For their Champions League debut, the Portuguese clubs have put in some excellent performances this week. Enough to put pressure on the Netherlands, with a view to the UEFA ranking.
For the two Lisbon clubs, the only representatives of Portugal for this 2024/25 edition of the Champions League, one could not have hoped for a better start. Indeed, Sporting and Benfica both won during their first matchday of the main phase of the most prestigious of European competitions, which allowed Portugal to pick up precious points in the UEFA ranking. All the more so since, for their part, the Dutch competitors have had much less success.
Full house for Portugal
It’s a particularly promising season for Portuguese clubs in Europe. While Vitoria and Braga have held their own in recent weeks, both securing qualification for the main phase of their respective competitions, Benfica and Sporting have also enjoyed successful starts.
It was this Tuesday that the reigning Portuguese champion found the scent of a European evening. At home, and with a numerical superiority for a large part of the match, Sporting easily defeated its opponent from Lille, thanks in particular to a sublime goal from its new recruit Zeno Debast (2-0).
The ball is open, and Benfica did not fail to invite themselves to the party two days later. Opposed to Red Star Belgrade, during a match that had all the makings of a trap match, the collective led by Bruno Lage also won (1-2). A victory by the smallest of margins, made possible in particular by the goals of its two Turkish internationals, Kerem Aktürkoğlu And Orkun Kokçü.
Portugal’s excellent operation in the UEFA ranking
While waiting for the return of Porto, Braga and Vitoria to European competitions, the two Lisbon locomotives have allowed Portugal to make a big impact in the UEFA rankings. Indeed, the two successes of the week have been particularly beneficial for the Portuguese nation.
The latter have brought back no less than 4 points (2 points per victory), which must be divided by 5, i.e. the number of Portuguese teams involved in European competitions at the start of the competition, to obtain the real advance of the Portuguese over the week. Thus, Portugal has obtained a real advance of 0.800 points; as many units as the Portuguese nation, currently ranked seventh, has been able to take back from its main competitor.
While the Portuguese clubs were shining, their Dutch rivals showed a completely different side. On Tuesday, PSV suffered a heavy defeat in Turin against Juventus (3-1), before Feyenoord’s club was pulverised by Bayer Leverkusen (0-4), with a goal from the former Benfica player Alex Grimaldo.
Two slaps received, which therefore did not allow the Netherlands to bring back a single point from these two European outings, with a view to the UEFA ranking. If they are still in front, the Dutch have thus seen the gap narrow with their closest pursuer. Now, Portugal has no less than 51.016 points in the UEFA ranking, while the Netherlands, still sixth, only have 3.884 more.
A good move to play in the UEFA ranking?
With the increase in the number of matches, explained by the arrival of new formats in the main European competitions, Portugal could thus catch up and regain sixth place this season. This is also the trend that is emerging, given the recent performances of clubs from the two competing nations.
Portugal is currently the nation with the most points so far this season, among the top eight teams in this UEFA ranking (5,000 points). The Netherlands, meanwhile, have only generated 3,000, making them the lowest score in the top nine so far. It remains to be seen whether the momentum will continue in the coming weeks, as Porto and Braga prepare to return to the Europa League.
The UEFA ranking as of September 20, 2024
1 – England – 90,017 points
2 – Italy – 79,731 points
3 – Spain – 74,561 points
4 – Germany – 72,410 points
5 – France – 59,379 points
6 – Netherlands – 54,900 points
7 – Portugal – 51,016 points
8 – Belgium – 44,600 points
9 – Czech Republic – 39,250 points
10 – Türkiye – 36,100 points
Photo credit: PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA | Credits: AFP via Getty Images
Alexandre Ribeiro launched the Trivela.fr website in 2019 and now runs it alongside his colleagues. Passionate about Portuguese football as a whole, and especially the Portuguese national team, it is with all his energy and involvement that he brings this media to life on a daily basis.
