Continental heavyweights such as AC Milan and Manchester United have failed to secure a UEFA berth for next season, casting doubt on their lofty summer ambitions.
Barring Ligue 1, all four of the remaining top-five leagues yielded at least one major casualty in the race for European qualification, with the Premier League producing arguably the most unfathomable upsets.
For sides accustomed to the glamour and revenue of UEFA competitions, missing out dents pride and casts doubt on their immediate plans for the future.
Without further ado, let’s look at the biggest underperformers in 2024/25.
Ruben Amorim finished what his predecessor Erik ten Hag started, steering Man Utd straight into the abyss.
Consigned to a dreadful 15th place, the Red Devils endured their worst season in the Premier League era, losing 18 league matches in 2024/25.
That harrowing reality saw the fallen Old Trafford giants fail to qualify for Europe for the first time since a gloomy 2013/14 campaign when David Moyes replaced Sir Alex Ferguson.
Hoisting the Europa League title for the first time since 2017 could’ve offered Amorim a saving grace, yet Tottenham Hotspur bested his charges in a dismal Bilbao showpiece.
Left to lick their wounds, Man Utd head into a transitional summer with questions surrounding Amorim’s future and the club’s long-term direction under INEOS.
Despite the club’s heavy investments in the last two transfer windows, Milan could only finish eighth in Serie A after one of the worst domestic seasons in recent history.
Milan last finished this low in the standings in 2014/15 under Filippo Inzaghi, while they’ve not failed to qualify for a UEFA competition since 2019/20.
However, Paulo Fonseca and his successor, Sergio Conceicao, faltered at the San Siro in 2024/25, resulting in the seven-time European champions missing out on continental qualification.
A 1-0 loss to Bologna in the Coppa Italia showpiece denied the Rossoneri one last chance to lock down a Europa League berth and could heavily impact the club’s transfer plans in the summer.
Without the lure of European football, Milan could lose several first-team stars, including Manchester City-linked Tijjani Reijnders and standout winger Rafael Leao.
