Manchester United are guaranteed a Champions League group stage place if they win the Europa League

Real Madrid's triumph over Atlético could directly benefit Manchester United

United could benefit from Real's triumph (Getty)

Real Madrid reached their sixth Champions League final with a 4-2 aggregate win over city rivals Atlético on Wednesday night – and it’s safe to say few of those watching outside of Spain would have been as happy with that result as Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho.

That’s because Real’s victory will have direct ramifications on United’s Champions League campaign next season, should Mourinho’s side go on to win the Europa League.

United still have a slim chance of reaching the Champions League the conventional way: by finishing in the top-four. But four points behind Manchester City with just three games of the season remaining, it looks as though winning the Europa League would be a more realistic way of guaranteeing entry into Europe’s premier continental competition.

And they will be delighted with Atlético’s defeat. Diego Simeone’s are currently third in the La Liga table, and could still slip to fourth.

If that had happened – and if Atlético had beaten Real Madrid to a place in the Champions League final – the winners of the Europa League would have been demoted to a place in the Champions League’s notoriously fiendish qualification stage.

Teams such as Shakhtar Donetsk, Fenerbahçe and eventual semi-finalist Monaco all played in the third qualifying round of this season’s competition, so United will be pleased to avoid the stage should they go on to win the Europa League this year.

But what are the rules on teams entering the Champions League?

How do Europa League winners qualify for the Champions League?

As per Uefa's website, the winners of the Champions League are automatically granted a place in the competition’s group stages the following season as a reward.

The winners of the Europa League are also rewarded with a place in the competition, being entered into the playoff round at a minimum.

A maximum of five teams from one country can win entry into the Champions League (Getty)

The Europa League winners enter in the group stages if the Champions League winners qualify directly for the competition anyway through their own domestic league position.

For example, if a Spanish club won the Champions League and finished from first to third in La Liga, then the Europa League winners would enter the following season’s Champions League at the group stages.

The four teams left in the Europa League will be delighted with Real's success (Getty)

The Europa League winners only end up having to play a qualifier if the Champions League winners do not qualify automatically for the competition’s group stages via their domestic league, (i.e., in the La Liga example above, the Champions League winners would have to finish fourth or lower).

So, what are the possibilities for United?

How can United qualify for the Champions League?

Because Real Madrid and Juventus have qualified for the final of the Champions League, and because both of those teams were already guaranteed entry into next year's competition because of their league position, the winners of the Europa League will be directly entered into the 2017/18 Champions League group stage.

If United qualify and finish outside the top four, will a top-four team miss out?

Uefa regulations mean that a maximum of five teams from the same league can qualify for the Champions League, meaning if United win the Europa League, the side which finishes fourth in the Premier League will not miss out on a Champions League place.