Officially, Liverpool has qualified for the upcoming season’s Champions League. Alternatively, or perhaps more precisely, Tottenham Hotspur has been formally ruled out. Following Chelsea’s victory over Spurs on Thursday, the numbers have been adding up, and the Reds will undoubtedly finish in the top four.

That’s good news even though it’s not quite the victorious sendoff we were hoped Liverpool would give departing manager Jürgen Klopp when he leaves in June.

Liverpool qualified for the Europa League quarterfinals this season, spending the season outside of Europe’s premier league. Prior to their abrupt and sharp decline in performance in April, they were performing admirably. Then, after losing 3-0 at home to begin the tie, they were defeated by the Italian team Atalanta by an overall score of 3-1.

The substantial financial payout associated with qualifying for the Champions League is well known. However, there are additional, intangible advantages. Offering potential players the chance to compete in Europe’s main tournament is the most significant of these. The sheer confidence and spirit boost that come from being regarded as one of the top teams on the continent is another advantage.

Regaining a spot in the top four is a comfort, even though it probably won’t come with the Premier League championship—especially given how Liverpool’s performance has collapsed.