Winner of the Europa League on Wednesday evening against Leverkusen (3-0), Atalanta Bergamo is guaranteed to compete in the Champions League next season. And could be accompanied by four or even five other Italian clubs.
Champions League: How Italy Could Send Six Clubs Next Season.
A first European trophy in its history and Atalanta returns to the Champions League for the fourth time next season. Their clear victory (3-0) against the invincibles of Bayer Leverkusen offers Gian Piero Gasperini ‘s men a qualification for the C1, already acquired through their place in the championship.
Serie A champion, Inter Milan is also certain to find the Cup with big ears, just like Milan, Thiago Motta ‘s Bologna and Juventus. Already assured of sending five clubs to the Champions League thanks to its UEFA ranking for the 2023-2024 season, Italy could even send a sixth.
Roma hopes for Bergamo defeats.
Indeed, AS Roma , semi-finalist of the Europa League this season, could be there next season, on one condition however. For this to happen, Atalanta must not finish in fourth place in the Italian championship, which still has two games to play against Torino and Fiorentina. Fifth in the standings with 66 points, the “Dea” can still climb one place to pass Juve and Bologna, fourth and third with 68 units.
If it finished fifth, Bergamo would offer a place in the Champions League to AS Roma, certain of finishing sixth. But if Bergamo finishes in the top 4, it would be sent to the Champions League not because it won the C3 but thanks to its ranking in Serie A. In this case, as provided for in the UEFA regulations, the club with the highest UEFA index in the preliminary rounds, currently Benfica Lisbon , would directly qualify for the competition, leaving the Europa League to AS Roma.