Fewer Portuguese clubs in Champions League and Uefa Cup in future

Portugal slides down Uefa rankings table 

Following this week’s results in European club competitions, Portugal is in danger of having a reduced number of teams competing in the Champions League and Uefa Cup in the coming seasons.

It is already defined that in 2009/2010 Portugal will lose one team in the Champions League. The domestic champions this season will qualify automatically, but the second-placed team will have to get through the 3rd and 4th qualifying rounds to reach the competition proper, while the team that finishes 3rd in the Liga Sagres will qualify for the revamped Uefa Cup, to be renamed the Europa League.

The country quotas for the 2010/2011 season are decided based on the Uefa rankings table at the end of this season. The two draws (FC Porto and Braga) and one defeat (Sporting) summed this week means Portugal are very close to be overtaken in the table by Ukraine, who still have three clubs involved in this season’s Uefa Cup, two of whom face each other in the next round, and so are certain to collect more points.

If Portugal drop to 10th place in the rankings table, only the winner of the Portuguese Cup will have direct access to the Uefa Cup, while the Liga’s 3rd placed team will have to go through the qualifying round.

See the Uefa rankings table by clicking here.