On Friday 1 September, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) drew the groups for the Europa League, the second most important European competition for clubs.
The three French representatives, Marseille, Toulouse and Rennes, have taken very different paths to find themselves there, and some could end the season in another European cup. Disconcerting? Yes. A short guide to getting there.
The Champions League (C1)
It is the queen competition, the one that brings together the cream of European football and achieves the best audiences. Heir to the Champion Clubs’ Cup (1955-1992), nicknamed C1, it changed its face and name in 1993.
The final phase opposes thirty-two teams divided into eight pools of four. Are directly qualified:
– the winners of the Champions League (Manchester City) and the Europa League (Eintracht Frankfurt) of the previous year;
– the top four of the top four leagues (England, Spain, Germany, Italy);
– the first two of the secondary championships (France, Portugal).
The ten other participants come from preliminary rounds or play-offs, more or less numerous depending on the level of their championship. The third in Ligue 1 must thus pass two preliminary rounds, while the champion of Andorra must win six to qualify.
The top two teams from each group qualify for the round of 16 in home and away matches, with direct elimination, until the final, which is played over a single match.
The clubs that come third in their pool are transferred to the round of 16 of the Europa League. The fourth are eliminated.
This is his last year under the current format.
– Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), champion of France 2023;
– the RC Lens, his runner-up.
Olympique de Marseille, 3rd in the championship, was eliminated in the play-off.
– PSG: Borussia Dortmund (Germany), AC Milan (Italy) and Newcastle (England);
– RC Lens: FC Sevilla (Spain), Arsenal (England), PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands).
June 1, 2024 at Wembley (London).
One victory (Olympique de Marseille in 1993) and six finals lost (Stade de Reims in 1956 and 1959, AS Saint-Etienne in 1976, Olympique de Marseille in 1991, AS Monaco in 2004, Paris Saint-Germain in 2020).
The Europa League (C3)
Called the UEFA Cup until 2009, this competition is historically aimed at teams that have not been able to qualify for the Champions League.
The Cup Winners’ Cup, which opposed the winners of each national cup and was nicknamed C2, was abolished in 1999 and has never been replaced, which is why we are now moving from C1 to C3.
The final phase opposes thirty-two teams divided into eight pools of four.
Their composition is very heterogeneous. It brings together:
– the winner of the previous Europa League Conference (West Ham United);
– eleven teams from the top six European leagues in the UEFA rankings;
– ten winners of the play-offs;
– ten teams eliminated in the last two qualifying rounds for the Champions League.
It is significantly more complex than the Champions League. The group winners are qualified for the round of 16. The runners-up are qualified for the round of 16 against the third-placed C1 hens. The third and the fourth are eliminated.
– Olympique de Marseille, 3rd in Ligue 1, drafted from the Champions League play-offs;
– Stade Rennais, 4th in Ligue 1;
– the Toulouse Football Club, winner of the Coupe de France.
– Marseille: Ajax Amsterdam (Netherlands), Brighton (England), AEK Athens (Greece);
– Rennes: Villareal (Spain), Maccabi Haifa FC (Israel), Panathinaikos (Greece);
– Toulouse: Liverpool FC (England), Linzer ASK (Austria), Union Saint-Gilloise (Belgium).
On May 22, 2024, in Dublin (Ireland).
Five finals, all lost (SC Bastia in 1978, Girondins de Bordeaux in 1996, Olympique de Marseille in 1999, 2004 and 2018).
The Europa League Conference (C4)
The most recent of the competitions was created in 2021 to allow small nations, often eliminated in the preliminary rounds of C1 and C3, to still participate in a European Cup.
It is also aimed at those drafted from the Europa League and at clubs that have finished between fifth and seventh place in the major championships.
The final phase opposes thirty-two teams divided into eight pools of four.
This is the only cup for which no team is directly qualified for the group stage. It brings together:
– twenty-two winners of qualifying matches,
– ten teams eliminated from the Europa League play-offs.
The fifth in the French championship must play a play-off round to qualify.
It is identical to the Europa League. The group winners are qualified for the round of 16. The second hens are qualified for the round of 16 against the third hens of C3. The third and fourth are eliminated.
– Lille (5th in Ligue 1, winner of its play-off).
– Lille: SK Slovan Brastislava (Slovakia), NK Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia) and KI Klaksvik (Iceland).
On May 29, 2024, in Athens (Greece).
A lost semi-final (Olympique de Marseille in 2022).
The Women’s Champions League
Created in 2001, it is currently the only European competition for women’s football clubs.
The final phase opposes sixteen teams divided into four pools of four. Are automatically qualified:
– the defending team;
– the champions of the three best European championships (France, Germany, Spain).
The other participants must go through several qualifying matches.
The top two teams from each group qualify for the quarter-finals in home and away matches, with direct elimination, until the final, over a single match.
– Olympique Lyonnais (OL), champion of France;
– PSG, second, will have to play a preliminary round in mid-October.
We ignore it for the moment. The draw will take place on October 20, 2023.
End of May, in Bilbao (Spain).
OL players set a record by winning eight Champions Leagues between 2011 and 2022. French clubs have also lost three finals (OL in 2010, PSG in 2015 and 2017).