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[QUOTE="IthacaMatt, post: 5652940, member: 405"]
The Champions League "league phase" of 8 matches has ended.

Five of the six (!) English clubs all finished in the Top 8 spots, getting byes into the Round of 16.

Newcastle, the "laggard", finished in 12th out of 36 teams, and will be in the two round "play off round" to make the other half of the Final 16, opposite the top 8 seeded clubs who got the byes.

Chelsea will be happy to miss two Champions League games by avoiding the playoff round and finishing top 8.

This will give the new coach, Liam Rosenior, a chance to get some more work in on the training ground, to get across how his ideas may differ from the deposed Enzo Maresca.

Meanwhile, Aston Villa sit 2nd in the Europa League with Nottingham Forest in 12th place out of 36 clubs. Villa could win the tournament to give Unai Emery his fifth win in that tournament.

In the Conference League, England's sole entry, Crystal Palace sit 10th and should make the knock out stages.

All of this means that the Premier League is currently way out front in the UEFA country coefficient standings and will almost certainly get a 5th qualifier in next year's Champions League, and perhaps a 6th again if Aston Villa can win the Europa League.
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