sport news Premier League suffer yet ANOTHER critical blow in UEFA coefficient rankings ... trends now

The Premier League's hopes of securing a fifth Champions League spot are virtually over after Liverpool and West Ham exited Europe on Thursday.

It would take Aston Villa winning all of their remaining Europa Conference League games and for German clubs to have an absolute disaster in their European semi-finals for the Premier League to secure a fifth spot.

Europe's top leagues have been going head-to-head this season in a bid to earn an additional spot in next season's competition, with two countries to do so ahead of the introduction of the new Champions League format.

The continent's premier competition will be expanded from next year for the first time since 2003-2004, growing from 32 clubs in an eight-group style to 36 clubs in what is known as a 'Swiss' format.

It will see teams play eight matches in the qualification stage, four home and four away, with the top eight teams progressing to the last 16 and ninth to 24th facing off in two-legged play-offs.

Two of the extra spots will be awarded to the best-performing leagues in Europe this season, and, after the Premier League's dismal week in Europe, the division faces a major uphill task to earn one of them. 

Currently, Italy and Germany lead the table with scores of 19.428 and 17.928 respectively, with England closely following behind on 17.375. 

Germany have two teams in the Champions League semi-finals in Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, as well as Bayer Leverkusen in the last four of the Europa League.

Meanwhile, Italy have four teams remaining with Roma, Fiorentina and Atalanta still in the Europa League, leaving them in good stead in the rankings.

England have just one team left after this week's results, with their hopes resting with Aston Villa in the Conference League.

Liverpool

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