Despite being ninth Arsenal can qualify for UCL next year: Report

London, April 22 (IANS) English giants Arsenal have been languishing at the ninth spot on the Premier League table but according to media reports, the Gunners can still qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League.

For English teams to seal a spot in the UCL, they have to finish in the top four in their domestic league or win the Europa League — second-tier European competition. Arsenal are currently placed ninth in the league while they were ousted from Europa League by Olympiakos.

Despite this, Mikel Arteta’s team have been reportedly handed a lifeline as far as their Champions League fate is concerned. According to The Sun, if the current season gets cancelled due to coronavirus crisis then Arsenal will enter the tournament on the basis of UEFA’s coefficient system.

“Euro chiefs have been urged to order associations to use UEFA coefficient scores to decide which teams play in respective competitions next term,” report published by The Sun stated.

The coefficient is calculated on the basis of club’s performance (points for wins, draws and bonus points for knockout qualification) in the last five years in the Champions League and the Europa League.

On the basis of coefficient points, Manchester City (112), Liverpool (99), Manchester United (92) and Arsenal (91) will qualify for UCL while Tottenham (85) and Chelsea (83) will have to be content with UEL next season.

If Manchester City’s two-year Champions League ban is upheld then Tottenham will qualify for the tournament and Leicester (22) will feature in the Europa League.

–IANS

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