Spain will have five representatives in the 2025-26 Champions League: check how it was achieved

Great news for Spanish football. Why? Because it has recently been made official that LaLiga will have a fifth place to compete in the UEFA Champions League 2025-26, in addition to a total of eight teams qualified for European competitions.

This fifth place for LaLiga was confirmed after the elimination of Lazio of Italy in the UEFA Europa League. The 'Eagles' failed to overcome the obstacle posed by the Norwegian club Bodø/Glimt, despite the fact that in the return match they came back from the 2-0 suffered in the first leg in Norway, winning 3-1 and taking the match to extra time and then to penalties, where Bodø/Glimt won 2-3.

Now, why does the elimination of Lazio influence LaLiga obtaining this fifth spot? Simple: with the departure of the Romans, there are only two Italian clubs left in European competitions: Inter Milan in the Champions League and Fiorentina in the Conference League.

Spain surpasses Italy in the UEFA 2024-25 ranking

With this scenario, Serie A falls to third place in the UEFA ranking by European performance coefficient. On the other hand, LaLiga has three teams still in competition: FC Barcelona in the Champions League, Athletic Club in the Europa League and Real Betis in the Conference League. In turn, it surpasses Italy in points (23.034 to 21.125), which allows it to secure that extra place.

In this way, Spain is placed second in the UEFA ranking of European performance in the 2024-25 season, which guarantees it an additional place in the Champions League, since the first two countries in this list obtain an extra spot for the top continental competition.

It should be noted that the ranking is currently led by England, which maintains four teams in competition: Arsenal in the Champions League, Manchester United and Tottenham in the Europa League, and Chelsea in the Conference.

Which Spanish teams would play in the next Champions League?

Thus, if the current classification is taken as a reference, the Spanish teams that would play in the next UEFA Champions League would be: FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético de Madrid, Athletic Club and Villarreal CF. And there is even more. There is the option that Spain obtains a sixth spot in the Champions League.

For this, Athletic Club would have to win the Europa League, beating Manchester United in the 'semis' and then prevailing over Bodø/Glimt or Tottenham in the final. If that happens and the Bilbao team does not finish among the top four in LaLiga, they would directly access the Champions League as champions of the Europa League, and the fifth-placed team would also enter thanks to UEFA performance.

Nine Spanish teams in Europe? It is possible

In addition, there could also be nine Spanish teams in Europe next season. What would have to happen? That Real Betis, the only Spanish representative alive in the Conference League, wins the tournament. If they achieve it after eliminating Fiorentina and Chelsea/Djurgårdens, they would qualify directly for the Europa League.

Here it is necessary to make a clarification: if the Andalusian team wins the Conference and does not finish among the top eight in LaLiga, the eighth-placed team would occupy a European place, going on to play in the Conference League. But if the 'verdiblancos' win the Conference and finish eighth, then Spain would not have a representative in this event for the next season.