European Club Rankings: Barcelona Fall; Manchester United & Juventus Rise
It's Champions League quarter-final week!
Time to get excited, but it's also time for a health check. What state are Europe's top teams in heading into what will be their biggest games of the season so far? Atletico Madrid are recovering nicely, but Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona and Bayern Munich have all lost games in the last seven days.
The rankings are season-long in their measurement of clubs. Previous editions only took recent form into account (spanning four to six weeks), but this version tracks teams throughout 2016-17.
Teams that have lost the fewest games in all competitions naturally rank higher, and Champions League form and presence is used as a tiebreaker for those with similar records.
25-21
1 of 13
25. Atalanta (New!)
Climbing back into the rankings is Atalanta. Despite drawing with Sassuolo on Saturday and conceding their first home goal of the year, they're on a healthy trajectory and still firmly in with a shout of achieving European football for next season.
24. AC Milan (+1)
A thumping 4-0 win over Palermo sees AC Milan move up a spot, but any good feelings drawn from the game have been tempered somewhat by the reports linking Gerard Deulofeu with a move back to Barcelona, such as in Sport).
23. Hoffenheim (Stay)
Hoffenheim beat Bayern Munich on Tuesday thanks to an Andrej Kramaric stunner but came crashing back down to earth with a loss to Hamburg on Saturday.
22. Arsenal (Stay)
Arsenal take on Crystal Palace on Monday evening in a game they simply have to win—or else a place in the Premier League top four will move even further into the distance.
21. OGC Nice (Stay)
Another week, another slender victory for OGC Nice. They're unerringly consistent in how they're able to grind them out and keep pace in Ligue 1.
20-16
2 of 13
20. Lazio (-2)
A mixed week for Lazio. They progressed to the Coppa Italia final by scraping past Roma on aggregate but were then turned over 3-0 by Napoli on Sunday.
19. Manchester United (+1)
Manchester United dropped yet more points at home on Tuesday, drawing with Everton, but they beat Sunderland at the Stadium of Light comfortably on Sunday. Marcus Rashford scored his first Premier League goal in months to complete a great day's work.
18. FC Porto (+1)
FC Porto kept themselves within a point of Benfica by beating Belenenses 3-0 at the Dragao on Saturday. Tiquinho Soares scored his 10th goal for the club despite only joining in January.
17. Sevilla (-2)
Sevilla napped their ridiculous run of failures by beating Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday, but the bad taste of the 3-0 rollocking Barcelona gave them on Wednesday still lingers.
16. Manchester City (Stay)
Manchester City represent a confusing team. They can't play well for 90 minutes, and that leads to defeat when facing teams such as Chelsea.
15-11
3 of 13
15. Roma (+2)
Roma's midweek Coppa Italia win over Lazio was in vain, as the 3-2 scoreline wasn't enough to overcome the aggregate deficit. They took out their frustrations on Bologna on Sunday, smashing them 3-0.
14. Liverpool (-1)
The Reds won their first Premier League game this season without Sadio Mane against Stoke City but messed up against AFC Bournemouth (again) to drop valuable points on Wednesday.
13. RB Leipzig (+1)
RB Leipzig move above Liverpool after winning both of their games this past week. Champions League football for next season was all but secured in the process.
12. Benfica (-2)
Benfica overcame something of a scare on Wednesday, drawing 3-3 with Estoril to advance to the Taca de Portugal final on aggregate. It shouldn't have been that close.
11. Tottenham Hotspur (+1)
Tottenham Hotspur have managed to transform their mindset, it seems, into one fit for champions. Their late show against Swansea City impressed, but their outright destruction of Watford on Saturday truly made people sit up and notice.
10. Napoli
4 of 13
Last Week: 11th
Movement: +1
Napoli's chances of claiming silverware this season are all but finished; their 3-2 win over Juventus in the Coppa Italia on Wednesday was fantastic, but it wasn't enough to overturn the aggregate deficit. Out of the Champions League and well behind in Serie A, that's them likely done for 2016-17.
But it's important to note just how many huge steps forward they've taken this season. If manager Maurizio Sarri can hold on to what he's got for one more year, then the 2017-18 campaign could see the Partenopei challenge for trophies.
They're brilliant. They're just lacking that formidable essence that comes with prolonged periods at the top.
9. Borussia Dortmund
5 of 13
Last Week: 9th
Movement: None
Once again, Borussia Dortmund were shown rather firmly where the line is in the Bundesliga. Saturday's 4-1 loss to Bayern Munich featured some good periods but lacked the imperiousness with which their opponents played.
The result matters little to manager Thomas Tuchel. In the back of his mind, he'd have been preparing for their Champions League tie with Monaco. They're still in a reasonably healthy position in the league.
8. Monaco
6 of 13
Last Week: 7th
Movement: -1
Monaco have slowed down a little of late, and despite winning 1-0 on Saturday to remain top of Ligue 1, they slide a spot in these rankings.
Ahead of a tough Champions League tie against Borussia Dortmund, they'll be mulling over mixed injury and suspension news: Radamel Falcao is back (he scored against Angers on Saturday), but Djibril Sidibe looks set to miss Tuesday's game and Tiemoue Bakayoko is suspended.
7. Atletico Madrid
7 of 13
Last Week: 8th
Movement: +1
Atletico Madrid's steady climb up the rankings continues. They've improved tenfold since the turn of the year, having seemingly refound their old, stubborn selves after a period of soul-searching.
Their late equaliser at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday ruined their rivals' day and also spoke of the resilience and determination in their play. It sets them up rather nicely for their upcoming Champions League quarter-final, as it'll take a mentally strong team to overcome Leicester City, who have so little to lose.
6. Paris Saint-Germain
8 of 13
Last Week: 6th
Movement: None
Since their dramatic loss to Barcelona at the Camp Nou in March, Paris Saint-Germain have won five straight games and scored 16 goals in the process, progressing in one domestic cup competition, winning the other and keeping the heat on Monaco at the top of Ligue 1.
Edinson Cavani came within inches of netting a hat-trick against Guingamp on Sunday, scoring twice but also striking the woodwork, while Angel Di Maria continued his 2017 renaissance.
5. Chelsea
9 of 13
Last Week: 5th
Movement: None
Chelsea made the ideal response to the shock loss against Crystal Palace, recording two wins in the space of four days—one against a strong Manchester City outfit—to take them that little bit closer to the Premier League title.
Antonio Conte juggled his squad nicely in the midst of some serious fixture congestion: the central-midfield selection was rotated, the formation was tweaked here and there and the return of Victor Moses for the Bournemouth match solidified the side.
Social media continues to mutter about a potential Tottenham Hotspur title challenge, but this Blues side are relentless; they won't drop enough points to make the race interesting.
4. Barcelona
10 of 13
Last Week: 3rd
Movement: -1
Barcelona's incredible ability to make life difficult for themselves knows no bounds.
Having witnessed Atletico Madrid's late leveller at the Bernabeu on Saturday open up the chance to draw level with Real Madrid at the top of La Liga with a victory later that evening, they fell 2-0 to a Malaga side that have only just sealed their safety from the threat of relegation.
Los Boquerones are traditionally a bogey side for Barca—it's strange, but something about the shape of Carlos Kameni in goal freaks Lionel Messi and Co. out—but with so much on the line, they were expected to negotiate the evening with success.
3. Juventus
11 of 13
Last Week: 4th
Movement: +1
Juventus' midweek 3-2 loss to Napoli counted for little, as they still did just enough to emerge victorious on aggregate. It was obvious manager Max Allegri was looking to simply do enough to progress, sending out a rotated team that included Stefano Sturaro and Tomas Rincon.
The 2-0 win over Chievo on Saturday was much more like it, and Gonzalo Higuain's two goals brought him a little closer to Andrea Belotti and Edin Dzeko in the Capocannoniere standings. It sets them up quite nicely for their Champions League quarter-final against Barcelona, whom they've just leapfrogged in these rankings.
2. Real Madrid
12 of 13
Last Week: 2nd
Movement: None
The past week was good for Real Madrid and Zinedine Zidane, but not perfect; Antoine Griezmann's late strike in the Madrid derby, enough to force a draw, took the gloss off right at the last.
Fortunately, the result didn't cost them. Barcelona's loss to Malaga meant Real Madrid can open up a six-point lead at the top of La Liga if their game in hand brings a maximum-points haul.
The win over Leganes on Wednesday came despite all three of Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo being rested. They'll be in tip-top shape for their Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
1. Bayern Munich
13 of 13
Last Week: 1st
Movement: None
Despite losing their fourth game of the season, falling 1-0 to Hoffenheim on Tuesday because of a pretty insipid display, Bayern Munich remain top of the rankings.
Why? Because they banished their demons in style just days later, smashing Borussia Dortmund 4-1 at the Allianz Arena to gear up for the Champions League quarter-finals in ominous fashion.
Against Hoffenheim, Carlo Ancelotti rotated his team heavily and will have learned some important lessons—mostly regarding his midfield makeup—correcting the formula on Saturday.
They host Real Madrid on Wednesday. You can be certain that whoever wins that game will be No. 1 in the rankings next week.
All statistics via WhoScored.com
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