Careful, Sporting! Unlikely scenario could open extra Champions spot | OneFootball

Portugal still retains, at least mathematically, the possibility of having four teams in the next edition of the Champions League, a highly unlikely scenario, but one that could directly affect Sporting - who have a ‘signing’ already secured - in this final stretch of the season.

For that scenario to become reality, Braga would have to win the Europa League, securing direct entry into the Champions League as title holders. In that case, the national champions would also go straight into the league phase, and the runners-up might have to play in the third qualifying round, although there is still a small chance of direct entry, depending on external combinations.

However, the equation does not end there. For Portugal to secure a fourth spot, it would also have to finish the season with the second-best annual UEFA coefficient, overtaking Spain and Germany. At present, Portugal’s 20.100 points are still behind those of its two direct rivals, which makes the scenario quite difficult.

The calculations are demanding: Braga would have to win every match until the end of the European competition, while the Spanish clubs would have to lose all the games they still have left. As for the German teams, they can hardly pick up more than one draw before the end of the European campaign.

. Even so, the impact would be significant: three Portuguese teams would go directly into the Champions League league phase, and the third-placed side would gain access to the third qualifying round.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.