European Club Rankings After September 29 to October 1 Matches
We're in "full-flow" territory when it comes to describing the 2017-18 season and its events. Most of Europe's top teams have played 10-plus games, so we're able to truly gauge them and define their strengths and characteristics.
We haven't seen too much in terms of change at the top this week, but the middle order has shifted freely and Bayern Munich have dropped as a result of their poor run.
The rankings are a season-long measurement of clubs. Just like last term, they track teams throughout 2017/18, taking into account results from all competitions.
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Teams that have lost the fewest games naturally rank higher—though the strength of opposition met in a loss is considered—and both Champions League form and presence are used as tiebreakers for those with similar records. Those who gather big wins against strong opposition get a natural boost.
20. RB Leipzig (Stay)
RB Leipzig are officially on notice. Any more slip-ups and they'll be dropping from our top 20.
They have lost two of their last four, and were it not for Hoffenheim and AC Milan (their prospective replacements) also dropping points, they'd be gone already. They should be watching out for Valencia, too.
19. Liverpool (-2)
Liverpool are the footballing equivalent of Groundhog Day: It's the same thing over and over and over.
Two draws this week see them drop to the lower reaches of our rankings, and Sunday's 1-1 scoreline with Newcastle United was just typical, standard, infuriatingly classic Liverpool.
Lots of possession, lots of chances missed, one eventually scored...and then a ridiculous goal conceded thanks to one ball that splits the centre-halves.
18. AS Roma (+1)
AS Roma are widely perceived to be not as good as they were in 2016-17, but it seems head coach Eusebio Di Francesco has something to say about that.
The Giallorossi won what was Serie A's most eye-catching game of the weekend against Milan 2-0, and their record in both league and Champions League play is good. Were they not a game behind due to a postponement (against Sampdoria), they might be just a point shy of Juventus.
17. Arsenal (+1)
Arsenal simultaneously made light and hard work of their win over Brighton & Hove Albion in a way only Arsenal can.
They battered the Seagulls during the opening exchanges and should have been out of sight, but at only 2-0, familiar doubts crept in late and a few defensive wobbles nearly resulted in a fightback for the visitors.
Still, results-wise, you have to commend the Gunners on their response to the 4-0 mauling suffered at the hands of Liverpool on August 27: They've won six of seven, with the other being a 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge.
16. Sevilla (Stay)
Since losing their unbeaten record to Atletico Madrid last week, Sevilla have responded in fine style.
A 3-0 win over Maribor, inclusive of a Wissam Ben Yedder hat-trick and some Joaquin Correa magic, was followed up by a 2-0 victory over a hapless Malaga side.
15. AS Monaco (-4)
It seems AS Monaco are undecided on whether they're still a good side. Their results fluctuate like crazy, making the Ligue 1 side difficult to judge.
Losing 3-0 at home to FC Porto is not a good look—particularly given this FCP side are far from their strongest iteration over the past decade—while drawing with Montpellier might be matching what Paris Saint-Germain managed last week, but it's still not good enough.
14. Atletico Madrid (-2)
Atletico Madrid are not one to attempt to pull the wool over our eyes, per the Express. In response to their loss to Chelsea, key men had this to say:
"They were the better team in every aspect. There is nothing else to say."—Antoine Griezmann.
"The opponent was the better team, they were the more comfortable team in all moments, and deserved to win."—Diego Simeone.
Fair enough.
13. Tottenham Hotspur (+2)
Since that disappointing draw with Swansea City on September 16, Tottenham Hotspur have done nothing but win. It's four in a row and 11 goals scored, with most of them coming from Harry Kane.
The England international has dominated the narrative surrounding the club of late, with people now asking not only whether he's in the elite tier of strikers but also if he's now good enough to play for a Real Madrid or Barcelona.
12. Inter Milan (+2)
Still unbeaten, still churning out results. Inter Milan are not playing the best football—and in fact appear to have dropped off a bit compared to the first few games of the season—but they're still generating points.
A brace from Marcelo Brozovic secured a 2-1 win over Benevento at the weekend, with one being an absolute rocket. We'll say this much about the Nerazzurri: They seem to score a beautiful goal in every game they play.
11. Lazio (+2)
Lazio are still right up there, jostling for position in the upper reaches of the Serie A table.
This weekend, they beat Sassuolo 6-1, a result made all the more remarkable by the fact they were 1-0 down at half-time. Whatever manager Simone Inzaghi said to them during the break clearly had an impact.
10. Chelsea (Stay)
Chelsea produced an incredible result in midweek: They became the first visiting team to win at the Wanda Metropolitano, the new home of Atletico Madrid. They dominated long stretches of the match and fought back from a goal down to do so, through Michy Batshuayi late on.
Days later, though, Manchester City comfortably beat the Blues on their own turf, opening up a six-point gap between the two clubs in the table. The score was only 1-0, but Chelsea were never in the game.
The league loss cancels out any prospective climb up these rankings Chelsea might have had their eye on.
9. Bayern Munich (-3)
The humbling Bayern received at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain last week was the straw that broke the camel's back. The axe was swung with Carlo Ancelotti's head on the chopping block; the multitude of reasons why including a player backlash and tactical miscues, according to ESPN FC's Mark Lovell.
Willy Sagnol took charge for Sunday's game against Hertha Berlin, but the result ended up no different to the one against Wolfsburg the week before: a 2-2 draw, having gone two up but then surrendering the lead.
Managerless, directionless Bayern have some things to sort out over the next few weeks.
8. Borussia Dortmund (Stay)
With Bayern slipping in the league once again, Borussia Dortmund have taken full advantage.
An away day at FC Augsburg is a tricky prospect given how they block up the pitch and remove the space, but Andriy Yarmolenko's delightful backheeled goal—his first in the Bundesliga—in the fourth minute changed the way the game was to be played.
BVB head into the break top of the table, ahead of Bayern by five points, and have conceded just twice. The problem is, their European showings so far haven't been anywhere near to standard, and they're sat on zero points in the group. That's why they're locked in eighth.
7. Juventus (-2)
From the outside, it looks like Juventus are holding things together, but take a peek beyond the curtain and all is not well.
They have had some serious problems with certain players' form levels—Gonzalo Higuain being the obvious one in that area—and their win over Olympiakos in midweek felt like a struggle.
The latest cause for exasperation arrived on Sunday, in the form of a Bayern Munich-esque slip at two goals up against Atalanta. The Bergamo side were allowed to draw level and claim a point, and to make matters worse, Paulo Dybala missed a late penalty that should have sealed three points.
6. Manchester United (+3)
Manchester United and four-goal hauls: a match made in heaven.
Midweek saw them stick four past CSKA Moscow in Russia, then this weekend they returned to Old Trafford and plundered the same number against Roy Hodgson's beleaguered Crystal Palace. Across the two games, two men—Romelu Lukaku and Marouane Fellaini—netted braces.
The Red Devils have netted four goals in six different games this season, resulting in ridiculous goal differences of plus-19 (league) and plus-six (Champions League) at this early stage.
5. Real Madrid (+2)
The wheels were fastened back on (to an extent) last week for Real Madrid, and they go into the international break on a three-game winning streak—one of which was earned away to Borussia Dortmund in midweek.
Perhaps the gap in fixtures will allow Los Blancos to take a breather and welcome a few injured parties back; though, in the case of Dani Carvajal, no immediate solution seems likely.
4. Napoli (Stay)
Napoli have just one blemish on their seasonal CV to date: that regrettable loss to Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine. That aside, it's been a perfect start; the kind that validates those who felt they could push Juventus for the Scudetto this season.
As you would expect, a side that play total football are scoring plenty and sharing the goals around. In the league alone, 11 different players have already netted in just seven games.
3. Manchester City (Stay)
Manchester City produced what felt like a season-defining victory on Saturday, beating Chelsea 1-0 on their own patch thanks to a display of masterful control.
The Citizens dominated the game, Pep Guardiola outthought Antonio Conte and caused him to panic tactically, and Kevin De Bruyne delivered a moment of quality to seal three points.
These performances from City are downright scary at the moment; lots of people are being forced to re-evaluate just how good this team is.
2. Paris Saint-Germain (Stay)
Bayern Munich might be in disarray, but a 3-0 win over them—regardless of their health status—demands respect. That's what Paris Saint-Germain delivered, so that's what they should receive.
For those still wondering whether Neymar and Kylian Mbappe are the pieces that can elevate Les Parisiens to the super-elite tier, look no further than the performance against Die Roten. Speed, precision and ruthlessness were all there.
That was followed up by a monster 6-2 win over a good Bordeaux side in which they ran riot. Julian Draxler's volleyed goal, in particular, was a beauty.
1. Barcelona (Stay)
Barcelona's tussle with Las Palmas on Sunday was played behind closed doors, as La Liga's odd decision to stage the game on the same day as the Catalonian referendum for independence—ruled illegal by the Spanish government—made the Camp Nou the centre of a political frenzy.
With pictures of the game filtering through, it was haunting and eerie to see a game of such importance played with no fans in attendance. The first half finishing scoreless perhaps shouldn't have surprised—the home players were dealt a culture shock in their own back yard—but in the end, Lionel Messi took over and led them to a win.
It's a result that continues Barca's perfect start to this La Liga season, with seven wins from seven—and Messi already has 11 goals.
All statistics via WhoScored.com
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