Yeah, those things that we aren't partaking of this season. Doesn't mean there aren't implications, however.
Of course I'm talking about the famous co-efficient. I won't go into the totally boring details and incomprehensible (to most) math, but for any possible newcomer to the blog, basically a countries coefficient is how well every team from that country did in both European competitions averaged over FIVE YEARS. That number is what determines how many teams from each league go to said European competitions.
Currently Germany is very close to Italy, due to sub par results by the teams that were sent to the competitions during the Calciopoli scandal years (excepting Milan of course, as they won the Champions League that season). Italy ONLY retained an advantage over Germany last season with Inter's defeat in regular time over Bayern Munich. If it had gone to extra time, Germany would have overtaken Italy.
So, for the next few years, Italy as a whole, needs to perform better than Germany on the European Stage.
That brings us to this seasons competitions, both of which are at the group stage. in the group stage a win or tie adds points to your co-efficient, as well as ultimately winning the group.
This week, the biggest match for co-efficient watchers is Roma at Bayern Munich on Wednesday. Roma hasn't done much in League so far, with a loss and a draw, lets hope they were saving it up for this one, although it must be said that a single win (or loss) for any team at this stage is by no means something for a co-efficient watcher to commit hari kari over.
Bayern is mid table, with a win, a loss and a draw. On paper it looks to be a fair matchup. We shall see
other matches with coefficient implications
tue - CL
Inter @ Twente - one would expect an italy result
Hotspurs @ werder bremen - another fair matchup. hotspurs first action since the war or something
schalke @ lyon - the french have made themselves a home in this stage of the CL. I'd be shocked if it didnt continue here
wed - CL
auxerre at ac milan - would be a shocker if milan scrwed the pootch on this one
roma @ bayern - see above
thu - europa league
lech poznan @ juve - cmon
Sampdoria @ Eindhoven - that's a tough spot, but i expect a result
palermo @ sparta prague - god, who knows
napoli home to utrecht - who?
and the german contingent
rosenborg @ bayer leverkusan
young boys @ stuttgart
borussia dortmund @ Karpaty Lviv
if you really must see the gory details, i'll borrow from Wikipedia:
The league coefficient is used to rank the leagues of Europe, and thus determine the number of clubs from a league that will participate in UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.
The UEFA ranking determines the number of teams competing in the season after the next, not in the first season after the publication of the ranking. Thus, the 2011 ranking determines the allocation in 2012–13, not 2011–12.
This coefficient is determined by the results of the clubs of the leagues in UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League games over the past five seasons. Two points are awarded for each win by a club, and one for a draw. Goals scored in extra time do count in determining the outcome of a game, but any penalty kick result does not affect the allocation of points other than the bonus points. The number of points awarded each season is divided by the number of teams that participated for that nation in that season. This number is then rounded to three decimal places (e.g. 2 2/3 would be rounded to 2.667).
For the league coefficient the season's league coefficients for the last five seasons must be added up. In the preliminary rounds of both the Champions League and Europa League, the awarded points are halved. Bonus points are allocated for:
* Qualifying for the Champions League group phase. (4 bonus points)
* Reaching the second round of the Champions League. (5 bonus points)
* Reaching the quarter, semi and final of either the Champions League or the Europa League. (1 bonus point)
The bonus points are added to the number of points scored in a season.