European Qualification Info – News Archive – News – evertonfc.com – The Official Website of Everton Football Club
I was led to believe from members on here that finishing 5th meant straight into the group stages?
Everton, along with Aston Villa and Fulham, will be England's representatives in the Europa League next season.
Despite the Toffees beating Fulham on the last day of the Premier League season, the London side still finished seventh and secured the final European spot.
The Europa League is the revamped version of the Uefa Cup, which was won in its final season by Ukrainians Shakhtar Donetsk.
Next term, Everton will play one two-legged play-off as they attempt to qualify for the new group stage, which features four teams per group, instead of five teams which had previously been the case.
Those play-off games are scheduled by Uefa for 20 and 27 August 2009.
In the group stage, as in the Champions League, teams play each other home and away with the top two teams in each group qualifying for the last 32.
From that point onwards, the competition is a two-legged knockout competition.
The final takes place in Hamburg in May 2010.
I was led to believe from members on here that finishing 5th meant straight into the group stages?