The Premier League might claim to be the best league in the world, but the on-pitch reality tells a different story. According to the Daily Express, the English top flight will have dropped down to third in the UEFA rankings by the end of the year; it means if English teams perform as badly next season as they did this season, they will lose the fourth Champions League spot to Italy for the 2016/17 season.
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Jose Mourinho discussed what was at stake in the aftermath of his sides Champions League exit: “I analyse that we need points,” he said. “We want to keep year after year the same number of teams in the Champions League and Europa League”.
“We don’t want to lose positions in the rankings to other countries. When you don’t perform as a country and rely almost on the same club season after season to try and reach the latter stages of the competition, it’s not good.”
The UEFA ranking is based on a 5 year period, which means next season England will lose points from the 2010/11 season, its best ever performance. Meanwhile, all six Italian sides who entered European competitions this season are still involved.
Next season is now set to be a huge test of the Premier League’s credentials.