The great European season of the Italian teams, which is about to experience its highlight, first with the Europa League final on Wednesday 22 May between Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen and then with the Conference final on the 29th between Fiorentina and Olympiacoscould still bring great satisfaction to the Serie A teams. We are obviously not referring to the possibility of conquering for the first time a competition never won by our representatives and of bringing home the second after the success of Mourinho’s Roma in 2022. As it has explained the general secretary of UEFA yesterday Giorgio Marchetti in his speech to Sky Sports Club, Italy could bring a contingent of as many as 8 or 9 teams to Europe in the 2024/2025 season.
ROME SUPPORTS ATALANTA – It will largely depend on the outcome of the matches involving Atalanta and Fiorentina but also on their final placement in the Italian championship, with two matches still to be played due to the direct match which will be resumed on Sunday 2 June. It has been widely said that the eventual conquest of the Europa League (which by UEFA regulation gives the right to participate in the Champions League) from the Nerazzurri can offer Roma the chance to have an additional slot for the next Champions League: with 5 teams already certain to participate in the next edition of the top European competition, if Atalanta – fifth and already arithmetically certain not to drop beyond this position – were to close the Serie A in their current position, they would free up a place for our sixth-placed team, i.e. Daniele De Rossi’s team. Which, otherwise, would have already won the participation as sixth in the Europa League due to the better direct clashes with Lazio, seventh.
MARCHETTI AND 9AM IN EUROPE – Whether it’s the Champions League or Europa League for the Giallorossi, as Giorgio Marchetti explained, Serie A is already certain to have at least 8 teams involved in next year’s European competitions, thanks to the fifth team snatched in the Champions League due to the first place in the seasonal ranking ahead of Germany and England: Inter, Milan , Bologna, Juventus and Atalanta in the Champions League, Rome and one between Lazio and Fiorentina (with equal points and results in head-to-head matches, Italiano’s team is currently favored by goal difference compared to Tudor’s) in the Europa League, with the eighth-placed team – the challenge is open between Fiorentina, Turin and Naples – in the Conference League. But there is a scenario that could open the doors of Europe to a ninth team and which is closely linked to what will be the final result of the match in Athens on May 29th, where the Viola will try to make up for last year’s defeat against West Ham against Greek Olympiacos. In the event of success for Biraghi and his teammates and eighth place in Serie A, ninth position would rightfully become good for participating in the next Conference.
THE SCENARIOS – Fiorentina would climb to the Europa League, leaving one of Naples and Turin with the possibility of representing Italy in the third UEFA competition. Differently, with Fiorentina within the “fence” of the top 7 of the Serie A standings who, due to the UEFA regulation at the start of the season which does not contemplate additional ranking places, have the right to play in Europe, even in the event of winning the Conference Viola would go to the Europa League but would not free up an additional spot. To recap: with Atalanta winning the Europa League but outside the top four, we would bring 6 teams to the Champions League, one to the Europa League (our seventh in the standings) and one to the Conference, the eighth; the eventual success of Fiorentina, but finishing from eighth place down in Serie A, would bring the Viola into the Europa League, increasing the contingent to two teams, and leaving the Conference placement to one between Turin and Naples. Because it is good to remember this principle: the number of Italian teams remains 8 if the winners of the cups fall within the enclosure (which is the original one of 7) of those qualified from the championship. The number rises to 9 if at least one of the two cup winners is not from the championship qualifiers.
