Second in Ligue 1 with two points more than OM, 3 days from the end, RC Lens is virtually qualified directly for the next Champions League. The northern club having no UEFA points, it will fall on 3 strong opponents.
Yes PSGwho is heading towards a new title of champion of France, will be one of the seeds of the draw for the group stage of the next Champions League, the RC Lens and theABOUT, who were to complete the podium (except disaster), are already condemned to appear in hat 4 (it would take a miracle for the Marseillais). As a reminder, while the Sang et Or have 2 points more than the Phocaeans, the 3rd will only enter in the 3rd qualifying round.
Possible seeds: with Real or… Feyenoord?
Real Madrid, Manchester City, Inter or AC Milan (as Champions League winners)
Juventus, Sevilla, Roma or Leverkusen (as Europa League winners)
Manchester City (as Champions of England)
Napoli (as Italian champion)
Barça (as Spanish champions)
Bayern or Dortmund (as German champions)
PSG (as champion of France)
Benfica (as champion of Portugal)
—
Feyenoord (as Dutch champions, only if Man City win UCL)
The composition of the next pot 1 of the LDC, with the two winners of the first two European cups and the champions of the 6 best championships, is almost known. Napoli and Barça are already celebrating, Man City and PSG are on track to retain their respective crowns. Real will move from Pot 2 to Pot 1 if they win the Champions League and if City win, that will make the Dutch champions, who are Feyenoord, happy.
Possible Hat 2: Arsenal on hold
Dortmund or Bayern
Real Madrid (if they don’t win the UCL)
Manchester United
Juventus (if they don’t win the Europa League)
Inter Milan
Atlético
Leipzig
Porto
—
Arsenal (if Juventus win the Europa League)
There will be something very heavy in pot 2 whatever happens, even if the probable absences of Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham as well as Ajax will lighten this cast. Real Madrid, if they do not win the C1, will be the team to avoid, as will Bundesliga vice-champions, Manchester United, Inter Milan and Atlético. Arsenal must count on a European coronation from Juventus or a non-qualification from the Bianconeri to climb into hat 3.
Possible Hat 3: The Real Opponents
Arsenal (unless Juventus win the Europa League)
Shakhtar (if out of qualifying)
Dinamo Zagreb (if out of qualifying)
Salzbourg
Feyenoord
Braga (if out of qualifying)
PSV (if out of qualifying)
Lazio
—
Red Star Belgrade
FC Copenhagen (if out of qualifying)
Young Boys (s’il sort des qualifications)
Real society
OM (if out of qualifying)
Ranked 53rd in UEFA, OM will not appear in hat 3 unless there is a slaughter of the favorites in qualifying. Not to mention that the formation of Igor Tudor is currently 3rd in Ligue 1, which will force him to come out alive from two double confrontations. For Lens, the fate could offer him big chunks like Arsenal, Lazio and Real Sociedad, in addition to the big teams of the first two hats. For a group of death with for example Bayern, Real Madrid and the Gunners!
