Extra Champions League spot: Roma and Lazio victories help Italy in fight with Spain | OneFootball

Italy still sit in third place in the race for an extra spot in next season’s edition of the Champions League, but victories from Roma and Lazio in the Europa League on Thursday night helped close to Spain, who are currently occupying second position in the UEFA  Coefficient rankings.

The two nations who finish in the top two places of UEFA’s season association coefficient will gain an extra spot in next year’s Champions League. Italy and Germany finished in the top two last year, hence why there were five Serie A and Bundesliga teams in the competition at the start of the 2024-25 season.

Italy were dealt a significant blow in the race to finish in the top two of this season’s UEFA rankings when Milan, Juventus and Atalanta were all knocked out of the Champions League within the space of two days.

As Bologna were eliminated at the end of the league phase, Inter are the only Italian side left standing in the Champions League.

Extra Champions League spot: UEFA rankings updates

ROME, ITALY – MARCH 06: Eldor Shomurodov of AS Roma celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 Round of 16 First Leg match between AS Roma and Athletic Club at Stadio Olimpico on March 06, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)

Three out of three Italian teams remain involved in the Europa League and Conference League, though. Roma and Lazio both picked up injury-time victories on Thursday night, while Fiorentina lost 3-2 to Panathinaikos in the first leg of their round of 16 tie.

PLZEN, CZECH REPUBLIC – MARCH 06: Alessio Romagnoli o0f SS Lçazio celebrates a opening goal during the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 Round of 16 First Leg match between FC Viktoria Plzen and S.S. Lazio at Stadion mesta Plzne on March 06, 2025 in Plzen, Czech Republic. (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)

Those victories for Roma and Lazio, plus Inter’s 2-0 win over Feyenoord in the Champions League have helped Italy to marginally narrow the gap between themselves and Spain.

Italy are still third in the rankings with 18.937 points in the UEFA rankings, Spain in second with 18.892 and England clear at the top on 22.178.