If FC Porto and Sporting are eliminated, not even European champions Benfica can save Portugal

There is no other way to say it. The week is very crucial for Portugal’s accounts in the UEFA ranking. FC Porto and Sporting will play the second leg of the round of 16 of the Champions League and Europa League, and if both fail, the league will lose sixth place and a place in the 2024/25 Champions League.

With Benfica already in the Champions League quarter-finals, Portugal will have to keep at least one more club in Europe in order not to lose the position to the Netherlands this week.

Not even with European champions Benfica winning every game

The Eredivisie coefficient is currently 57,900 (see standings below) and two teams are in the UEFA competition (AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord). But let’s say they both lose and get eliminated too. That is, the Netherlands does not score more than that. Thus, it remains at the level of 57900 which Portugal has to reach. This would only be possible if Benfica had a company.

If FC Porto and Sporting are eliminated on penalties, Portugal can still get two points for the blue and white victory in regular time and one from the lions for the draw in London. This will be the last points they both score this season. This leaves Portugal with a coefficient of 55,883. It is still far from the 57,900 that the Eredivisie already has.

So, Benfica’s European campaign is missing out. Not even in the best-case scenario for incarnates, it is possible to save the era if the dragons and lions are annihilated.

Because if Benfica is European champion and wins every game, they will score maximum 40 points in the season. These 40, plus the three that FC Porto and Sporting will have despite the exclusion, will take Portugal to a coefficient of 57,883. Below, then, are the 57,900 that the Eredivisie already has.

Points for each club this season

With the retention of at least two teams in UEFA, the scenario improves, but remains very difficult, not least because AZ Alkmaar is ahead tied with Lazio and Feyenoord tied with Shakhtar Donetsk and is now playing in Rotterdam.

With Benfica, Porto and Sporting all in European competitions, Portugal’s chances of maintaining sixth place are increasing, but even so, an exceptional European campaign is needed to retain what is understood to be about to be lost, even if it is Portugal. , are currently having a better season than the Dutch (see club points below).

For 2024/25, the most likely league will have only two Champions League places (one direct and one through qualification), although there is a new model for reaching the Champions League for this season.