By moving to 6th in the UEFA index, France risks losing a representative in the Champions League. But French clubs have the opportunity to get back ahead of the Netherlands.
France moved to 6th in the UEFA rankings, overtaken by the Netherlands at the start of the season. The points from the 2018-2019 season, during which French clubs scored two more points than Dutch clubs, have in fact been erased from the shelves since the index is calculated over the last five seasons. To recover this essential 5th place, because it grants a fourth ticket in the Champions League and a seventh in the European Cup, the French clubs must have a superb season and hope for poor results for the Batavian clubs. But in the coming weeks, the French clubs will have their destiny in their hands.
In this context, the upcoming double confrontation between RC Lens and the Dutch club PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League has a decisive issue for both nations: France is exactly 1.669 points behind, and Lens could make up part of it. Each victory by a French club brings 0.33 points to the index (2 points for a group victory, divided by six, the number of French representatives in the European Cup). But a Dutch victory brings even more to the Netherlands (0.4 points), since they only have five representatives in Europe (2 points divided by 5 = 0.4).
RC Lens therefore has the responsibility of taking vital points while depriving a Dutch club, this Tuesday evening and during the return match; like OM against Ajax Amsterdam on November 30. Positive results would also bring French clubs closer to qualifying for the round of 16, which would bring France 0.66 points (4 bonus points, divided by 6) in the Champions League and at least 0.33 in the Europa League (0 .66 if it is in first place in the group), while removing this prospect for the Batavian clubs. Obviously, the results of PSG, Rennes, Toulouse and Lille will also be decisive, like those of Feyenoord and AZ.
French clubs have started their group stage in Europe rather well, with 5 wins, 5 draws and only 2 defeats. Better than the Netherlands, who have 2 wins, 2 draws and 3 defeats. Even if each of their victories brings them more points, they have already lost one of their five representatives and therefore an opportunity to gain points with Twente, eliminated during the Conference League play-offs. Furthermore, even if only two matches per group have been played, 5 of the 6 French clubs involved are currently in one of the first two places in their group, synonymous with qualification. On the Dutch side, only AZ, in the Conference League, is in the first two positions in their group.
In the meantime, French clubs will have four places in the Champions League next year, because France was still ahead of the Netherlands at the end of last season. The 6th or 7th place in Ligue 1 will also qualify for the European Cup, in addition to the winner of the Coupe de France. In detail, the top three in Ligue 1 next season will automatically qualify for the C1 league phase in 2024-2025, with the name “group stage” having to disappear. The fourth in the French Championship will have to go through two qualifying rounds: the third preliminary round then the play-offs. The fifth and the winner of the Coupe de France will go to the Europa League, and the sixth will go to the Conference League. Note also that from this season, the two best nations in the UEFA index over a season are rewarded with an additional place for the following edition of the C1.
It is this ranking which determines the qualifying places for the Champions League or the Europa League and the Europa Conference League. The higher the country’s rank, the more places they have for European competitions. Here is the current ranking:
If the ranking by country is important, that by club is also important to establish the seeds during the various draws. Here is the latest club ranking:
France is currently in 6th place and competing with the Netherlands to regain 5th position, which offers a fourth qualifying place in the Champions League (and a seventh in the European Cup).
The club coefficient rankings are calculated based on club results over the previous five seasons of the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League. The rankings are used to determine each club’s position in UEFA club competition draws as explained on the official website.
The club coefficient ranking for the season is established based on the results of clubs competing in the current UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League. This ranking, combined with that of the previous four seasons, determines whether the club is seeded in UEFA competition draws.
Club coefficients are determined by either the sum of all points won over the past five years OR the association coefficient over the same period, with priority given to the highest.
The season coefficient of an association (country) is calculated by adding the points obtained by all its clubs in a given season in the UEFA Champions League (UCL), UEFA Europa League (UEL) and UEFA Europa Conference League (UECL). ), then dividing the total by the number of clubs from that association having participated in the three UEFA club competitions in question.
UEFA Champions League points Any win from the group stage onwards: 2 points Any draw from the group stage onwards: 1 point Group stage participation bonus: 4 points Round of 16 participation bonus: 4 points Each round reached by clubs from the round of 16: 1 point
UEFA Europa League points Any win from the group stage onwards (excluding the knockout stage play-offs): 2 points Any draw from the group stage onwards (excluding the knockout stage play-offs): 1 point Winner group: 4 pointsSecond group: 2 pointsEach round reached by the clubs from the round of 16: 1 point
UEFA Conference League points
Any win from the group stage onwards (except the knockout stage play-offs): 2 points Any draw from the group stage onwards (except the knockout stage play-offs): 1 point Group winner: 2 pointsSecond group: 1 pointQualification in semi-final and final: 1 point
