Bitter disappointment for Frankfurt
After BVB bankruptcy: This is how the Bundesliga competes in Europe
02.06.2024, 12:21
BVB’s defeat against Real Madrid also has an impact on Eintracht Frankfurt: The Hessians will continue to play in the Europa League in the new season. They had hoped to play in the premier class. This is what the German field of participants in Europe looks like next season.
The Bundesliga will not have the historic maximum of six teams in the premier league next season. Due to Borussia Dortmund’s defeat in the Champions League final against Real Madrid (0:2), Eintracht Frankfurt, sixth in the league, will remain a participant in the Europa League. Only a victory for BVB would see the Hessians move up to the highest European competition.
The field of participants in the Champions League will be increased by four teams to 36 teams. Two of these places will go to associations whose clubs performed best collectively in the current European Cup season. Italy and Germany secured a fifth starting place for 2024/25 via the annual rankings.
If Dortmund, who finished fifth in the league, had received their ticket as winners of the trophy, Frankfurt would also have played in the Champions League. So alongside BVB, double winners Bayer Leverkusen, VfB Stuttgart, Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig are in the premier class.
The expansion also has consequences for the format: the groups of four are no longer in place. Instead, an overall table of all 36 teams will decide who advances. Each team will play eight main round matches, two more than in the previous format. The clubs will face eight different opponents in four home and four away matches.
Meanwhile, Eintracht plays alongside TSG Hoffenheim in the Europa League, while 1. FC Heidenheim competes in the Conference League. In recent years, the Bundesliga has usually played with a maximum of four teams in the Champions League, only in the 2022/23 season were there five teams thanks to Eintracht’s Europa League triumph.