Even the sixth can hope
Borussia Dortmund clinch fifth CL place for the Bundesliga
May 1, 2024, 11:22 p.m
At least five German football clubs will take part in the reformed Champions League next season. Borussia Dortmund secured the additional starting place with their victory in the semi-final first leg against Paris St. Germain. And even sixth place is still within reach.
The Bundesliga has five starting places in the Champions League next season. After Borussia Dortmund’s 1-0 win against Paris St. Germain, the German elite league can no longer be pushed out of one of the two top places in the UEFA rankings for the current season. The Black and Yellows also secured their own qualification for the highest European club competition.
VfB Stuttgart, Rasenballsport Leipzig and Dortmund themselves, who will be in the premier class next season alongside champions Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich, can celebrate. If BVB wins the Champions League and stays fifth in the league, the sixth place in the Bundesliga would even move into the premier class.
With a twelve point lead over sixth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt, Dortmund is already secure for fifth place; for fourth place, Borussia would have to overtake Leipzig on the remaining three matchdays. However, the Saxons are five points ahead, and their goal difference of +38 is significantly better than that of BVB (+20). In a direct duel, the Black and Yellows recently lost 4-1 in Leipzig.
With 18.36 points, the Bundesliga is almost one point ahead of the English Premier League, which is only represented internationally by Aston Villa. Italy (19,429) leads the European Football Union rankings. Bayer Leverkusen could play there in the semi-final first leg of the Europa League (Thursday, 9 p.m./RTL, RTL+ and in the live ticker at ntv.de) against AS Roma to reduce the gap to the Serie A clubs.
At the end of the season, the top two nations in the rankings will receive an additional starting place for the coming season in the Champions League, when the premier class is increased from 32 to 36 teams as a result of a comprehensive reform. Most recently, the Bundesliga was represented with five starters in the Champions League in the 2022/23 season thanks to Europa League winner Eintracht Frankfurt.