Liverpool need to be wary of UEFA coefficient table after poor Champions League results - opinion
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Liverpool’s poor form in 2025/26 means they probably need to rely on England being handed an extra Champions League place to qualify for next season’s competition.However, while English sides dominated in the group phase, the first-leg last-16 ties were something of a disaster.Liverpool lost to Galatasaray, while every other Premier League club also failed to win their games, and that has had an impact on the UEFA coefficient table, which now sees Spain up to second and chasing England down. Will Xabi Alonso be Liverpool manager by the start of the 2026/27 season?
If no, where will he be instead? Photo Credit: Getty Images/Alberto Gardin/NurPhoto Spain now closest rivals to England UEFA coefficient tablePrior to the last-16 fixtures getting underway, this is how the UEFA coefficient table looked:PosistionCountryTeams competingPointsAverage1England9/9200.62522.2912Germany5/7123.00017.5713Spain6/8139.25017.4064Italy4/7121.50017.3575Portugal3/583.00016.600But just a week or so later, Spain have ousted Germany from the second qualifying spot:PosistionCountryTeams competingPointsAverage1England9/9202.62522.5132Spain6/8144.25018.0313Germany5/7126.00018.0004Italy4/7121.50017.3575Portugal3/583.00016.600If Liverpool and the rest of the Premier League sides continue to struggle and go out in the Round of 16, that will give both Germany and Spain a chance to catch up.Tottenham, Manchester City and Chelsea already look likely to exit the competition next week, while the Reds have a 1-0 deficit to overturn at Anfield.Meanwhile, the only team that looks likely to go on an extended run in the tournament is Arsenal, who Jamie Carragher thinks will win the trophy.However, even the Gunners failed to see off Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday, securing a 1-1 draw after a late penalty.All eyes are now on the Europa League, where England, and Liverpool specifically, will need Aston Villa to impress against Lille.Should they fail to do so and England eventually lose fifth place, it’s hard to see Slot’s side getting into the Champions League next term, given they are currently sixth and three points adrift of the top four.Join Our NewsletterReceive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox