Twist in race for UEFA Champions League 5th place

Spain’s messy fight for an extra Champions League spot has taken a hit. Germany has bitten into Spain’s hopes of claiming the bonus place, and just 0.192 points now separate them. It is almost a dead heat. Rayo Vallecano, with its feat in Athens, prevented the overtake. Spain’s collapse has been dramatic after Barcelona, Real Madrid, Celta and Betis were all eliminated in the quarterfinals. The fierce battle for the fifth Champions League place between now and the end of the season is suddenly hotter than ever.

Spain and Germany have kept trading blows, and while Spain had been rubbing its hands over the strong runs of Atlético and Rayo Vallecano, the picture has shifted with the semifinalists now decided in European competition. Germany has two teams still alive in Europe – Bayern and Freiburg. La Liga has the same number – Atlético and Rayo Vallecano. Spain still holds the edge in second place in the UEFA ranking, but the gap has narrowed considerably after the quarterfinals concluded. Bayern Munich’s two wins over Real Madrid have not helped La Liga’s hopes, nor have the defeats suffered by Betis, Celta and Rayo on Thursday.

Spain is still hanging on, but Germany is pressing hard and breathing right down La Liga’s neck. Celta could not produce a shock and overturn its tie against Freiburg. That Spain-Germany club matchup balanced the scales in Europe. Betis’ unexpected stumble in the Europa League quarterfinals was another blow for Spain, although Mainz’s exit in the Conference League softened it somewhat. Rayo held firm and lifted Spain just when disaster – and an overtake – seemed inevitable.

With England already well clear at the top of the rankings on 26.569 points, the race now centers on the second spot, which is the one Spain and Germany are fighting over for that extra berth. Before the quarterfinal second legs, the gap between them stood at 0.621 points. Now it has been cut to 0.192. Spanish clubs are on 21.406, while Bundesliga teams have 21.214. It is effectively level. Portugal, meanwhile, is looming in fourth after Braga’s feat in knocking out Betis, with 20.100. Germany is turning up the pressure on Spanish clubs after a dreadful day that could have been even worse if not for Rayo.

The focus now shifts to what lies ahead, beyond Atlético and Bayern in the Champions League semifinals. It also depends on what Freiburg does against Braga in the Europa League semifinals, as well as the same round that Rayo must play against Strasbourg. Their results will shape the fate of the fifth Champions League place for Spanish soccer. Spain came out of the quarterfinals in intensive care, but still alive in the fight for an extra spot that would go to the team finishing fifth in the league table.

How do the UEFA points work?

From here on out, every game is crucial. Every point earned by Spanish clubs is worth its weight in gold. Each win is worth two points and each draw one point. The system works the same way across all three European competitions, so Atlético’s wins matter just as much as Rayo’s. Advancing to the next round brings an additional 1.5 points in the Champions League. In the Europa League, it is one point, and in the Conference League, 0.5. All of those points are then divided by the total number of teams from that country that competed in Europe that season. Spain, for example, divides by eight, which is a slight handicap compared with Germany, which this time is dividing by only seven.

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.