Fight for places intensifies

Top three
The three countries with the most places to play for are Spain, Italy and England, all of whom will enter four sides in next season's competition – the champions, runners-up and third and fourth-placed sides all earn a Champions League place, albeit the latter two enter in the third qualifying round.

'La Real' on course
If the season were to end now, in Spain Real Madrid CF would lead the way, with RC Deportivo La Coruña, Real Sociedad and Valencia CF occupying the other spots. For 'la Real' – the surprise team in Spain this year – this would mean a return to Europe's senior club competition for the first time since the 1980s.

Neck and neck
In Italy at present Juventus FC sit top by six points, with AC Milan, Internazionale FC and S.S. Lazio following behind. In England, Manchester United FC and Arsenal FC are neck and neck in first and second place, with Newcastle United FC and Chelsea FC third and fourth. Chelsea's hopes of holding on to fourth place could hang on their home games against Everton FC and Liverpool FC, their nearest rivals.

Bayern lead
Germany's top three comprise runaway leaders FC Bayern München, together with VfB Stuttgart and BV Borussia Dortmund; Olympique Lyonnais, AS Monaco FC and Olympique de Marseille are in position to qualify in France; likewise Panathinaikos FC, Olympiakos FC and AEK Athens FC in Greece.

Race for second place
In the Netherlands and Belgium, PSV Eindhoven and Club Brugge KV are strongly placed to win their respective titles but only a point separates the second and third-placed sides as they chase the second Champions League places – AFC Ajax and Feyenoord in the Netherlands, RSC Anderlecht and Sporting Lokeren St-Niklaas Waaslan in Belgium.

Basel battle
In Switzerland, FC Basel, who so impressed in the first group stage of this season's competition, face a fight to qualify for next season's edition as they trail the league leaders Grasshopper-Club by two points

Champions already known
In those countries where the season runs from spring to winter, the champions are already known – from Russia, for instance, 2002 champions FC Lokomotiv Moskva and second-placed PFC CSKA Moskva will enter, while Rosenborg BK and Djurgårdens IF have qualified as champions of Norway and Sweden respectively.

As they stand
Going by the present league standings around Europe, the lineup for next season's Champions League would appear as follows. Those teams who qualified in seasons concluding in late 2002 appear in bold: