How Villa could get sixth into the Champions League

How Villa could get sixth into the Champions LeagueImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, The Premier League will have at least eight clubs in Europe next seasonByDale JohnsonFootball issues correspondentPublished3 minutes agoCommentsA host of Premier League clubs will be backing Aston Villa to win the Europa League - as it could secure Champions League qualification for whoever finishes sixth.Villa will take on Freiburg in Istanbul on 20 May - just four days before the final day of the league season in England.Qualification for European competition has become pretty complicated in the past few seasons.This has largely been caused by Uefa's new European Performance Spots (EPS).These are the extra places in the Champions League given to the two leagues with the best overall record each season.The Premier League has secured one of the two berths for 2026-27, with the Spanish La Liga claiming the other - just like last season. It means there will be at least eight English teams in Europe next season.With Villa, Arsenal and Crystal Palace all in a European final, what could this mean for the rest of the Premier League?How the European places workThe logic of the EPS is simple. But other factors complicate matters.It has two pillars: it is applied after all other considerations about domestic and European cup winners; it always provides one additional place to the overall allocation.So England was set to have seven teams in Europe before securing an EPS - but now will have at least eight.As it stands - and subject to who wins the FA Cup and where they finish - that now means this: The team finishing fifth will go into the Champions LeagueThe team finishing sixth will go into the Europa LeagueThe team finishing seventh will go into the Conference LeagueThe top five have pulled away in recent weeks, with the last places held by Liverpool and Aston Villa on 58 points in fourth and fifth respectively. There is a six-point cushion to Bournemouth in sixth place with thr...