Arsenal haven't played Champions League football since Kylian Mbappe was at Monaco. The Gunners have perhaps their best chance in years to correct that this season, too – but only if results go their way.
As established in 2013, there's still the possibility that the Gunners might not be rewarded with the competition for a top-four place. It could all depend on Manchester United and West Ham.
According to UEFA, only five clubs from one nation can play in the Champions League group stage. With United looking further and further adrift of the top four places in the Premier League this season, they may see their best opportunity as to win the competition that they're still in this term, in order to qualify.
But should West Ham United also triumph in the Europa League, that would spell disaster for Mikel Arteta's side. UEFA would then award the five English spots in the Champions League to the top three – we assume that'll end up being Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea, in this hypothetical situation – plus the Champions League winner and the Europa League winner.
Arsenal would have finished fourth (which still needs to happen, of course)… and still wouldn't get to play in Europe's premier competition.
A similar thing happened to bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur if you remember.
Back in 2012, Chelsea finished sixth in the Premier League – and back then, UEFA only awarded four spots to any country in the Champions League. Given that the Blues triumphed in Munich to win Old Big Ears for the first time, Spurs were seen as expendable and dropped from the Champions League down to the Europa.
It's a cruel fate for any team. With West Ham a goal down to Sevilla in the Europa League, they'll have their work cut out – and of course, the chances of both Uniteds winning their respective competitions may be slim – but Gooners everywhere have seemingly now found their second and third teams: whichever European side are up next for the Red Devils and the Hammers.
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