Napoli’s aspirations of qualifying for the Champions League took a hit as they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Empoli in Serie A on Saturday. Empoli’s Mandragora scored the only goal of the game early on, securing his first top-flight goal in three years. However, Empoli missed a chance to double their lead when Cambiaghi’s shot hit the post.
The result pushed Napoli down to eighth place in the Serie A standings, six points behind fifth-placed Roma, who currently hold the final qualifying spot for the Champions League. On the other hand, Empoli’s victory lifted them to 15th place, four points clear of the relegation zone.
Italy recently secured an extra spot in the Champions League due to their strong performance in UEFA competitions. With Roma and Atalanta progressing to the Europa League semi-finals and Fiorentina in the last four of the Europa Conference League, Italy’s coefficient points surpassed those of Germany and England.
This development means that Italy now has a coefficient of 19.428 points, earning them an additional spot in the Champions League next season, as the competition will expand to include 36 teams in the group stage. This change is significant for Italian clubs aiming to secure European football next season.
