It is a thought that comes up often among those who follow football and discusses it daily: “teams, after being eliminated in the UEFA competitions, tend to show a poorer form.” Is this statement true?
In this context, Football Industry analyzed the performance of the 240 teams that participated in the last three editions of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League (2009/2010, 2010/2011 and 2011/2012) in the three games before their elimination in these competitions comparing them with the three games held after this event.
In the three seasons analyzed, the majority of the teams presented a poorer form after being eliminated in the UEFA competitions. Thus, in 2009/2010, 43% of the teams had worse outcomes after finishing their participation in these competitions. This value was 48% in 2010/2011 and 40% in 2011/2012.
Overall, the values ​​are the following ones:
[table id=150 /]
However, these values ​​differ depending on the league in which the team participates. Thus, we present below, the analysis of the performance of the teams after their elimination in UEFA competitions, by country:
[table id=151 /]
Regarding the leagues considered more competitive, the so-called Big 5 (Germany, Spain, France, England and Italy), we can observe that most of the teams from Germany, Spain and Italy had poorer results, while in the case of the English teams there is an equal number of clubs with a better and worse record and, in the case of the French teams, they tend to register better results after being eliminated from UEFA competitions.
Overall, in 15 of the 33 countries, clubs experienced a poorer form, in 8 cases better results, and in 2 there were no changes. In other countries there were equal percentages in two or more fields (eg. equal number of teams that have improved and worsened their form).
 
Notes: (1) UEFA competitions matches were not considered in the analysis of the performance of the teams before and after their elimination in these competitions (only were considered national competitions), (2) The analysis was performed from the group stage of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League onwards.
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