A successful European week for the Belgian clubs. Thanks to the draws of Union, Anderlecht and AA Gent, some points were collected for the European coefficient.
Reclaiming the direct 2024 Champions League ticket. That was the main goal this season for our Belgian clubs in Europe. After the extremely successful 2016-2017 season dropped out of the UEFA coefficient ranking calculation, Belgium lost that ticket for at least one season. This year’s national champion must therefore first complete preliminary rounds towards the champions ball next summer.
However, thanks to the strong performance of the Belgian clubs before New Year, this is limited to one season. In 2024 we are again certain of direct qualification for the Champions League. The unique wintering of Club Brugge, Union, Anderlecht and AA Gent – and Antwerp’s share in the preliminary rounds – gave Belgium an 8th place in the UEFA ranking again. The top ten is certain of a direct Champions League ticket.
LOOK. Brian Riemer after the draw against Villarreal
But it doesn’t have to stop there. This spring is even a unique opportunity to enormously strengthen our position in that top ten. After all, Scotland, our first pursuer at exactly 3,000 points, lost all its clubs in the group stage and can therefore no longer take any points this season.
Number ten Austria has already lost all its clubs. RB Salzburg was eliminated in the previous round of the Europa League by AS Roma. Austria is now 6,000 points behind Belgium. And that can only add points. The Belgian clubs also did an excellent job against number eleven Serbia. Partizan did overwinter in the Conference League, but immediately went out in the previous round against Moldavian Sheriff Tiraspol. Serbia already follows Belgium on more than 7,000 points.
Top 11 country ranking UEFA coefficient (last five years)
1. England: 105,141 points
2. Spain: 90,141
3. Germany: 81,356
4. Italy: 75,497
5. France: 60,664
6. The Netherlands: 57,900
7. Portugal: 55.382
8. Belgium: 40,000
9. Scotland: 36,400
10. Austria: 34,000
11. Serbia: 32,375
The importance of that direct CL ticket is beyond dispute. The starting money in the group stage alone is already a jackpot at 15.64 million euros. There is a record revenue for Club Brugge this season. But all European playing clubs benefit from a higher UEFA ranking, which decides in which phase of which competition they start. The higher you climb, the better your tickets.
Although even the greatest optimists will have to admit that the current eighth place will be the highest achievable for our country for a while. The gap to number seven, Portugal, has now increased to more than 15,000 points.
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