The recent annual champions league draw saw Europe’s top clubs smashed together in groups of four in a melee of glitz and glamour, igniting football fans eager anticipation of the worlds (and probably the universes, as extra-terrestrial life, as of yet, has not been discovered) premier club competition.

Last season’s European club player of the year was also decided; clearly voted for by the mentally ill and cognitively challenged as Franck Ribéry beat off competition from two players with significantly better footballing ability in Ronaldo and 653 goal a season Messi. Scar hasn’t been that happy since Mufasa was thrown into all those wildebeest that were kicking off.

Anyways, I digress, the issues that are going to be addressed today is a brief explanation as to why the Arabs favourite club Manchester city are in pot 3 and short arms, deep pockets crisis club Arsenal are seeded in pot 1 (pre Ozil). In addition analysing whether or not the seeding process is outdated and flawed.

During the previous five years of European competitions (both champions’ league and Europa league), clubs competing earn ‘coefficient points’ in the following format:

UEFA Champions League points system
First qualifying round elimination – 0.5 points
Second qualifying round elimination – 1 point
Group stage
Participation – 4 points
Group stage wins – 2 points
Group stage draw – 1 point
Round of 16
Participation – 4 points
Every extra round – 1 point
Knockout stage wins – 2 points
Knockout stage draw – 1 point

UEFA Europa League points system
First qualifying round elimination – 0.25 points
Second qualifying round elimination – 0.5 points
Third qualifying round elimination – 1 point
Play-off elimination – 1.5 points
Group stage
Group stage wins – 2 points
Group stage draw – 1 point
Knockout
​Per round – 1 point

Clubs’ coefficients are determined by the sum of all points won in the previous five seasons, plus 20% of the national association coefficient over the same period, for example this benefits the likes of Barcelona, Manchester United and Bayern Munich as Spain, England and Germany are the top three country coefficients. However this hampers Celtic with Scotland lying in 24th position (largely attributed to rangers’ demise) and Ajax with the Netherlands 9th in the rankings.

There are currently 450 European teams ranked in UEFA’s club coefficients, I will crash the internet if I list the all so here are the key ones:

1st – Barcelona (157.605 points)
2nd – Munich (146.922)
3rd – Chelsea (137.592)
4th – Madrid (136.605)
5th – Man Utd (130.592)
6th – Arsenal (113.592)
22nd – Man City (70.592)
24th – Spurs (69.592)
31st – Dortmund (61.922)
50th – Fulham (45.592)
62nd – Celtic (37.538)
76th – Aston Villa (27.592)
91st – Portsmouth (22.592)

Full list can be seen at – http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/uefarankings/club/index.html

Now then, if you’re not a vampire, five years is a long time, 2008 saw horse face Leona Lewis bleed love all over the floor, a Scottish pie man was prime minister of Great Britain and I was still relatively inexperienced in bed (not to worry ladies, that’s not the case anymore!).

Much like real life, five years is an eternity in football, Portsmouth finished 8th in the premier league (now in league two… just) and Frank Lampard still had a decent hairline, wouldn’t it be more appropriate and more importantly accurate (and possibly fairer?) if the coefficient rankings were based on the last three years, eliminating a fluke couple of seasons (Liverpool in 2005 & 2006) and also not allowing clubs to ride on historical success, for example during 08/09 Shakhtar Donetsk received the most coefficient points in Europe, this has enabled them to maintain 13th position in the rankings to the modern day, when in reality their just a dodgy Ukrainian club.

Finally why clubs should be helped or hindered by their peers’ performances in European competition due to their countys coefficient? A constant grievance for the likes of Celtic, Ajax and Zenit St Petersburg but a relative insignificance for regular latter stage-ers (made up word) Barca, Munich and Chelsea.

S’il vous plaît assurez-ce mieux Michel Platini vous grenouille bâtard

OW