The poor performance of Serie A teams in Europe this season has cost them a Champions League spot for the 2012-13 season.
The German Bundesliga has picked up the Serie A’s spot and will now have three automatic spots as well as one play-off spot, while Serie A will only have a maximum of three Champions League places, including one play-off spot.
German clubs have increased their total points tally in UEFA’s five-year coefficients to 68,103, opening up an 8,122-point lead over Italy’s Serie A (59,981).
“Italy is no longer able to take over third spot this season,” the German Football League (DFL) said in a statement. “The new ranking gives Bundesliga teams three starting spots in the group stage and a fourth in the play-off games of the competition.”
Top-ranking England and second-placed Spain are the other two countries that will be afforded a maximum of four Champions League places in 2012-13. Italy has joined France and Portugal with a maximum of three Champions League spots.