Despite a short week, France keeps its distance

FOOTBALL – France maintains its 5th place in the UEFA index despite a week marked by four defeats in six matches.

France 5th, Portugal gets closer to the Netherlands

France says thank you to LOSC and OL, two of its spearheads in Europe. The only two French clubs to have won their European meeting this week. A 2-1 success for Lille, on the pitch in Bologna, while the Lyonnais hit hard, winning their meeting 4-1 this Thursday evening. A Nice clearing, in a slightly more complicated week, with four defeats. PSG and Nice are now in great difficulty, respectively in the Champions League and the Europa League, while Stade Brestois logically gave in to FC Barcelona (0-3). AS Monaco, reduced to 10, lost 3-2 on home soil against Benfica Lisbon.

Benfica is the spearhead of the Portuguese championship, which never ceases to amaze on the European scene. If, on the results of the 2024-2025 season, England has moved back in front (10,714 points), thanks to the fifth days, the Portuguese continue to occupy an astonishing 2nd place on the results of the season. With 10,400 points. And here they are again, back within three points of 6th place, occupied by the Netherlands (59,233 against 56,416).

France slows down compared to the big names

No panic for France, which still occupies a comfortable fifth place, with 63,807 points. French people who have scored 8,642 points since the start of the season. But who are overtaken, over the season by Spain, which again won a match against France (Barcelona – Brest) and Germany (where the Bayern Munich – PSG duel weighed in the balance). Spain is at 9,000 points and Germany 9,375. Italy stands out a little more, with 10,125 points.

And it’s a ranking that interests us. As a reminder, whether it is Germany or Spain, it is not the same music for 2020-2021, whose points will disappear at the start of next season. Germany will lose 15,214 points and Spain 19,500. France can come back to within 3 points of Spain and 5 of Germany, if it manages to maintain the pace throughout the season. Done in 2023-2024 (16,083 points for France, 15,312 for Spain and 17,928 for Germany). There is something to dream about. England (94.874 points) seems out of reach, as does its runner-up, Italy (84.108). Even if Italy will lose much less than the English at the start of next season (24,357 against 16,285).

Reminder of the calculation

As a reminder, the calculation is done like this: two points for a victory, one point for a draw, one point for qualification to the next round and zero for a defeat. A qualification in the round of 16 of Champions League or Ligue Europa brings four points, and any qualification then brings one point. In Ligue Europathese are four points for the group winner and two points for the second. In Conference Leaguethese are two points for the group winner and one point for the second. Each lap passed from the semi-finals onwards brings one point.