Freiburg’s semi-final entry: six Champions League places for the Bundesliga?

Thanks to Freiburg’s entry into the European Cup semi-finals, the Bundesliga can continue to hope for six starting places in the coming Champions League season. To do this, SC Freiburg would have to win the Europa League and get a direct right to start in the premier class. In addition, Germany would have to push Spain out of second place in the UEFA season rankings, which would be rewarded with an additional Champions League place for the league.

After the quarter-final second legs in the Europa League and Conference League, the Bundesliga’s gap to the Spanish La Liga has fallen again slightly – despite FSV Mainz 05’s elimination in the Conference League against Racing Strasbourg. The quarter-final victories of FC Bayern against Real Madrid and SC Freiburg against Celta Vigo were particularly important in this regard.

Spain also has two representatives in the race in Atlético Madrid and Rayo Vallecano

Germany can still score points with Freiburg and FC Bayern (Champions League), Spain also has two representatives in the race in Atlético Madrid (Champions League) and Rayo Vallecano (Conference League). Due to the current constellation, a total of nine European Cup starting places are possible for the Bundesliga instead of the six fixed European Cup starting places that it is entitled to according to the UEFA five-year ranking. For this to happen, three conditions must be met.

First: The Bundesliga occupies one of the top two places in the UEFA season rankings (and receives an additional Champions League starting place). Second: Freiburg wins the Europa League and does not qualify for an international competition through the league. As Europa League winners, the Breisgauers should still play in the premier class.

And thirdly: The DFB Cup is won by a team that qualifies for the European Cup via the league. In this case, the right to start the Europa League for the national cup winner goes to the league. Since three of the four semi-finalists (Bayern, Stuttgart, Leverkusen) are currently in the top five, the chances of this happening are great.