This week will give a lot of answers. The end of the European Cup group stages and the bonuses possibly awarded to the different teams, beyond the results of the matches, will give more depth to this sixth day.
Before this, France (58.831) is behind the Netherlands (59.300) in its quest for fifth place in the UEFA index. A misleading classification: it would be reversed without the 5 bonus points already counted for PSV Eindhoven, guaranteed to be in the round of 16 of the Champions League.
But these will be the only bonus points that the residents of the Dutch Championship will be able to glean. On the French side, they should accumulate at the end of this European parenthesis. In the worst case scenario, there will be 5. In the best case, the total can go up to 19.
Five French clubs guaranteed to have a European future
The positions of the French clubs are much more comfortable after the first five days, the results of which have always been more favorable to them. Five of the six Ligue 1 representatives are already assured of a European future in the spring and the points potential that comes with it.
Only Lens can lose its third place, synonymous with the Europa League play-off, by losing against Sevilla FC this evening. For Paris-SG, many scenarios (even a defeat) can allow it to see the 8th of C1 and its 5 bonus points, otherwise it will be transferred to the C3 play-offs. However, these offer two matches to accumulate result points (2 for a victory, 1 for a draw) and 1 point will be added in the event of qualification for the round of 16. In addition, between C1 and C3, the points scale is the same.
In the Europa League, a first place allows you to stock up on bonus points straight away and avoid any unpleasant surprises in the play-offs. However, Marseille and Rennes can be satisfied with a draw, respectively at Brighton and against Villarreal, on Thursday, to validate it.
Toulouse can no longer aspire to it but a point in Linz (or even a bad result for Union Saint-Gilloise against Liverpool) will allow it to be a barrage and possibly continue in a more profitable C3: in C4, this It is only from the semi-finals that there is 1 participation bonus point in each round and not from the 8th.
Only two Dutch clubs left?
Apart from PSV Eindhoven and Feyenoord, third in its C1 group and which will be transferred to the C3 play-offs, the other Dutch clubs are on the brink of collapse. Ajax Amsterdam must win against AEK Athens to obtain the C4 play-offs, not even C3. And AZ Alkmaar is also forced to win, on the lawn of Legia Warsaw, to join them there.
If they both fail, the Batavians will only have two entries left and the points earned subsequently will continue to be divided by five, i.e. by the number of teams registered at the start of the season (Twente had already left in august).
France has therefore taken the lead in the race for fifth place, which would allow it to keep four tickets in the Champions League (three direct plus one in the preliminary rounds) and seven teams qualified for the European Cups in total in 2025- 2026, as will already be the case next season.
