10 Biggest Clubs in Danger of Missing Champions League Qualification
Manchester City's damaging derby defeat to Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday has got plenty of their supporters pondering the unthinkable, namely: Is there a chance that City won't even finish in the top four this season?
Manuel Pellegrini's expensively assembled side might not have taken European competition by storm in the past few seasons, but being without the riches the competition brings in would leave a huge hole in their balance sheet, as well as be incredibly embarrassing for the English champions.
They are far from alone in being a big club who are in danger of missing out, though, as this list shows.
Liverpool
1 of 10
The consolation prize for missing out on unlikely Premier League glory in 2013/14 was a return to the Champions League for Liverpool, but the Reds fell at the first hurdle when they exited at the group stage.
That disappointment has been one of the hallmarks of a sub-par season for the Reds, whose hopes of a top-four finish were severely dented by recent defeats to Manchester United and Arsenal, although they look to be the team which has the best chance to benefit from a possible City implosion.
Schalke
2 of 10
For the second successive season Schalke's Champions League campaign came to an end at the hands of Real Madrid. While in 2013/14 they were hammered 9-2 on aggregate, this time they bowed out with a remarkable 4-3 win at the Bernabeu and a 5-4 aggregate defeat.
Despite that bravery they are still 10 points off Germany's fourth and final Champions League place at the time of writing, surely too big a gap to make up with six games remaining. Real will have to wait for another rematch.
Monaco
3 of 10
Quarter-finalists in the competition this season but uncertain to reach it for the next campaign, Monaco might have to win the Champions League in order to be seen in it in 2015/16.
Locked in a tight battle at the top of the Ligue 1 table, the Monegasques will be desperate to stay on the European stage to reproduce nights like the one which saw them beat Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in February.
Borussia Dortmund
4 of 10
Missing out on the Champions League is preferable to getting relegated. At least now they are safely stuck in mid-table Borussia Dortmund will know they will be a Bundesliga side next season.
Jurgen Klopp's men have lost almost half of their 28 league games this season and exited the Champions League to Juventus at the last-16 stage, but the 2013 finalists will hope this is a blip and that they can return to the competition sooner rather than later.
AC Milan
5 of 10
In truth, AC Milan were never close to claiming a Champions League place this season, but when you've won the tournament seven times you always deserve to be considered among its royalty.
Milan have endured a couple of lean years and look a long way off what they once were, with boss Pippo Inzaghi unable to lift them higher than mid-table during what has been a disappointing season.
Tottenham Hotspur
6 of 10
Champions League quarter-finalists four years ago, Tottenham Hotspur have nonetheless failed to appear in the competition since then despite investing huge sums of money in attempting to do so.
Crippled by the loss of Gareth Bale in 2013, they have flattered to deceive since then and despite the stunning emergence of Harry Kane this season, they still look some way off being a Champions League team.
Napoli
7 of 10
Rafael Benitez's time at Napoli could be coming to an end after the Spanish boss has seen his side struggle to live up to expectations this season.
After exiting the Champions League at the play-off stage, the challenge to get back into it has fallen decidedly flat, with Napoli currently seven points adrift of third-placed Roma in Italy's third and final Champions League place.
Inter Milan
8 of 10
Like city rivals Milan, Inter have had another season which is far below the standards that the 2010 Champions League winners have set for themselves.
Looking a long way off that Jose Mourinho team which so impressed everyone en route to winning that crown, Inter are currently 16 points off third place, their Champions League dream already over for another year.
Fiorentina
9 of 10
Fiorentina have impressed many in Serie A this season, but the efforts of the Viola don't look as though they'll be enough to break into Italy's coveted top three places.
The January signing of Mohamed Salah on loan from Chelsea was an inspired move, though, and if they can sign the Egyptian on a permanent basis in the summer then they'll be in a strong position to challenge next season.
Manchester City
10 of 10
And finally, we'll end with who we started with.
It is still likely that Manchester City will make the top four despite their alarming recent slump, but even if they do there are certain to be plenty of questions to face in the summer.
The future of Manuel Pellegrini would appear to be shrouded in doubt and the same can be said of some of his players, for whom missing out on the Champions League would represent abject failure.
