The Netherlands threatens Portugal despite French downer: still best of ’21/’22
Would they pinch him in Portugal already? The coefficient points continue to pour in for the Netherlands, which week after week has a greater chance of being among the European top six at the start of the next season. And that could provide an extra European ticket in 2024. In the short term, we can cherish the lead in the standings for this season.
Ajax opened the ball in the Champions League this week and earned 0.400 points for the Netherlands with a resounding victory over Borussia Dortmund. However, Paris Saint-Germain and Lille OSC combined earned half a point for France – two points for PSG’s win over RB Leipzig, one point for Lille’s draw against Sevilla, divided by six makes 0.500 – and Portugal could add two thirds (0.667), like FC Porto and Sporting Portugal won in the Champions League.
The Netherlands made it through this Europa League and Conference League evening fine: Feyenoord, Vitesse and AZ also contributed 0.400 to the total. Portugal could only contribute a victory for Sporting Braga worth 0.333. The only blemish on the evening is PSV’s defeat to AS Monaco, resulting in France once again running out a little bit on the Netherlands. But if we look at the virtual schedule for weather planning, the Netherlands has nibbled away 0.600 points behind Portugal.
The sub-top of the coefficient ranking in 2022/2023 (virtual position)
5. France 36,581
6. Portugal 36.550
7. NETHERLANDS 35,200
For the sake of completeness: this is what the current top fifteen of the coefficient ranking looks like. The Netherlands is at a good distance from France and Portugal, but less points to hand in this season than two countries.
The current top fifteen of the coefficient ranking
1. England 92,355 (6,714) (7/7)
2. Spain 83,998 (6,285) (7/7)
3. Italy 66,902 (5,714) (7/7)
4. Germany 64,927 (5,982) (7/7)
5. France 48,081 (6,416) (6/6)
6. Portugal 46,216 (5,750) (4/6)
7. NETHERLANDS 38,100 (8,000) (5/5)
8. Austria 34,050 (5,600) (4/5)
9. Scotland 32,100 (3,100) (2/5)
10. Russia 31,682 (2,500) (3/5)
11. Ukraine 31,000 (3,400) (3/5)
12. Sevie 29,125 (5,250) (2/4)
13. Belgium 28,600 (4,600) (4/5)
14. Switzerland 27,425 (5,500) (2/4)
15. Croatia 24,900 (3,750) (1/4)
(In brackets this season’s score and the number of European representatives)
At the end of September we retained a position in the 2021/2022: ‘are still the best seasonal European country’. England saw six of its seven representatives win, but the Netherlands still has enough margin thanks to Ajax, Feyenoord, AZ and Vitesse: 8,000 at 6,714.
The top five of the 2021/2022 standings
1. NETHERLANDS 8,000
2. England 6.714
3. France 6.416
4. Spain 6.285
5. Germany 5.928
Source: Bert Kassies
(Hein Nooijens/VoetbalPrimeur)
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