The Premier League title winners will automatically gain top-seed status in the Champions League from next season, UEFA have confirmed.
The Champions League top seeds are being changed as of next season
The top-seeded teams in the eight groups will be national title holders from the seven highest-placed European leagues plus the Champions League winners from the previous campaign.
That means Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City - the three teams currently lying second to fourth in the Premier League - would miss out on a top seeding.
Chelsea, the current league leaders by 10 points, would be a top-ranked side.
As would PSV Eindhoven, who are currently ranked 30th in the UEFA coefficient, if this season's tournament winner also claims their domestic title.
European football's governing body, UEFA, has shaken up the seedings system after complaints were made when the group stage was drawn last August.
Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea were pitted against respective German sides Dortmund, Bayern Munich and Schalke for a second successive season, sparking concerns that the group stage would become predictable.
The new system will see Bayern keep their top seed. They will likely be joined by league-leading Juventus and Zenit, who weren't in the top eight this season.
Meanwhile, Arsenal, Porto and Atletico Madrid will all lose their status for the 27 August draw.
Real Madrid would also miss out if Barcelona win the league and Carlo Ancelotti's fail to claim this season's European Cup.
No comments:
Post a Comment