Premier League extra Champions League spot at risk after Crystal Palace Conference League win

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Crystal Palace's historic Conference League title win could result in the Premier League losing their extra Champions League spot after next season. The Eagles defeated Rayo Vallecano 1-0 in Wednesday's final to end Oliver Glasner's legendary reign in south London with a third piece of silverware and first in Europe.

The victory also confirmed that a record nine Premier League teams will compete in European competitions next season. It is indeed a stunning achievement for the English top-flight but could have dire consequences for those fighting it out for qualification for Europe's premier tournament.

The coefficient formula that measures wins in Europe will change because of the nine teams that have qualified for Europe next season. Under the rules, every victory is worth two coefficient points, with a draw worth one point, and this figure is then divided by the number of clubs the playing team's country has in Europe.

It means a win for English teams will have points they earn for each win or draw divided by nine next season, meaning a win will be worth just 0.222 points toward the country’s coefficient.

That is less than what Serie A or Bundesliga teams would earn for a win (0.285) as both leagues will have seven teams in Europe next season. The loss of the extra spot could also be threatened by how far the likes of Bournemouth and Sunderland can progress in their respective tournaments, given their inexperience in Europe.

England's coefficient could also be hampered by Brighton in the Conference League, with those three clubs facing tougher group stage draws due to being lower seeded teams. Should they face earlier exits in Europe, their lack of success could drag down overall points coefficient for England.

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It means at least three English teams realistically must reach either the semi-final or final across the three competitions. English clubs do have the opportunity to earn bonus points in Europe's league phase format which depends on where they finish in their respective league tables.

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Finishing first in the Champions League phase clinches a maximum of 12 bonus points, with first in the Europa League netting six points while topping the Conference League earns four points. Extra points are also awarded for every knockout round a team reaches, as they range from 1.5 points per round in the Champions League to 0.5 points in the Conference League.

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