Why Arsenal won't be in Champions League pot 1 even if they pip Man City to Premier League title

Arsenal will not be in pot one inthe revamped UEFA Champions League even if they successfully win the Premier League this season. It was the rule previously that the winners of Europe’s top leagues get an automatic spot in the highest seeding pot of the next season’s elite European competition.

However, as the tournament expands and changes format a round-robin semi-league system next year,Arsenal will not benefit from domestic success should they pull off an unlikely title against Manchester City. Even worse, Liverpool who are expected to finish in third, will be in pot 1 of the Champions League next season despite a predicted lower finish than the Gunners.

The reason behind this is the new seeding system of the competition. Qualifying sides are placed into their respective pots based on their UEFA coefficients and with Arsenal’s current score of 72 points, they are the 22nd-ranked side in Europe.

Results of other sides and their respective league rankings mean that regardless of where other sides finish Arsenal will be in pot 2 next season. Liverpool meanwhile who have 114 points and rank fifth in Europe, join Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, PSG, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig in the top pot.

Barcelona and Bayer Leverkusen could still get placed in either of pot one or two depending on the German side’s success in the Europa League. But how does it break down in terms of fixture decision-making?

The 32-team group stage is now becoming a 36-team league stage for the first phase of the competition. Each team will be drawn against eight opponents, two from each of the four seeding pots.

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