Sporting closer to direct Champions League spot after Emery help | OneFootball

Sporting received an important boost from England in the battle for direct qualification to next season’s Champions League. Aston Villa beat Liverpool 4-2 this Friday and moved up to fourth place in the Premier League, paving the way for a scenario that could directly benefit the Lions in Europe.

The Birmingham side produced a convincing display against the reds and now have 62 points, standing alone in fourth place in the English league. With just one matchday left to play, Aston Villa only depend on themselves to finish in the top four, needing just one point against Manchester City or to hope Liverpool do not beat Brentford.

This scenario is especially important for Sporting - who have just sealed the signing of a Brazilian midfielder - due to the Champions League qualification calculations. If Aston Villa manage to secure fourth place in the Premier League and win the Europa League against Freiburg, an additional direct spot in the Champions League league phase will open up, allowing the runner-up in the Portuguese league to enter the competition directly.

However, if this combination of results does not happen, the team finishing second in the Portuguese league will have to play in the third Champions League qualifying round. As such, the outcome of the season in England could end up having a direct impact on Sporting’s European ambitions for next season.

At a time when the league is still completely open, the Lions remain attentive to every possible combination. Sporting currently sit second in the table with 79 points, while Benfica are right behind in third with 77.

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