European Soccer Leagues Surpass Israel in Rankings
Translated & summarized from Sport5 by baba
Israel's soccer coefficient ranking has dropped to 25th place, with aspirations for Champions League qualification spots becoming more distant. This decline is linked to recent years where Israeli teams have not played matches in Israel, impacting their ability to earn points. Several European nations have surpassed Israel, and the upcoming difficult schedule for Hapoel Be'er Sheva raises concerns about further ranking decreases.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Israel's soccer ranking has fallen to 25th place, 0.712 points behind Ukraine.
- The goal of reaching 15th place for two Champions League qualification spots is becoming more distant.
- Several European nations have gained points, surpassing Israel in the rankings.
- Hapoel Be'er Sheva is Israel's sole representative in European competitions.
- Playing matches outside of Israel significantly hinders the country's European ranking progress.
Israel's soccer coefficient ranking has fallen to 25th place with 24.125 points, trailing Ukraine by 0.712 points. The long-held aspiration for Israel to reach 15th place, which would grant two teams qualification spots for the Champions League, is moving further out of reach. This decline is attributed to recent years where Israeli teams have not been playing matches within Israel.
Several European nations, including Cyprus (15th), Switzerland (16th), Austria (17th), Hungary (18th), Croatia (19th), Sweden (20th), and Romania (21st), have all accumulated additional points in European competitions this week. These countries generally have multiple teams participating in European tournaments, whereas Israel currently has only one representative, Hapoel Be'er Sheva, which recently lost to Union SG.
Israel has dropped two positions since August, partly due to Azerbaijani club Qabala's advancement over Hapoel Be'er Sheva in the Champions League qualifiers and Shakhtar Donetsk's progression. Slovenia, currently ranked 26th, has also sent a representative, Celje, to the Europa League, presenting a slim possibility of closing the gap.
Hapoel Be'er Sheva faces a challenging schedule ahead, including matches against Juventus, Celta Vigo, and Bournemouth. There is concern that the point deficit will widen by the end of the season, continuing a trend observed since October 7th. The inability to host matches in Israel significantly hinders the progress of Israeli teams in European competitions.
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