Do European campaigns hinder Premier League hopes?

By Martin Graham

With continental tournaments resuming this week, nearly half of the Premier League’s clubs will juggle their domestic campaigns with European fixtures. A record nine English teams are involved this term: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Newcastle, and Tottenham in the Champions League; Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest in the Europa League; and Crystal Palace in the Conference League.

Whether that packed calendar boosts or hinders their league form remains uncertain. Clubs outside of Europe may benefit from fewer midweek commitments and longer recovery periods between games. When Leicester City stunned the football world by winning the Premier League in 2015-16, they played just 43 matches overall, avoiding the strain of international travel and extra knockout rounds.

In contrast, a side going all the way in Europe this season would play at least 55 games — 38 league fixtures, a minimum of two domestic cup ties, and between 15 and 17 European encounters depending on whether they must contest a knockout play-off.

Former England defender Matt Upson, who represented Arsenal in the Champions League and Stoke City in the Europa League, says players generally relish the extra workload. “That number of matches before Christmas can feel slightly heavy,” he said, “but missing out on European competition isn’t enough for clubs now.” He added that larger squads exist to manage the demands and that maintaining rhythm by playing twice a week helped him feel fitter and sharper.

The league advantage of fewer fixtures

Only two clubs have lifted the Premier League trophy in a season without European competition: Leicester in 2015-16 and Chelsea in 2016-17. Earlier champions also benefited from light European schedules — Manchester United in 1992-93 and 1995-96, Blackburn in 1994-95, and Arsenal in 1997-98 all exited the UEFA Cup in the opening round after only two games.

Since four English clubs began qualifying regularly for the Champions League in 2001-02, nine teams have finished in the Premier League’s top four while avoiding Europe entirely, most recently Newcastle in 2022-23.

Yet several sides have combined success at home and abroad. Manchester United achieved the league and Champions League double in 1998-99 and 2007-08, and Manchester City matched that feat in 2022-23. Liverpool are the only English team to have won the old European Cup and the league in the same season, doing so in 1976-77 and 1983-84.

The difference in fixture load this year is stark. Crystal Palace have already played seven matches, including two Conference League qualifiers and the Community Shield, and could reach 29 by Christmas. In contrast, Bournemouth, Leeds, Manchester United, Sunderland, and West Ham are likely to total only 18 matches by 25 December after early Carabao Cup exits and no European commitments.

Upson suggested the added rest might suit struggling teams like Manchester United, though he warned that a poor training-ground atmosphere could limit the benefit: “You spend a lot of time waiting for the next game, with pressure hanging over the place, and that can make the breaks feel long.”

When Europe derails domestic form

Chasing continental success has hurt some English sides. Tottenham and Manchester United both placed more focus on Europe last season on their way to the 2025 Europa League final, with eventual winners Spurs finishing 17th in the Premier League and United two spots above them. Even lifting their first European trophy since 1984 could not save Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou from being dismissed after ending the campaign one place clear of the drop.

Other clubs have endured similar struggles. Burnley played six Europa League qualifiers by August in 2018-19, failed to reach the group stage, and slipped to 15th domestically, eight places lower than the previous year. Newcastle contested 14 games from the play-off round to the Europa League quarter-finals in 2012-13 and ended up 16th in the league, 11 places worse than the season before.

Blackburn Rovers in 1998-99 and Ipswich Town in 2001-02 remain the only sides relegated from the Premier League while also featuring in the main phase of a European competition.

For some clubs, having no midweek trips will feel unusual. Manchester United last went without Europe in 2014-15, and this will be just their second season without continental involvement since the 1990s. After their Carabao Cup second-round defeat to League Two Grimsby Town, they will need to reach the FA Cup final to play 45 matches across all competitions and avoid recording their lowest match total of the Premier League era.