Europa League Finalist Manchester United and Tottenham Face Off For The Most Undeserved UEFA Champions League Berth In Recent History

By Alexander Rennick

May 20, 2025

Anticipation for what might be one of the worst quality European finals that we’ve seen in the 21st century continues before kickoff. Questions have to be asked on how archaic the current qualifying standards are for the UEFA Europa League and Champions League respectively. The all-English soccer showdown will start at 3:00pm eastern time with the two heavyweights Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur sat all the way down at 16th and 17th in the English Premier league. Both historic teams are just above the relegation places 18th 19th and 20th so it’s safe to say neither team has had a respectable season in the top flight of England. 

Despite each teams’ struggles in the Premier league they both boast impressive records in the Europa League this season which is a European competition between mid to high placing finishers from each domestic league. Not to be confused with the Champions League which takes only the top few places from each domestic league. For example the Champions league takes the top 4 to 5 spots in the Premier league while typically 5th and 6th place finishers see themselves to the Europa League.

The image on the right displays the results from the 23/24 season that enabled both teams to qualify for the Europa League for the upcoming year. You may be wondering how Manchester United earned a spot despite Chelsea and Newcastle placing ahead of them. It turns out that because Manchester United won the Emirates FA Cup during the 23/24 season they secured a spot in the Europa League for the 24/25 season. 

Both teams had respectable campaigns last season which earned them a spot in the competition, enabling them to reach the final. However the lack of quality that each team has displayed all year sets up what could be a horrific showing of English soccer. Personally I’m convinced that neither team deserves to have a guaranteed spot in the Champions League for next season. Europe has much better teams at the moment that will miss out competing in the Champions League because of how competitive their league is. 

Currently a coefficient system exists within the top european leagues. It works like this: If your country boasts many teams that go deep in the European competitions, then your domestic league is given one extra qualifying spot for the Champions League. The top two leagues with the most teams in the later stages of the competition are given those spots. It would be more deserving for a 5th place AS Roma of the Serie A (League A) in Italy who have played a better brand of entertaining soccer while defeating Italian heavyweights. Most notably their triumphant victory against the 2025 Champions League finalists proved how great they've been this season. 

European qualification should be more focused on providing places for teams that show quality and entertaining soccer throughout the entire season. Additionally the winner of the Europa league shouldn't automatically gain a spot in the Champions league. In a hope to provide more entertaining matches for fans and casual viewers, changing the qualification system would theoretically accomplish this.