These are the teams that can cheat Norway for Champions League places
Right now, Norway is in 12th place on the Uefa ranking list, which determines how many teams each nation gets into the various European tournaments.
12th place gives as of today a team directly to the Champions League playoff and a team to the 2nd qualifying round in the Champions League.
Norway’s position after the current European Cup season will control how many teams Norway gets in Europe in the 2024/25 season. It is therefore number one and two in the Eliteserien 2023 that will benefit from Norway’s ranking byks.
Molde and Bodø/Glimt are Norway’s remaining representatives in Europe. These two teams have a formidable task ahead of them: to gain enough ranking points to keep a clutch of chasing nations behind Norway. Glimt is in a pool with PSV, Arsenal and FC Zürich. Molde meets Gent, Djurgården and Shamrock Rovers.
This is how the ranking list looks right now (each win gives Norway 0,500 points, a draw 0,250 points, a loss 0 points):
12. Norway (26,750)
13. Czech Republic (26,550)
14. Switzerland (26,425)
15. Russia* (26,215)
16. Ukraine (26,100)
17. Croatia (25,150)
18. Hellas (24,725)
19. Denmark (24,625)
The nations from 12th to 15th place get two teams for the Champions League qualifiers as the system is today. Uefa has announced a reorganization and expansion of the Champions League in 2024/25. Whether this affects the access list is uncertain, but there are good possibilities that today’s qualification system will be continued.
In short, Molde and Bodø/Glimt must perform better in Europe and the Czech Republic (Viktoria Plzen, Slavia Praha, Slovacko), Switzerland (Basel, Zurich), Ukraine (Shakhtar, Dinamo Kyiv, Dnipro), Hellas (Olympiakos), Croatia (Dinamo Zagreb ). ) and Denmark (FC Copenhagen, Central Jutland, Silkeborg).
Because even though one’s own success is all well and good, the failure of others is not to be despised either.
– It’s perfectly fine to wish them downstairs and home. I think that’s all right, says TV 2 expert Erik Thorstvedt.
– If we get to play in the qualifiers, it greatly increases the chance that Norwegian teams will be able to handle the last climb. It mostly means that we manage to break the Champions League barriers. I feel Norwegian football has taken great strides in recent years, Thorstvedt continues.
Bodø/Glimt’s two matches against Zür may turn out to be directly decisive for where Norway ends up on the ranking list. The positive thing for Norway is that a win in the Conference League or the Europa League counts, in terms of ranking, just like a win in the Champions League.
Czech Republic
For those who contributed to two Norwegian teams in the Champions League qualifiers, it was good that Viktoria Plzen ended up in the pool of death with Barcelona, Inter and Bayern. Slovacko (Conference League) ended up in a difficult pool with Nice, Köln and Partizan, while Slavia Praha (Conference League) got a much more affordable pool with Cluj, Ballkani and Sivasspor.
HARD START: Viktoria Plzen had a brutal encounter with Robert Lewandowski and the Champions League. Photo: PABLO MORANO
Switzerland
Bodø/Glimt’s duel with Zurich will be very important for Norwegian football. Basel (Conference League) will likely pick up a lot of ranking points against Pyunik, Slovan Bratislava and Zalgiris. Simply explained, Glimt must match Zurich, while Molde must match Basel.
Ukraine
Shakhtar is Ukraine’s only representative in the Champions League. The group with Leipzig, Real Madrid and Celtic is tough, but the Ukrainians got off to a flying start against Leipzig. It’s bad news for Norway, because the likelihood of Shakhtar finishing third or better has increased considerably. A third place in the pool gives a new opportunity in the Europa League, so Team Norway should keep their fingers crossed that the Ukrainians end up last in the pool. Dinamo Kyiv (Europa League) is in a group with Fenerbahce, AEK Larnaca and Rennes, while Dnipro (Conference League) will have good opportunities against AZ, Vaduz and Apollon.
IN FIRE AND FLAME: Mykhaylo Mudryk shocked RB Leipzig. Photo: ODD ANDERSEN
Hellas/Croatia/Denmark
Olympiakos (Europa League) and Dinamo Zagreb (Champions League) will need to perform at their best to match the points tally of the two Norwegian sides, although Glimt’s men shocked Chelsea in Zagreb. Then it is more sinister with Denmark, which has three remaining representatives in Europe. FC Copenhagen is in a pool with Dortmund, Sevilla and Manchester City. For Norway, the Danish big team should ideally end up last in this pool. Midtjylland (Europa league) will face Sturm Graz, Lazio and Feyenoord. Silke Conference League gets it safe (Conference League) against West Ham, Anderlecht and Vikings overmen FCSB.
Turkey (22,700) also has four teams in the European tournaments and can potentially threaten Norway’s ranking position.
*Russian teams are not allowed to participate in European club tournaments