The battle for Champions League qualification is intensifying as the Premier League enters its final stretch.

Following strong performances by English clubs in European competitions this season, UEFA has granted the Premier League an additional Champions League slot for the 2025–26 campaign.

As a result, the league’s top five teams will earn spots in Europe’s most prestigious club competition.

Liverpool, having already secured the title, are locked into the Champions League. Arsenal sit comfortably in second, holding a six-point cushion over sixth place with three matches left to play.

Manchester City are close behind in third, followed by Newcastle in fourth and Chelsea rounding out the current top five. Nottingham Forest, after a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace, have slipped outside the European spots, while Aston Villa remain hopeful in seventh.

Data analysts at AceOdds have simulated the remaining fixtures and projected the final standings.

Arsenal are expected to win two of their last three matches—facing Liverpool away, Newcastle at home, and Southampton away—to finish second.

Manchester City are predicted to collect seven points from their last three games against Southampton, Bournemouth, and Fulham, likely ending two points behind Arsenal.

Newcastle, already winners of the Carabao Cup, are forecasted to finish fourth. They will host Chelsea and Everton while traveling to Arsenal.

Interestingly, Aston Villa are tipped to win all three remaining matches—against Bournemouth, Tottenham, and Manchester United—and climb from seventh to fifth.

Their clash with Spurs could be rescheduled due to Tottenham’s possible involvement in the Europa League final, while the final day’s fixture against Manchester United may see United fatigued from a potential Europa League final in Bilbao just four days prior.

Chelsea’s remaining matches include trips to Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, plus a home game against Manchester United.

They are expected to earn just four points, which could see them slip out of the top five. Nottingham Forest, despite potential wins against Leicester and West Ham, are projected to finish just below Chelsea due to goal difference.

Sixth place in the Premier League will qualify for the Europa League, with another Europa League spot going to the FA Cup winner. Should Crystal Palace lift the trophy, they would secure European qualification.

If Manchester City win the FA Cup and have already secured a Champions League place, the Europa League spot would go to the seventh-place Premier League team.

The Europa Conference League spot, earned by Newcastle via the EFL Cup, could also be redistributed. If Newcastle qualify for a higher competition through league placement, that Conference League berth would pass to the next-highest team in the table—potentially the eighth-placed side.

Meanwhile, Chelsea, if victorious in this season’s Europa Conference League, would gain access to next year’s Europa League regardless of their domestic finish.

Finally, the supercomputer projects a surprising end for some major clubs, with Manchester United and Tottenham expected to finish 14th and 16th, respectively.

However, if either club wins the Europa League, they would still qualify for next season’s Champions League, bypassing their underwhelming domestic campaigns.

Should both Crystal Palace win the FA Cup and an English team lift the Europa League, the Premier League could see as many as 10 clubs competing in Europe next season—six in the Champions League, three in the Europa League, and one in the Conference League.

Patrick Vieira believes Arsenal can still turn things around in their Champions League semi-final clash with Paris Saint-Germain.

The Gunners head to the French capital needing to overturn a one-goal deficit after Ousmane Dembele’s early strike at the Emirates gave PSG the advantage.

It was a deflating night for Arsenal fans, as Mikel Arteta’s side failed to impose themselves in the first leg and now face an uphill battle to reach only the second Champions League final in the club’s history.

Confidence isn’t high within the fanbase, especially after Arsenal’s recent domestic form. They’ve managed just one win in their last five Premier League matches, and that came against already-relegated Ipswich Town.

A surprise home defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday added further doubt, but Vieira remains optimistic. Speaking to The Telegraph, the former Arsenal captain expressed his belief that his old club can still mount a comeback.

He pointed out that the team has the quality and experience to deliver a complete performance on the road and keep their Champions League dreams alive.

A key figure in any potential turnaround will be Declan Rice. The England midfielder has found a new lease of life since Arteta shifted him into a more advanced role.

Although he had a slow start to the season, Rice has been dominant since January and was named man of the match in both legs of Arsenal’s quarter-final win over Real Madrid.

His box-to-box play, energy, and leadership have earned him comparisons with Vieira himself, who once patrolled Arsenal’s midfield with authority.

Vieira praised both Rice and Arteta for the tactical adjustment, highlighting how the change in position has allowed Rice to express himself more freely.

Instead of sitting deep, Rice now drives forward, supports the attack, and poses a genuine goal threat.

Vieira emphasized Rice’s winning mentality, competitive edge, and willingness to push into the box—attributes that have elevated his performances in recent months.

Despite the daunting task ahead at Parc des Princes, Vieira insists Arsenal’s chances should not be dismissed.

He acknowledged the need for a flawless performance but remains confident that Arteta’s squad has the right blend of talent and belief to pull off a memorable result.

For Arsenal to keep their European hopes alive, every player will need to rise to the occasion, but with Rice leading the charge, a comeback remains within the realm of possibility.

Toni Kroos, a legendary figure in German and Real Madrid football history, has shared high praise for Barcelona’s rising star, Pedri, labeling him the finest midfielder currently playing the game.

Kroos, who hung up his boots last summer after a career filled with silverware—including the 2014 FIFA World Cup, multiple La Liga and Champions League titles—is widely considered one of the best midfielders of his generation.

With his departure marking the end of an era, attention now turns to the new wave of talent expected to shape the future of midfield play.

At Real Madrid, the likes of Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, and Arda Güler are seen as heirs to the roles previously held by Kroos and his longtime teammate Luka Modric.

Yet, while Madrid prepares for a generational shift, Kroos believes that the most complete midfielder in world football currently plays for their fiercest rivals, FC Barcelona.

In his podcast, Einfach mal Luppen, Kroos didn’t hold back in his admiration for Pedri, stating that the young Spaniard offers more to his team than even high-profile attacking teammates like Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, or Robert Lewandowski.

According to Kroos, Pedri might not always be the one scoring goals or delivering the final pass, but he’s the one offering consistent solutions all over the pitch.

Pedri has been instrumental in Barcelona’s campaign this season. With the club already securing the Spanish Super Cup and the Copa del Rey, they now aim for a historic haul by chasing both La Liga and Champions League titles.

The young midfielder has made 54 appearances across all competitions, showing not only durability but exceptional consistency in his performances.

Kroos emphasized how Pedri’s intelligence, composure, and creativity allow him to stand out in every match. In the Champions League, Kroos noted that Pedri consistently outshines his counterparts.

In La Liga, the gap between Pedri and his opponents becomes even more evident. The German legend pointed out that losing a player like Pedri would have a major impact on any team, underlining how central he is to Barcelona’s gameplay.

What makes Pedri particularly special, according to Kroos, is his ability to beat opponents in tight spaces—something that sets him apart from most midfielders.

His dribbling skills and movement may not appear lightning-fast, but they’re incredibly effective, often allowing him to glide past defenders unnoticed.

Kroos even recalled a personal experience during an El Clasico match where Pedri’s skill and agility left him struggling to keep up, admitting he couldn’t stop him even with tactical fouls.

Kroos’ praise comes not just from admiration but from direct encounters on the pitch and detailed observation. As a player known for his sharp football intellect, Kroos’ endorsement of Pedri holds significant weight.

For Barcelona, it’s another sign that their future is in capable hands. And for fans of the sport, it marks the emergence of a new generational talent ready to dominate world football.