Scotland are on the brink of dropping in the coefficient rankings with clubs from Belgium and Austria pouncing on a dreadful week for Europe's SPFL representatives.
Hearts ' 5-1 trouncing against Fiorentina means it's now 10 defeats in 12 group stage games for them, Celtic and Rangers. The Hoops lost 3-1 to Leipzig at home to end their qualification chances while Rangers were thumped a record-equaling 7-1 at home to Liverpool - leaving them needing four points from Ajax and Napoli, as well as a favour from Liverpool, to even finish third and drop into the Europa League.
Glasgow's big two were handed a juicy two coefficient bonus points each for qualifying for the Champions League but points are averaged out among the teams, meaning Scotland have taken just 2.90 coefficient points so far - on course for our worst finish in years. For context, only two teams in the current top 30 - Greece (20th) and Kazakhstan (30th) - have managed fewer coefficient points this season.
Scotland are eighth but we might not be for much longer as Belgium and Austria look to close the gap. While Scotland didn't add a single point to their total this week, Belgium are flying up with Union SG and Club Brugge picking up points this week to move them within 0.40 points of us as things stand. It means just one more disastrous week and we could be down to ninth place.
Austria also made up some ground with their 0.60 points this week, earned through Salzburg drawing with Dinamo Zagreb set to move their nation up, moving them onto 33.00 points as things stand and realistically within a couple of wins of taking us over.
It gets even worse when you consider that each of our three teams need minor miracles to play European football of any description after the break. There are too many permutations to get into but they each need at least four points from their final two games, as well as potential favours from elsewhere, or they are out.
That's in deep contrast with the two nations breathing down our neck. Club Brugge are top of their group and already through; Gent and Anderlecht can still join them as qualified teams or drop into the Europa League. The same goes for RB Salzburg (currently in a qualification spot) and Austria Vienna while Sturm Graz can still finish third.
Any of those teams getting through and gaining the chance to add more points to the board could spell disaster, especially if none of the Scottish trio pull off a miracle and do the same. None of this is an immediate danger, of course, as the standings aren't refreshed until the season after next; but that also means we won't get a chance to immediately rectify this season. There is a very real chance of Scotland being booted out of the top 10 and facing a return to multiple playoffs for the champions by 2024/25.
Coefficient table as things stand
| Place | Country | Points (22/23) | Points (total) |
| 8th | Scotland | 2.90 | 35.80 |
| 9th | Belgium | 7.40 | 35.40 |
| 10th | Austria | 3.90 | 33.00 |
| 11th | Serbia | 4.125 | 31.125 |
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