The Copa del Rey is already in its decisive phase, which makes us rethink the eternal enigma of what will happen to the European place that the competition awards to the champion. A priori, it seems simple: whoever lifts the trophy in La Cartuja will be a Europa League team. But there are an infinity of conditions that, without going any further, caused Spain to have no representative in the first edition of the Conference League. In addition, in this edition it takes on special importance, due to the absence of the greats. Therefore, there are a number of scenarios that can occur…
What happens if the Copa del Rey champion… doesn’t enter Europe via the League?
It will go to the Europa League directly, without going through previous qualifiers. He will be accompanied by the fifth classified of LaLiga Santanderalso in the group stage without having to fight for their place. The sixth will settle for the Conference League, although with the need to play a preliminary round like all European teams that access such a tournament. This assumption is the most probable in case they win the Valencia or Rayo Vallecano trophy. In turn, it could happen with Athletic Club.
What happens if the Copa del Rey champion… gets into the Champions League?
In this case, the Copa del Rey immediately loses its European place, which goes to the sixth-placed LaLiga Santander. In this way, fifth and sixth of the domestic national championship go to the Europa League and the seventh to the Conference League. In that case, the sixth in the League would not have to pass a preliminary phase in the second continental competition, because Spain is guaranteed two places in the group phase. This case is likely if Betis wins the KO tournament.
What happens if the Copa del Rey champion… enters the Europa League via the League?
He goes to the Europa League for his Cup place and his League privilege goes to the sixth classified. Two places guaranteed, always from the group stage. The position in the Conference League would go to the seventh in the table. This case is also likely in the case of Betis and could still occur with the other three involved.
What happens if the Copa del Rey champion… enters the Conference League via the League?
This is the same assumption as in the previous case. Spain has two places in the Europa League. Therefore, if the Cup champion is sixth, he goes to such competition with the fifth in the table. And the Conference League is the prize for the seventh. This case is also likely in the case of Betis and could still occur with the other three involved.
What happens if the Copa del Rey champion… also wins the Europa League?
It seems bizarre, but Betis remains with options to win both competitions. Then, I would go to Championsguaranteed prize for winning the Europa League.
If those of Pellegrini were among the first four, there would not be a fifth place for the Champions League and they would go to the Europa League fifth and sixth and to the Conference, the seventh.
If they finished fifth in the league, Five Spanish teams would go to the Champions League and two to the Europa League (5th and 6th)because Spain is always guaranteed two places in the Europa League by League and Cup. In this case, the Conference opportunity would be lost, as happened with Villarreal.
If they finish sixth or seventh in the league, Five Spaniards would also go to the Champions League and two to the Europa League (5th and 6th/7th). Spain would lose, one more year, its position in the Conference League.
unique cases
There are more oddities, but possible ones, that make this puzzle even more complicated:
–Betis wins Europa League, Copa del Rey and is out of Europe via League. In that case, he goes to the Champions League, along with the first four. His place as Cup champion goes to the sixth classified, who enters Europe along with the fifth. The seventh would not go to the Conference, because Betis would be getting two places at the same time: for the Europa League and the Cup. So, the coincidence makes Spain ‘lose’ a place.
-Betis wins the Europa League, Copa del Rey, is out of Europe via the League and the winner of the Champions League is Spanish and does not get into Europe via the League. It could happen with Villarreal or Atlético or even Real Madrid. It would be an unusual case. Six Spaniards would go to the Champions League: the first four, the winner of the Champions League and the winner of the Europa League. The Cup place would be lost, which would go to sixth in the League, traveler in the second European competition along with the fifth. Again, without representation in Conference.
–The most difficult case: Betis wins the Europa League and is left out of Europe via the League, there is a Spanish champion in the Champions League that is also left out of Europe via the League and the Cup champion does not enter European competitions through the traditional route either. It could happen that Villarreal, Betis and Rayo finished eighth, ninth and tenth, but won the competitions, for example. It would be a historic event and almost impossible, but… Six would go to the Champions League, two to the Europa League (5th and Cup winner) and one to the Conference (6th).
What has to happen for Spain to have a place in the next edition of the Conference League?
Although several assumptions have been raised in which Spain remains, once again, outside the Conference, most likely it will have a participant in the second edition. This is how it will be if no Spaniard wins a European competition this season. Also if he does it, but he already has a Champions League place via the League.
The best summary of the puzzle is that Spain always, no matter what happens, is guaranteed seven places in European competitions. These are divided into four from the Champions League, two from the Europa League and one from the Conference League in the most likely case. It can also be five from the Champions League and two from the Europa League, if the winner of the Champions League or Europa League does not get into the Champions League through the traditional league route. This is what happened with Villarreal: they won the Europa League and were seventh. So, he went to the Champions League and the Conference place was lost because the two Europa League places always prevail guaranteed for Spain. For example, Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid could be left out of European competitions, in a difficult year. But if they are among the first six they will have a place. If they are seventh, they would be at risk and would depend on the Cup, although they would always have the way of winning the Europa League and the Champions League, respectively.
How then can there be more than seven places for Spain in European competitions? Very easy: there are two extra balls, the Champions League champion and the Europa League champion. And another seven insured. If those champions do not obtain any of the seven guaranteed places (4 from Champions + 1 from Europa League via Copa + 1 from Europa League via Liga + 1 from Conference League via Liga), then that country wins an extra ball. The fifth and sixth classified, whatever happens, are going to go to Europe, either to the Europa League (always for the fifth) or Conference (the sixth could go to EL or CL, depending on the Cup). Also the first four. And the Cup champion. The seventh depends on what happens with the Copa del Rey or the champions of the European competitions.
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