UEFA Europa League 2011-2012 Regulations

In accordance with article 2.04 of the rules concerning the qualification for the competition, if both the Copa Champions and Copa Runners-up have qualified for the UEFA Champions League, then the team that finishes the League immediately after another club or clubs who have already qualified for the Champions has the right to participate in the UEFA Europa League. In this case, the team who ends up in seventh spot, seeing that FC Barcelona and Real Madrid (the two Copa finalists) will play in the UEFA Champions League next season.

The place reserved for the Copa Champions in the UEFA Europe League’s Group stage play offs, will be occupied by the fifth placed team in the League, who in turn will hand over their spot to the team in sixth place, resulting in both teams having to take part in an eliminatory round prior to the group stage. The seventh placed team will occupy the vacancy left by the sixth placed team and means that two eliminatories will be played.