This Thursday, the eliminations of LOSC and Lyon (OL) in the Europa League Round of 16 marked a disappointing turn for French football. For the first time since the 2022-2023 season, no French clubs will be present in the quarterfinals of the competition. This series of setbacks raises a critical question: were these eliminations inevitable, or are there deeper factors explaining the persistent difficulties faced by French clubs on the European stage?
