Feyenoord Rotterdam have qualified for the quarter-finals of the Europa League. OLAF KRAAK / AFP
Feyenoord Rotterdam and AZ Alkmaar could allow the Netherlands to take fifth place from France, only represented by OGC Nice.
“Oranje” alert on France. The Netherlands threaten France’s fifth place in the UEFA index, a position that will qualify four clubs for the Champions League in 2024-2025, including three directly for what will replace the group stage.
The Netherlands follow France
Let’s take a quick look at the situation. Currently, France has 60,997 points and only has one club left in European competitions, OGC Nice, which defeated Sheriff Tiraspol (1-1 and 3-1) this Thursday evening in the League. Europe Conference. The Netherlands have 58,900 points and still have two teams in the running, Feyenoord Rotterdam in the Europa League and AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League Conference, respectively who defeated Chakhtior Donetsk (1-1 and 7-1) and Lazio Roma (2-1 and 2-1). Thus, the “Oranje” are twice as likely to score points as the Habs.
Read alsoEuropa League Conference: Nice qualified brilliantly for the quarters
And it is a problem all the more important as the points garnered by the Dutch clubs bring in more than those of the French formations. Indeed, the points gleaned (two points for a victory before the penalty shootout, one point for a draw, a bonus point for a qualification from the round of 16 for the C3 and from the semi-finals for the C4) are then divided by the number of teams engaged on the European scene. France had six, the Netherlands five…
France could lose a place if…
Concretely, in the next round, if Feyenoord Rotterdam and AZ Alkmaar are clear – victories and qualifications – they would bring 2,000 points to the Netherlands (10,000 divided by 5). OGC Nice, for its part, could win a maximum of 0.833 points for France (5,000 divided by 6). The Dutch would then come dangerously close since the current gap is only 2,097 points. The danger is therefore (very) serious for French football. If the Dutch teams go very far in their respective competition, the Netherlands could take fifth place in the UEFA index, even in the event of a good run by OGC Nice in C4.
Read alsoEuropa League Conference: which opponent to face Nice in the quarter-finals?
Which would be a real demotion for the French championship. “If we leave the European Top 5, the French Championship will definitely be in the second European division, explained Vincent Labrune before the Senate in 2021. If in the short term we are not able to bring in fresh money to save ourselves, to bounce back, the French Championship will become the Slovenian championship, with all the respect I have for our comrades in Ljubljana“. This is why all French football will be behind OGC Nice – who will know their opponent this Friday – in C4. Hoping for a small shock against AZ Alkmaar so that France has its destiny in its hands.
SEE ALSO – Didier Deschamps’ explanations on his list for the start of the Euro 2024 qualifiers