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Sports
La Liga claim extra Champions League spot after dramatic penalty miss
TL;DR
La Liga has secured an additional Champions League spot for the 2026-27 season, allowing five clubs to participate. This follows a challenging season for Spanish teams in European competitions.
Key points
- La Liga secures an extra Champions League spot for 2026-27
- Five clubs from La Liga will participate in the league phase
- Real Madrid and Barcelona were eliminated in the quarter-finals
- Atletico Madrid reached the last four before being knocked out
- Spain's European coefficient position was at risk
La LigaReal MadridBarcelonaAtletico Madrid
La Liga claim extra Champions League spot after dramatic penalty miss
On Thursday, it was confirmed that Spain have secured an extra Champions League for the second season in a row, meaning that five La Liga clubs will be present in the 2026-27 league phase.
Generally, it has been a difficult season in European competition for La Liga clubs. Real Madrid and Barcelona were knocked out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage, and although Atletico Madrid reached the last four before being knocked out by Arsenal earlier this week, Villarreal and Athletic Club failed to make it out of the league phase.
In the Europa League, Real Betis and Celta Vigo were taken down by Braga and Freiburg respectively in the quarter-finals, and taking all of these cases into account, it meant that Spain’s position in the top 2 of the European coefficient was hanging by a thread, with Germany closing in.
However, the performances of Rayo Vallecano in the UEFA Conference League have saved Spain from missing out on an extra Champions League spot. Inigo Perez’s side have been excellent in the competition, and on Thursday, with a 1-0 victory over (2-0 on aggregate), and the fact they won both legs have proven to be absolutely crucial.
Q&A
How many Champions League spots does La Liga have for 2026-27?
La Liga will have five Champions League spots for the 2026-27 season.
Which La Liga teams were eliminated from the Champions League this season?
Real Madrid and Barcelona were eliminated in the quarter-finals, while Atletico Madrid reached the last four.
What impact did the performance of La Liga clubs have on their European coefficient?
The poor performances of La Liga clubs put Spain's position in the top 2 of the European coefficient at risk, with Germany closing in.
