Champions League: Scotland clinches two places for 2021-22 season

  • Published
Celtic have been Scotland's sole Champions League representatives in the past six seasons and will be again this termImage source, SNS
Image caption,

Celtic have been Scotland's sole Champions League representatives in the past six seasons and will be again this term

Scotland will have two places in the Champions League next season after clinching a spot in the top 15 of Uefa's coefficient rankings.

The Scottish Premiership's top two at the end of this term will qualify.

Rangers' Europa League defeat by Bayer Leverkusen means Scotland cannot rise any higher than their current 14th.

But Olympiakos' exit at the hands of Wolves ends Greece's interest in Europe, and means only Switzerland is now able to better Scotland's tally.

Basel are the sole remaining Swiss team - they have reached the last eight of the Europa League - but would likely have to win the competition for their nation to usurp Scotland.

Neither Scottish representative would go directly into the group stages, but staying in front of the Swiss could spare the Premiership champions an extra qualifying round.

For example, the 14th-ranked nation for this season - Croatia - will have their teams in the third and second qualifying rounds.

Scotland will also earn a Europa League third qualifying round place for the winners the 2021 Scottish Cup, plus two places in the second qualifying round of the new Europa Conference League for the teams who finish third and fourth in this season's Premiership.

This season has been Scotland's second best in terms of coefficient points gained, thanks to Rangers and Celtic reaching the Europa League knockout stages.