Champions, Italy one step away from fifth place
Champions, situation
In the first leg of the Europa League and Conference League quarterfinals, Italy achieved results that almost guarantee the presence of five teams in the next edition of the Champions League. Atalanta's surprising victory over Liverpool, along with Roma's 1-0 win over AC Milan at the San Siro (a derby that ensured Italy's presence in the semifinals), and Fiorentina's draw against Viktoria Plzen consolidated Italy's leading position in the UEFA Ranking. This first place has è further strengthened, extending the lead over rivals, with Germany now è second after overtaking England, now third.
The certainty of having five Italian teams in the next Champions could already materialize in the coming week with the return matches. Should Atalanta not lose in Bergamo against Liverpool and Fiorentina manage to win against Viktoria Plzen, Italy could officially have five representatives in Europe's most prestigious competition.
This result could also occur earlier, during the Champions days, depending on the performances of English and German teams engaged in continental competitions.
