Bad news for the Premier League! Defeat for Arsenal against Bayern deals huge blow to English hopes of securing fifth Champions League slot

Next season, two nations will be granted an extra spot in the expanded Champions League tournament. Initially, it seemed plausible that the Premier League might secure one of these additional places. However, the outstanding performance of Italian clubs in European competitions has all but guaranteed Serie A a place in the Champions League, leaving only one slot remaining.

The battle for this remaining spot was primarily between the Premier League and the German Bundesliga, determined by coefficients. Before this week's quarter-final fixtures, the Bundesliga held a slight advantage over the Premier League in the coefficient rankings. However, Bayern Munich's triumph over Arsenal further extended Germany's lead, tipping the scales in favour of the Bundesliga side.

In recent Champions League fixtures, Manchester City suffered elimination at the hands of Real Madrid, while Borussia Dortmund progressed to the semi-finals alongside Bayern Munich after defeating Atletico Madrid. Additionally, Bayer Leverkusen hold a commanding position against West Ham United, further enhancing Germany's prospects.

The Premier League's plight is exacerbated by the precarious situations of West Ham and Liverpool in their respective quarter-final ties. With Aston Villa likely to secure a spot in the Europa Conference League last-four, fifth place in the Premier League would then guarantee qualification for the Europa League rather than the Champions League.

Currently, Tottenham Hotspur occupies fifth position in the Premier League standings, trailing fourth-place Aston Villa by three points with a game in hand. However, their hopes of Champions League qualification are still alive and kicking as they have six games left to try and turn around their fortunes and leapfrog Villa.