Who could have predicted at the start of the season that the future of French clubs would rest entirely or partly on OGC Nice? The Riviera club is indeed the last French representative in the European Cup after the pitiful elimination of PSG against Bayern Munich with two defeats in the key. Thanks to its snatch victory on the lawn of Sheriff Tiraspol (0-1), the Gym is in a good position to qualify for the 1/4 finals of the Conference League.
Enough to allow France to glean precious points in the UEFA index, whose ranking over five seasons is even more important this year than usual since the challenge is neither more nor less than allowing French clubs to have 4 clubs (three automatically qualified in the league phase which will replace the current group stage and one club in the preliminary round) from France in the new formula of the Champions League, the first edition of which will take place in 2024- 25. And to achieve this, France must absolutely finish at the end of the season in fifth place.
A catastrophe scenario with only one direct qualifier in the Champions League is possible for France
And while France should have been heading for a quiet end to the season thanks to a comfortable mattress acquired during the fall, the resounding eliminations of Rennes, Nantes and Monaco and now of PSG plunge the country into doubt and into the stress. Because at the same time, the two main competitors are experiencing much happier fortunes on the continental scene. The Netherlands, which still count on AZ Alkmaar victorious on the lawn of Lazio Rome and on Feyenoord author of a good draw in Donetsk; can hope to continue the European adventure and thus gain valuable points.
But we will also have to watch Portugal, the historic enemy in the wake of a stratospheric Benfica in the Champions League and who qualified brilliantly for the quarter-finals of the Champions League, Sporting CP who drew at home against Arsenal and FC Porto still alive despite a 1-0 defeat in Milan against Inter. France can therefore tremble and fear the worst. Namely, finishing in 7th place which would only give him 2 places in the Champions League (one in the league phase plus one in the play-off). Which would be an unprecedented disaster. So let’s hope that Nice goes as far as possible and that the Portuguese and Dutch clubs don’t shine too much…
Ranking of nations with the UEFA coefficient for the 2022/23 season (in brackets, the number of clubs remaining in competition and the number of clubs qualified this season for European competitions) as of 03/10/2023:
-1. England 18,571 points (6/7)
-2. Germany 16,000 (6/8)
-3. Italy 15,928 points (7/7)
-4. Spain 13,714 points (5/7)
-5. France 12,083 points (1/6)
-6. Belgium 12,000 points (3/5)
-7. Portugal 11,500 points (2/6)
-8. Netherlands 11,500 points (2/5)
-9. Turkey 11,400 points (3/5)
-10. Switzerland 6,750 points (1/4)
Ranking of nations by UEFA coefficient over the last five seasons (between 2018 and 2023):
-1. England 105.141 points
-2. Spain 90.141 points
-3. Germany 81.356 points
-4. Italy 75.497 points
-5. France 60,664 points
-6. Netherlands 57,900 points
-7. Portugal 55,382 points
-8. Belgium 40,000 points
-9. Scotland 36,400 points
-10. Austria 34,000 points
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