Tottenham Hotspur’s fifth-place finish in the Premier League last season was only enough to secure them a place in the Europa League this term, but there are better odds on there being five Champions League spots for English teams this year.
Law of UEFA averages
UEFA’s coefficient ranking system offers countries the chance to gain an extra spot in the Champions League based on how well that nation’s teams fare in European competitions throughout the season.
So, for example, if English teams were to make it out of the group stages and into the latter stages of the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League in a season, there is a good chance the Premier League would end up with five places in the top continental competition for the following year.
That didn’t happen last year, though. Italy’s Serie A took top spot in the coefficient rankings by quite some distance, helped largely by Atalanta’s Europa League win.
Although the Premier League had the second-highest points haul, they were beaten to the extra qualification place by the Bundesliga, on account of the fact that England had eight teams in competitions while Germany had just seven, thus earning a higher average.
That meant that Aston Villa in fourth place was the final team to join the Champions League for the 2024/25 season, and Spurs in fifth were left to compete in the Europa League this season.
The tables have turned this year
It’s all different this year, though, as England now have just seven teams in European competitions. Meanwhile, Germany and Italy have eight teams, making it harder for their respective leagues to rack up a strong average, unless they were to produce cup winners in each of the tournaments.
Spain also have seven teams in continental competitions, meaning the English teams taking part will need to ensure they go far in their respective competitions if the Premier League is to win the extra spot this year.
Spurs Web Opinion
None of this matters, for two reasons. First of all, Spurs are going to finish in the top four this year anyway, thus guaranteeing Champions League football for next season.
On top of that, we are going to win the Europa League, too, just to make it even more certain that we get into the Champions League. Simple!
RELATED NEWS
Tottenham have endured an injury-hit start to the season but hope to emerge from the international break in far better shape.
Dominic Solanke has missed two of the first three games of the season, while fellow forward Richarlison has picked up another fitness concern to rule him out of the defeat a Newcastle.
Micky van de Ven also sat out the trip up north, but Ange Postecoglou is hopeful at least two of the trio will be ready for the north London derby against Arsenal in two weeks.
Here is your latest update of Tottenham injury news and return dates…
Micky van de Ven
Micky van de Ven appeared to jar his knee against Everton but was then pictured in training before the trip to Newcastle. However, the centre-back sat out the game as Postcoglou was unwilling to risk the player given Radu Dragusin was ready to deputise.
Postecoglou said: “Micky was close in training this week but with the international break he’s not quite 100 per cent. Part of me was keen to give Radu a run, especially at this venue, so yeah we’re going with Radu today.”
Asked if it was disappointing, the manager replied: ‘No, not really. It’s nothing serious. We’ve got a heaped programme straight after the international break so we’re going to need all our back four. So getting Radu a game today I think is a positive thing for us.”
Van de Ven has now withdrawn from the Netherlands squad for the upcoming international break to focus on his recovery. The expectation is that he will be fit to face Arsenal in two weeks’ time.
Potential return date: Sunday, September 14 vs Arsenal
Dominic Solanke
Solanke picked up an ankle issue in the draw at Leicester on his debut which flared up to rule him out against Everton and then Newcastle.
Ange Postecoglou said before the win over Everton that the injury was minor, but suggested that his return will not come until after the international break.
He said: “Dom picked up a knock in the last game so he got through the game but it flared up the day after, so he’ll miss [Everton]. It just depends on his recovery [when he returns], obviously we’ve got the international break, but it’s not serious.”
Postecoglou then added before the loss at Newcastle: “Dom is close but we’re going to be a bit cautious with him, we’ve got a big programme post the international break, so he’ll miss out.”
Richarlison
Richarlison will have hoped to take advantage of Solanke’s absence but picked up an injury in training ahead of the Newcastle trip. Postecoglou gave no timeline for Richarlison but, having not been called up by Brazil for the upcoming international break, will remain at Hotspur Way to continue his rehabilitation.
Postecoglou told reporters on Friday: “The only other one we got midweek is Richarlison, who unfortunately picked up an injury in training, so he’ll probably miss the next few weeks.”
He added: “We took a really sort of conservative approach with him. He didn’t play in any of the preseason games, and he’s really only played 20 minutes of first-team football.
“But again, obviously he’s had a setback. So it’s something we just got to go back with Richy and work through the steps now of getting him back up and running, because you know, when he’s fit, he’s such a handful.”
Potential return date: Unknown
Fraser Forster
Forster has returned to first-team training and hopes to be back in the matchday squad before the end of the month.
“Richy and Fraser have got back into training this week and both had a good block of training,” the manager said.
“With another week’s training before the start of the season hopefully, they’ll be in a good place. Everyone else has had a pretty good pre-season.”
Potential return date: Late September 2024
Will Lankshear
A hamstring injury will reportedly keep the young striker out for a couple of weeks.
Potential return date: Late September 2024
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