Champions League Final could take place after end of season with no date agreed

Serie A will have a fifth team in next season's Champions League, and maybe even a sixth, but the identity of the final qualifier might not be known until after the end of the season.

The impressive form of Italian sides in the Europa League and Europa Conference League this season has earned them an extra spot in the expanded Champions League next term. Fiorentina are still in the latter as they look to improve on last year's final defeat, while Atalanta and Roma are vying for Europa League glory.

Atalanta's win over Liverpool in the quarter-finals leaves them two games from a trophy win, while the same applies to Roma after they beat fellow Serie A outfit AC Milan to set up a semi-final against Bayer Leverkusen.

Both are also in contention for fifth spot domestically, giving them a back-up if they miss out in Europe. However, there could be a long wait to determine who makes the cut.

Atalanta's game against Fiorentina on March 17 was postponed after Joe Barone, the Viola's general director, was taken ill. Barone, who suffered a cardiac arrest, died two days later.

No date has been set for the rearranged fixture, in part due to both teams progressing in Europe. And, with the final round of Serie A fixtures scheduled for May 26, time is running out.

“The only available slot before the end of the season would be May 22,” Serie A president Lorenzo Casini told Radio Anch’io Sport (via Football Italia). “However, if as we all hope the teams progress in Europe, then we would have to think about May 31 or June 2.”

With four games remaining, Roma occupy fifth place, four points behind Bologna in fourth. Atalanta are two points behind the Giallorossi with an extra game to play, with Lazio still in with an outside chance of a top-five