12 augustus 2021 – The Netherlands continues to be successful in the coefficient ranking. The victories of PSV, Feyenoord and Vitesse yielded a hundred percent score this week. Things are going so well in the European preliminaries that there are almost as many points as in the dramatic 2017/2018 season.
Four seasons ago, the Netherlands collected a total of 2.9 points. Already, after a few duels in the preliminary rounds, that score stands at 2.6 points. It is indicative of the flying start that Dutch club football has in terms of results. Ultimately, it is about Portugal – the number six on the UEFA ranking – increasingly in the crosshairs this season. Sixth place gives the Eredivisie two direct tickets for the Champions League.
It is not realistic to say that the Netherlands will push Portugal from sixth place this season. Because the results of the aforementioned disaster year still count, the gap with the Portuguese is still very considerable. Portugal has almost 42.8 points, more than ten more than the Netherlands. In the next two weeks, PSV can already reduce that deficit if it reaches the main tournament of the Champions League at the expense of Benfica. That gives the Netherlands four bonus points.
If the Dutch clubs manage to continue with the current line, we will be really close to Portugal next season. Then the results of the catastrophic season will also expire. In any case, the Netherlands can look upwards, because the gap to the bottom is large. The chasing countries Russia, Scotland, Austria and Ukraine have already lost their first European participants. The direct CL ticket that the Netherlands already possesses therefore does not seem to be in danger.
Current state of affairs
5. France 43,331 (6/6)
6. Portugal 42.799 (6/6)
7. Netherlands 32,700 (5/5)
8. Russia 30,582 (4/5)
9. Scotland 30,700 (4/5)
10. Austria 29,350 (4/5)
11. Ukraine 29,100 (3/5)
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