Biggest clubs to miss Europe in 2024/25 – AC Milan & Man Utd lead the way | OneFootball

As the curtain falls on the 2024/25 season, some of Europe’s most prestigious clubs find themselves in unfamiliar territory.

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.

Manchester United

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.

AC Milan

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.

Sevilla

If football had an intercontinental champion, Sevilla would be the gold standard. Masters of the Europa League, they’ve lifted the trophy an astonishing seven times.

Unfortunately, their domestic form continues to fall short. Last season saw them marooned in mid-table obscurity in La Liga, failing to match their European exploits.

It was a similar story in 2022/23, although they were already in European competition and ended up winning again, masking their league struggles.

With no back door this season, the struggling Andalusian club will not appear in continental action next term after finishing 17th in La Liga, courtesy of an embarrassing 26 percent win ratio.

RB Leipzig

From outside title contenders and perennial top-four tenants, RB Leipzig endured an epic collapse in 2024/25, finishing seventh in the Bundesliga and failing to secure European qualification.

A 3-2 home defeat to mid-table Stuttgart was the final nail in the coffin, condemning the Red Bull outfit to their worst final placing in the top flight since their 2016 promotion.

Leipzig only won 13 of their 34 league games this season – their lowest total since reaching Germany’s elite division almost a decade ago – perhaps setting the tone for a summer exodus.

Benjamin Sesko and Xavi Simons boast a host of admirers across Europe’s traditional top-five leagues and could leave the club without the incentive of European action.