Europa League qualification: Where does Spurs and everybody else stand?

Europa League qualification: Where does Spurs and everybody else stand?

Arsenal beat Chelsea 2-1 at Wembley in Saturday's FA Cup final, this means they have qualified for the Europa League group stages next season, which is a blow to both Wolves and us.

Bad news

Arsenal's come back over Chelsea ensured their place in the Europa League next season, but it also means we (we finished sixth in the Premier League) will have to go into the second qualifying round of the competition. Of course, we would have gone straight into the group stage if Chelsea had won. But it's even worse news for Wolves. A Chelsea win would have handed them a Europa League second qualifying round spot after finishing seventh in the Premier League. Still, they may miss out on European football entirely because of the Gunners victory. Unless they win this season's Europa League.

If Wolves were to win the Europa League, they would earn a Champions League group stage place for the 2020/21 season. They are currently level with Olympiakos 1-1 after the first leg. The second leg takes place at Molineux on Thursday, August 6.

The Arsenal Wembley win means we will have to face a qualification campaign to reach the Europa League group stages. Chelsea couldn't even do a little thing like beating a hotchpotch of a misfit group of players.

So, we will enter the second round of qualifying and face an additional three qualifying games, with trips to Belarus, Kazakhstan, Montenegro, Estonia and the Faroe Islands all possible.

Our  potential EL qualifying opponents

Kesla FK (Azerbaijan)

Torshavn (Faroe Islands)

Neftchi Baku (Azerbaijan) 

Kaysar Kyzylorda (Kazakhstan) 

Ordabasy Shymkent (Kazakhstan) 

Sutjeska Niksic (Montenegro)

OFI Heraklion (Crete, Greece)

FK Riteriai (Lithuania)

FH Hafnarfjardar (Iceland)

Santa Coloma (Andorra)

Shakhtyor Soligorsk (Belarus)

Kalju Nomme (Estonia)

Backa Topola (Serbia)

Vojvodina Novi Sad (Serbia)

Yes, it is a blow to our preparations for the new campaign. It will mean that Mourinho will face selection headaches as he looks to plot his way through a gruelling early-season timetable.

Our European campaign will start on September 17 (my daughter's birthday), just five days after the new Premier League season gets underway.

Our  potential EL qualifying dates

Second qualifying round: September 17

Third qualifying round: September 24

Play-offs: October 1

Group Stage starts: October 20

Europa League - Leicester, Arsenal (both group stage), Tottenham (second qualifying round)

Eight in Europe?

Arsenal's FA Cup win opens up the opportunity for eight English sides to be playing in Europe next season.

If Wolves win the Europa League, they will join Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea in the Champions League group stage next term as Europa League winners.

Arsenal qualify for the Europa League group stage as FA Cup winners.

Leicester have qualified for the Europa League group stage next season as the fifth-placed team.

And we have qualified for the Europa League second qualifying round as the sixth-placed team.

All complicated arithmetic, but I am sure that Mourinho and his team have their heads screwed on. Unfortunately, or fortunately, we, the supporters, won't be allowed in on the earlier rounds… and I am not even sure if we will be allowed as away supporters either (that is for the whole season)? As I said, all complicated stuff. It is a waiting game, thanks to the virus. With the virus spike going up and down all over the place it is like going into a barrel and told to piss in the corner… yes, confusing. I blame it all on Arsenal and Chelsea… well, you've got to, haven't you?

Best Regards, Glenn