Why is a Europa League place given up? This is all about applying the EPS after all other factors.
So in this example, Aston Villa have earned a place in the Champions League but finished in a league position that qualifies them for the Europa League.
Uefa rules state that the berth in the lower competition has to be forfeited and passed to another league.
For instance, La Liga had no team in the first edition of the Conference League because Villarreal won a European competition and finished in seventh.
Let’s say Villa finish fifth. The Premier League gives up the Europa League place.
Then you apply the EPS, which goes to sixth – the first team not in the Champions League.
The Conference League place drops to seventh.
If Villa finish sixth, then it is the Conference League place which is given up. After the EPS, eighth plays in the Europa League.
But could Villa winning the Europa League give England a ninth European spot? Only if they finish outside the domestic European places.
Right now that would be outside the top six – or the top seven if, say, Manchester City win the FA Cup.
As Villa are eight points ahead of seventh-placed Brentford, there is only a slim possibility this could happen.
For Forest, it’s a very simple situation as they sit 16th in the Premier League on 33 points.
Forest are out of the FA Cup, so they cannot qualify for Europe domestically.
If Vitor Pereira leads Forest past Villa and on to Europa League glory there will be a sixth English team in the Champions League, and at least nine in Europe.
This would mirror what happened with Tottenham Hotspur last season.
