• Europa League

Fulham heading for Europe as UEFA grants Europa spot

ESPN staff
May 16, 2011
Luka Modric is heading for European football © Getty Images
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Fulham appear to be heading for a Europa League place after UEFA granted England an extra place via the Fair Play League.

Chelsea currently lead the Fair Play rankings in England, but they will qualify for the Champions League by finishing in the top four.

Beneath the Blues come Tottenham and Fulham, but Spurs are also without need for the Europa League gift right now after they beat Liverpool to move into the automatic qualification place.

As long as Harry Redknapp's men finish above Liverpool on the final day, when Spurs host Birmingham and the Reds travel to Aston Villa, the Europa League spot will go to Fulham, not to sixth-placed Liverpool.

Monday's developments shine plenty of importance on Tottenham's final fixture, which will determine how early they must start next season's campaign. Qualification via the Fair Play League means an opening game on June 30, six weeks before the start of the Premier League.

"It is not ideal, playing Thursday and every Sunday [in the Europa League] is not what you want but we are there [at the moment]," Redknapp said on Sunday. "That is better than [qualifying via] the Fair Play League because you start three weeks earlier.

"I scared them (the players) before the game by saying if we don't win today we are top of the Fair Play League, which means we come back in two weeks' time and start playing - they thought I was joking. That is going to be a nightmare for someone, I just hope it isn't us.''

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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