UEFA coefficient: France limits damage but Portugal closes in further

France's fifth place in UEFA coefficient rankings is under threat as Portugal closes the gap to just 3.146 points after strong European performances this week.

France maintained a positive week in European competition despite RC Lens's heavy 1-9 defeat to Como in the Champions League. The country recorded three victories — PSG's 6-0 win at Villarreal, Marseille's 1-0 success at Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League, and Monaco's 2-0 victory over Nordsjaelland in the Conference League — alongside three draws to secure a net gain.

However, Portugal's strong form continues to erode France's advantage. The Portuguese clubs achieved an almost perfect week with four wins and one draw across their five representatives: Sporting Lisbon beat Donetsk 1-0, Porto defeated Napoli 4-1 in the Champions League, Benfica won 3-1 against Lech Poznan in the Europa League, and second-division side Torreense surprisingly beat Ararat-Armenia 3-2 in the Conference League, with Braga drawing 0-0 against Aarhus.

France's lead has shrunk to just 3.146 points (72.296 to Portugal's 69.150), down from 3.660 the previous week. The margin has been squeezed significantly since summer when France lost the benefit of the 2021-22 season's points in the five-year rolling calculation. Portugal is currently outperforming France this season with 8.900 points to 7.214. The fifth-place finish is crucial, offering seven European spots including four Champions League places; sixth place loses one Champions League berth.