton could be England's only hope in Europe come next week

A Champions League or Europa League win usually gains a country around five points (depending on qualifying-round participation) towards that season’s overall coefficient, so an Everton victory come May would be extremely useful for England.

It’s not all about the Champions League teams being eliminated – Europa League is just as important for the coefficient.

Worst-case scenario: what’s the earliest the Premier League could realistically lose its fourth Champions League place?

To wildly predict the future, England’s fourth place will not be affected for the 2015/16 season, should be protected for the 2016/17 season, but may come under threat for the 2017/18 season - but only if Italian clubs consistently out-perform English clubs across both European competitions for the rest of this season and next season.

Gary Neville: Chelsea defeat shows English football is on the ropes

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville claims English football is “on the ropes” after Chelsea’s exit from the Champions League at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night.

Jose Mourinho’s side crashed out at the last-16 stage after Thiago Silva’s extra-time header earned the French side a 2-2 draw, going through on away goals after a 3-3 aggregate scoreline.

PSG played three-quarters of the game with 10 men after Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s sending off, and the events at Stamford Bridge are another “embarrassment” for the English game, according to Neville.

He told the Sky Sports Champions League Podcast: “It’s a shocker for English football, for the Premier League. I have to say our best-equipped team has gone out to not a particularly special team, but PSG deserved it.

“English football has had moments to reflect in the last two few years. Chelsea are obviously nowhere near as good as we thought they could be.

Did John Terry get in the way of Gary Cahill during the corner that led to Thiago Silva's goal?

 

Chelsea vs So'ton

March 15, 2015

“We are miles away. It’s in the defending aspect, and the urgency to defend. There are aspects of possession we could improve on, but we are nowhere near good enough defensively.

“We are not preparing our teams, and they are not preparing each other for the big matches in the Champions League, where other teams have more energy, more urgency and better appetite.

“It’s incredible. We’re going to have to have a good long look at ourselves.

“And I have to say we’re getting embarrassed year in, year out at the moment. It is shocking, really shocking, and until we get an intensity in our game that befits top-level football, it is not going to happen. We are way off, absolutely way off.”

Chelsea lead the Premier League by five points having played a game less than nearest challengers Manchester City, but Neville insists recent months have been a reality check for English football.

Chelsea couldn't see off 10-man PSG on Wednesday night

After Arsenal’s 3-1 last-16 first leg defeat by Monaco at the Emirates and Manchester City’s 2-1 home defeat by Barcelona, English representation in Europe could be reduced to just one club by next week.

Everton remain in the Europa League, facing Dynamo Kiev in the last 16, but Tottenham and Liverpool were knocked out in the round-of-32 stage and Hull in the qualifying phase.

“We are on the ropes, make no mistake about that. We’ve been hard onMonday Night Football and Super Sunday on some of the defending, and the reason we are hard is because we know it’s going to play out in the big games in Europe.

“There are too many times you watch matches in the Premier League and say ‘what a great match’, with the entertainment and the rest of it.

“But that is not going to work when you come into the real cutting edge, cut throat business of Champions League football.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho gave his reaction to his side's defeat to PSG

"There is no doubt [Arsenal and Manchester City] are both capable, but it would not surprise me if they both went out.

“City go and win in the Nou Camp? Are they capable of that? I’d say 85-15, 90-10, 95-5, maybe, I would give them a five per cent chance, and that is not being negative, that is just looking at what is in front of them.

“For English football it would be a great boost, but I do not see it happening. Arsenal were so naïve in the first game against Monaco. They could do it, but 80-20 against, those are the best odds I can offer.”

Chelsea 2-2 PSG (aet, 3-3 agg): Chelsea lose to 10-man visitors on away goals

Luiz forced extra time with a powerful header before Silva's winner

Thiago Silva scored the decisive goal in extra time as 10-man PSG dumped Chelsea out of the Champions League on away goals after a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was dismissed in the first half for a challenge on Oscar, then Gary Cahill fired the hosts in front late on before David Luiz haunted his former club with a leveller four minutes from time to force the extra half an hour.

Eden Hazard slotted home from the spot after Thiago Silva was penalised for handball, but the PSG captain redeemed himself as he headed in a late goal to seal a 3-3 aggregate result and put his side through on away goals.

It was far from a convincing performance from the hosts, and Laurent Blanc’s men go into the last eight to get revenge for their defeat to the Blues in last year’s competition.

In a first half lacking any real clear-cut opportunities, it was other matters which dominated the opening period. Diego Costa and Luiz resumed their spat from the first leg and spent plenty of time locked in a physical battle.

Half an hour in, Ibrahimovic went in for a loose ball against Oscar and the Brazilian came off worse. As the Chelsea players surrounded the referee in anger he showed Ibrahimovic a straight red card, leaving Blanc’s men with a long time to play a man down.

Referee Bjorn Kuipers’ work was far from done and he made another big call as half time approached. Costa picked the ball up on the edge of the box and showed some neat footwork to squirm his way past two defenders before going down under a challenge from Edinson Cavani, but the Dutch official immediately waved Chelsea’s claims away.

Mourinho’s men struggled to find their rhythm after the break, and they were nearly punished as the hour approached, Cavani latching on to a ball through the middle before rounding Thibaut Courtois, but he could only find the inside of the near post as it flew wide of the target.

The fouls and scuffles continued throughout as Chelsea tried to stop PSG gathering any momentum, and nine minutes from time they found themselves in front.

Late drama

Thiago Silva could only head a Blues corner up into the air and, after John Terry and Costa couldn’t get a clean effort away, it fell for Cahill, who smashed a volley into the roof of the net to make it 1-0.

But their lead would only last five minutes as Courtois was forced to concede a corner at the other end, and Luiz fired in a bullet header which flew past the goalkeeper and in off the woodwork to force extra time.

Five minutes in Chelsea were back in front after Luiz met Costa’s cross but could only head it up into the air, and Silva inexplicably went up for it with his arm, giving a simple decision for the referee to point to the spot.

Hazard’s coolness on the spot paid dividends for the hosts as it has done so often before, and he outwitted the Salvatore Sirigu to send it low to the goalkeeper's left and put Chelsea 2-1 up.

But PSG captain Silva would have the last laugh, seeing one header turned behind with a stunning save by Courtois before he looped another beyond the Chelsea shot-stopper seconds later, making it 3-3 on aggregate.

The visitors saw out the final few minutes to knock out Chelsea on away goals – exactly the way they went out to the Blues 12 months ago – and seal a vital win for Blanc in dramatic fashion.

Bayern Munich 7-0 Shakhtar Donetsk (7-0 agg): Drubbing sees Bayern progress

Jerome Boateng of Bayern Munich celebrates with team mates

Bayern Munich eased into the quarter-finals of the Champions League with a 7-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk, who had Oleksandr Kucher sent off after just three minutes.

With the game locked at 0-0 following the first-leg, Shakhtar's task went from tough to near-impossible after Kucher was dismissed by Scottish referee Willie Collum for tripping Mario Gotze in the area when he was racing towards goal. It was the quickest red card in the history of the Champions League.

It was one-way traffic from then on with Bayern enjoying 74 per cent of possession and finding the net through Thomas Muller, who grabbed a brace, Jerome Boateng, Franck Ribery, Holger Badstuber, Robert Lewandowski and Gotze.

A tricky night was supposed to be in store for Bayern but the route to the last eight became much easier inside just three minutes when Kucher tripped Gotze, who was through on goal down the right hand side of the penalty area.

The red card was brandished and Muller slotted the penalty home. 

The setback forced a complete change of plan for Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu, who brought on defensive midfielder Serhiy Kryvtsov as Bayern pressed on.

Arjen Robben missed a huge chance to double the lead after narrowly failing to connect with a Lewandowski cutback in front of an empty goal.

Boateng showed Robben, who was replaced nursing a hamstring injury, how it should be done on 34 minutes, tapping in a rebound after a Lewandowski shot was temporarily cleared.

The Bavarians picked up after the break where they left off with two quick goals from Ribery and Muller, who joined Mario Gomez on 26 goals as the best all-time German scorer in the competition, to kill off the tie.

Badstuber scored his first goal since coming back from injuries that ruled him out for two years before Poland striker Lewandowski also got on to the scoresheet after finding huge space in the visitors backline.

Gotze got in on the act with the seventh goal of the evening as the hosts cruised into the last eight. 

Chelsea players blasted by Jamie Carragher over Ibrahimovic red card

Nemanja Matic leads the Chelsea appeals after Zlatan Ibrahimovic's challenge

Jamie Carragher has slammed the reaction of Chelsea's players after PSG striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was sent off at Stamford Bridge.

The visitors were reduced to 10 men when their star player Ibrahimovic was sent off in the 31st minute of the second leg of their last-16 Champions League clash after tangling with Chelsea forward Oscar as they both lunged for the ball.

Sky Sports pundit Carragher, speaking at half-time, was heavily critical of the Chelsea players for their reaction to Ibrahimovic’s challenge as they appealed to the referee for the Swede to be punished.

Jamie Carragher, Thierry Henry and Graeme Souness discuss the sending off

And he also felt Blues manager Jose Mourinho’s pre-match comments about PSG’s aggressive approach in the first leg had played a part in Dutch official Bjorn Kuipers’ decision.

Carragher said: “The sending off is very unfortunate. It’s not a red card.

“Zlatan is actually trying to pull his foot away. You look at it and Oscar’s (foot) is as high as his, if not higher, and if the referee is the other side maybe he would look at Oscar and give the decision the other way.

“The reaction from the Chelsea players is disgraceful and it’s sad. It’s something that’s coming into the game and it comes from Jose Mourinho’s teams. They have this reaction, it’s not a one-off.

“Maybe what he’s said beforehand in the press conference has gone into the referee's head.

“I always think with Jose Mourinho’s teams, they will always be respected but they will never be loved because of situations like this. They take winning to a level that no other team or manager does

“You see the reaction of some of the players and it has definitely played a part – and Mourinho’s words have worked.”

Fellow pundit Graeme Souness added: “We had a great game of football going on there and it saddens me, and makes me angry at the same time, that gamesmanship is deciding these big games.

“It’s not a sending off, it is Oscar’s studs that are high. This has spoiled the game. It’s not about the best team winning it any more.

“If that’s what our game is coming to we need to sort it out and sort it out quickly.” 

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo frustrated and avoiding the press

Iker Casillas consoles Cristiano Ronaldo after the second leg loss to Schalke

Cristiano Ronaldo says he will not speak to the press until the end of the season after Real Madrid were given a major scare before sneaking into the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Ronaldo became the all-time leading scorer in European competitions on Tuesday night as Real overcame German side Schalke 5-4 on aggregate.

However, it was a surprisingly tense night for Real, who held a 2-0 lead from the first leg but narrowly avoided falling victim to a major shock.

And the defeat continues a poor run of form from the Spanish giants, who were virtually invincible in 2014, winning four trophies and embarking on a 22-game winning run towards the end of the year.

We had problems in every aspect of the game: offensive, defensive, desire, fight and concentration

Carlo Ancelotti

They have now lost five times in 15 games since the start of 2015, slipping behind Barcelona in the La Liga race, and were booed off by their own fans following the 4-3 defeat by Schalke.

Ronaldo equalised twice for Madrid in the first half but appeared frustrated by their display at times during the match and TV cameras CAPTURED HIMapparently mouthing "disgrace" to team-mate Karim Benzema towards the end.

And the prolific Portugal international also had to be called back by captain Iker Casillas in order to applaud the fans after the final whistle.

Ronaldo then appeared in the mixed zone briefly but only to say: "I'm not going to talk.

"I won't talk to the press again until the end of the season."

After squeaking through their Champions League tie against Schalke, Real Madrid’s fans at the Bernebeu were very vocal with their displeasure

Goalkeeper Casillas had more to say, remarking: "It is clear we have hit rock bottom in a spectacular way.

“But the positive thing is that, a week on Friday, we will be in the draw and we can forget the past 10 days.

"The team has again failed to reach the level of recent months but what's important is that we realise that.

How the Spanish press reacted

Spanish sports newspaper AS used the headline "Into the quarter-finals with embarrassment", while Marca's front page said: "What a fright! A chaotic Madrid spread panic at the Bernabeu".

"We have to understand the Madrid fans and today we weren't up to the standards of Real Madrid and the Champions League last 16.

"We were made to sweat too much but what we have to do is be more united than ever."

Real coach Carlo Ancelotti says he is baffled by their dip in form.

"We are playing very badly,” he said. “It is quite incomprehensible, after what we did until December.

"It is clear I feel very sorry because everyone has seen we played very badly. This is not good for the image of the club.

 

R Madrid vs Levante

March 15, 2015

"It is normal that the players lack confidence. I think we have dipped a bit physically too. We had problems in every aspect of the game: offensive, defensive, desire, fight and concentration."

It was even asked if Ancelotti was fearful of the sack ahead of a potentially pivotal clash with Barcelona on 22 March.

"I don't think about this,” he replied.

“I continue doing my job, but I need to do it better. This is the responsibility of the coach to put out a team that can play better than they did tonight.

"I continue having total confidence in this squad because I know what they can do. We are not doing it at the moment and we need to work harder, train harder, do everything better."

Real Madrid 3-4 Schalke (5-4 agg): Ronaldo and Huntelaar score twice as hosts progress

Karim Benzema celebrates on an edgy night for Real

Real Madrid reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League despite losing 4-3 to Schalke in a stunning match at the Bernabeu.

Christian Fuchs opened the scoring for the visitors before Cristiano Ronaldo levelled things four minutes later, then he equalised for a second time before the break after Klaas-Jan Huntelaar had prodded Schalke back in front, with the Real Madrid forward moving to 78 European goals to surpass Raul's all-time record.

Karim Benzema scored an excellent individual goal to put the hosts in front on the night, but they were soon pegged back as Leroy Sane fired in from outside the box and Schalke went back in front with a superb second from Huntelaar.

Sane and Benedikt Howedes both saw late chances saved by Iker Casillas as Roberto Di Matteo’s men searched for the all-important aggregate winner, but they couldn’t find a way through and the holders remain in the competition after winning 5-4 over the two legs.

The result will be a relief Carlo Ancelotti’s men but the manner of their performance will concern the Real coach more, while their run of 10 consecutive Champions League victories has come to an end, and the fans showed their dismay at the performance with a chorus of boos and whistles after the game.

Di Matteo said before the game he was looking for a competitive performance on the night, and his side looked the more threatening of the two early on, putting plenty of pressure on the Real defence.

On 20 minutes the Bundesliga side took a deserved lead as Tranquillo Barnetta fired the ball in from the right, and Huntelaar dummied for Fuchs, who drilled the ball at goal as Iker Casillas could only help it into the back of the net.

But Schalke’s lead would only last four minutes as under-par Madrid levelled from a corner, Ronaldo meeting Toni Kroos’ corner to power a header across goal and into the far corner.

The momentum looked to have swung back in the hosts’ favour, but Di Matteo’s men worked their way back in the game, and were soon back in front on the night.

We look back at five of Ronaldo's best strikes in the Champions League

Moments after hitting the frame of the goal with a stunning 25-yard volley, Huntelaar made it 2-1 to Schalke on 40 minutes as Barnetta’s cross found Max Meyer, whose low shot was parried into the Dutchman’s path and he blasted the rebound into the roof of the net.

But, again, the lead didn’t last long and Ronaldo grabbed his second in the last minute of the half, running on to Fabio Coentrao’s excellent cross before powering a header past Timon Wellenreuther, who missed the ball as he came off his line.

Topsy turvy

The goals didn’t stop in the second half, and seven minutes in the hosts were in front on the night for the first time. Coentrao was halted at the edge of the box but the ball rolled to Benzema, who ran across the area and took it past Wellenreuther before stroking it into the net for 3-2.

As seemed to be the case throughout the match, the other team soon replied and on 57 minutes it was 3-3 when Fuchs found Sane, who drilled a deflected effort across goal which left Casillas stranded and flew into the net.

Alvaro Arbeloa had a chance to put Real back in front after latching on to a good ball from Gareth Bale, but Wellenreuther was out quickly to close down the angle and block his effort.

Both Toni Kroos and then Bale had long-range efforts palmed away by the goalkeeper, while Isco curled a right-footed effort just wide of the post, but Schalke were back in front on 84 minutes thanks to Huntelaar’s second of the night.

The excellent Sane rolled the ball through for the striker, who knew exactly where the goal was and hammered a 25-yard effort in off the crossbar, giving Casillas no chance.

Sane and Howedes then both had late chances to win the tie for Schalke, the former seeing a long-range effort turned behind before the defender could only volley straight at the goalkeeper, but Real held on to make it through after an incredible night at the Bernabeu.