UEFA has introduced a new change to the
Champions League rule that would benefit Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham.
The rule came into force this season, according Mirror UK.
According to the new rule, it no longer matters if a club finishes in any position in the top four.
Before now, the team that finishes in the fourth place engages in a play-off to qualify for the group stage.
But UEFA has now scrapped the play-off games for clubs from the bigger leagues: Premiership, La Liga, Bundesliga, Lique 1, and Serie A.
Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are all battling for the Premier League top-four finish.
All four English teams are now to be given a direct route into the Champions League group stages

And with that, it means that Arsenal and Chelsea can get into the Champions League by winning the Europa League.
But sides from lesser leagues will still have to play off.
This means that from next season, clubs that finish top six will all be guaranteed a place in both European competition’s group stage and will not have to play a two-legged qualifier
UEFA also revealed more teams will be directly qualifying for the group stages, with 26 in total compared to 22 from this season.
Now, only six teams will gain entry via the qualifying round opposed to 10 this term, but this format will still remain a mini knockout tournament.
Their final change sees more clubs trickle down into the Europa League from the group stages, with 10 sides now playing in Europe’s second club competition.
Seventeen teams will qualify for the tournament directly through domestic league positions and a further 21 clubs will make it through the normal qualifying route.

Source: https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/champions-league-rule-change-thats-14994977

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