Champions League to scrap new rule that would have 'punished' Leicester City

The new Champions League format has scrapped the ‘leapfrogging’ rule that put Leicester City at a disadvantage.

From the 2024-25 season, Uefa’s top competition will see 36 teams qualify, rather than 32, with all of the sides placed into one big table, playing 10 matches against randomly-assigned opponents and with the top 16 reaching the knockout stages.

It has long been proposed that the two of the four places being added are awarded to sides based on historical success. This means that teams who miss out on the Champions League through their domestic finishing position can still qualify through their coefficient ranking, which is calculated by a team’s success in European competitions over the previous five years.

This ruling, described as a ‘safety net’ for the biggest clubs should they have a poor year on the pitch, was particularly frustrating for City. Had the proposal already been in place, in both of the past two seasons Tottenham would have qualified for the Champions League based on their coefficient ranking despite finishing lower than City in the table. Brendan Rodgers’ side would have remained in the Europa League.

The plans for four new teams, first mentioned last year, are now back on the table, but the European Club Association, a clubs lobbying group, have this time scrapped the ‘leapfrogging’ rule, meaning the places for historical success cannot go to teams who finish behind sides who don’t qualify through their coefficient score.

This, in effect, means City would have blocked Spurs’ chance of reaching the Champions League in the past two seasons. Instead, had the rule already been in place, the spots would have gone to Roma and Bayer Leverkusen last season, and Lyon and Napoli this season.

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