Belgian clubs handed extra incentive to win championship

As if winning the Belgian championship isn’t enough for RSC Anderlecht and Standard de Liege to give it their all in Sunday’s play-off return leg, the two clubs have been handed another incentive by European governing body UEFA.

UEFA confirmed on Friday that as both Champions League finalists, Manchester United and FC Barcelona have already secured a spot in the group phase of next year’s edition of the continental tournament, this frees up an extra berth which would normally go to the Champions League winners.

As a result, the winner of the Belgian league gets to start in the group stage instead of having to make an appearance in the third preliminary round. The fact also affects clubs in Switzerland, Faroe Islands and Luxembourg.

UEFA explained: “The domestic champion of the association ranked 13th in the coefficient ranking table (Belgium) will enter the competition directly in the group stage instead of the third qualifying round.

“The vacancy this creates in the third qualifying round will benefit the domestic champion of the association ranked 16th in the coefficient ranking table (Switzerland), who will enter the competition in the third qualifying round instead of the second.

“Finally, the vacancy left by Switzerland in the second qualifying round will benefit the domestic champions of the Faroe Islands and Luxembourg (positions 48 and 49 in the coefficient ranking table), who will enter the competition in the second qualifying round instead of the first.”