https://sportinglife.ng/?p=962911&preview=true — Leicester City's Northern Irish manager Brendan Rodgers (L) congratulates Leicester City's Nigerian striker Kelechi Iheanacho (L) at the end of the game during the English Premier League football match between Leicester City and Sheffield United at King Power Stadium in Leicester, central England on March 14, 2021. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Lindsey Parnaby / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by LINDSEY PARNABY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

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Major Europa League changes affecting Leicester City explained

By our reporter On May 24, 2021 0

Leicester City have qualified for the UEFA Europa League for the second year running after finishing fifth in the Premier League.

The Foxes once again agonisingly missed out on a Champions League spot as they were pipped to a top-four finish by Chelsea and Liverpool on the final day of the 2020-21 campaign.

They will join champions Manchester City and runners-up Manchester United in Europe’s top club competition next term.

Meanwhile, Leicester and sixth-placed West Ham United will enter a new-look Europa League.

Tottenham, who clinched seventh spot thanks to a 4-2 win at the King Power Stadium, have qualified for the inaugural Europa Conference League.

The introduction of the new Europa Conference League has resulted in a shake-up of the Europa League format.

The group stage will be reduced from 48 to 32 teams – with eight groups of four.

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The eight group winners will progress automatically to the round of 16.

However, there will be additional knockout round play-offs before the round of 16 – between the eight Europa League group runners-up and the eight third-ranked teams from the Champions League groups.

Qualifying
Qualifying for thew group stage has also changed, and will now feature 27 teams across two rounds – the third qualifying round and play-offs.

The majority of teams involved in qualifying will have transferred from the Champions League and Europa Conference League, though some teams (mainly domestic cup winners) from the top 15-ranked associations will start their campaign at this stage.

Group stage
Twelve teams qualify automatically for the group stage – two from England, two from Spain, two from Germany, two from Italy, two from France, one from Portugal and one from Russia.

They will then be joined by 10 Europa League play-off winners and 10 sides transferring from the Champions League play-offs and third qualifying round.

Leicester and West Ham will both enter the competition at the group stage.

They will be joined by Real Sociedad, Real Betis, Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayer Leverkusen, Napoli, Lazio, Lyon, Marseille, Braga and Lokomotiv Moscow.

Scottish Cup winners St Johnstone will be among the team to enter at the qualifying round stage.

When will the draws take place?

19 July 2021 – Third qualifying round

2 August 2021 – Play-off round

27 August 2021 – Group stage

13 December 2021 – Knockout round play-offs

25 February 2022 – Round of 16

18 March 2022 – Quarter-finals & semi-finals