France is clear: “Come on, West Ham”, headlines the newspaper L’Équipe. If AZ Alkmaar knock out the London side in the Conference League semi-finals, the Netherlands will claim fifth place in the UEFA rankings. A classification to consider, as it allows France to have up to three teams in the Champions League. If they lose that position, only the champion will enter Europe’s top competition directly, while the runner-up will have to play in the previous round.
For years France has tried to disprove those who believe it is a minor league. It happens that he runs out of arguments because the numbers don’t lie. Their clubs have relegated to continental competitions without reaching the finals, a failure as a model that needs review. With the elimination of Nice from the Conference League, there are no European representatives left who can change this trend.
France is not doing well. Not so much for a question of talent but for the mentality to succeed. In the first exchange, PSG collapsed against a Bayern that did not panic as on other occasions. Marseille was left out of Europe after finishing last in the group stage of the Champions League, unable to find a place between Tottenham, Eintracht and Sporting. Two symptoms resulting from the lack of character of French clubs.
In the Europa League, more of the same. Rennes, Monaco and Nantes bid farewell early, in the round of 32 of the competition. In the Conference League, Nice were disappointed when they fell to Basel. After a draw in the first leg in Switzerland, the second leg ended in extra time with a fatal finish for the team Didier Digard. It was the last hope for France, who were left for another season without international success.
England tops the UEFA coefficient. They are followed by Spain, Germany and Italy, in that order. France, which is ranked fifth with 61,164 points, sees the Netherlands dangerously chasing them, which has 59,900 points. Behind are the problems of Ligue 1, a competition with young and talented footballers who moved on too early. A persistent situation that significantly reduces the quality of the product in France, which is heading for the cliff.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
