European Power Rankings: Top 25 Teams on the Continent

It was a dramatic and contentious week in the B/R world football European power rankings.

But we may not have seen anything yet.

Borussia Dortmund edged Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich in a matchup of top-five teams midweek. Then on Sunday, Chelsea routed Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup semifinals.

This week, the Champions League reaches the semifinal stage, and the two best teams in the world renew acquaintances in El Clasico.

It should be something to see. For now, though, enjoy this week's power rankings.

25. Malaga

Results: Lost 2-1 at Villarreal (league); drew 1-1 home to Real Sociedad (league)

Fixtures: At Osasuna, April 23 (league)

Comments: Spain's newest big-money club is La Liga's latest fourth-place occupant. Can they hold the spot for a while? If so, a potential Champions League payday would be an important boost.

24. Lille

Results: Won 4-1 home to Ajaccio (league)

Fixtures: At Dijon, Saturday (league)

Comments: Lille's 4-1 win over Ajaccio could prove vital as they try to hold off hard-charging Lyon for third place and a Champions League qualifying berth.

23. Olympiakos

Results: No new results

Fixtures: At PAS Giannina, Wednesday (league)

Comments: The Greek champions return to action on Wednesday.

22. Basel

Results: No new results

Fixtures: At FC Sion Sitt, April 22 (league)

Comments: The presumptive Swiss champs return to action next Sunday.

21. Schalke

Results: Lost 4-1 at Nurnberg (league); lost 2-1 home to Borussia Dortmund (league)

Fixtures: At Augsburg, Sunday (league)

Comments: Losing to Dortmund is nothing to be ashamed of. Losing 4-1 to Nurnberg is. Schalke need to rediscover their form if they want to hold onto third place in the Bundesliga.

20. Borussia Monchengladbach

Results: Drew 2-2 at Werder Bremen (league); won 3-0 home to Köln (league)

Fixtures: At Borussia Dortmund, Saturday (league)

Comments: Schalke have lost two in a row, and now Gladbach are suddenly only four points off third place—with a game in hand.

19. Valencia

Results: Won 4-1 home to Rayo Vallecano (league); lost 4-0 at Espanyol, Sunday (league)

Fixtures: Home to Real Betis, Sunday (league)

Comments: Say hola to Spain's Jekyll-and-Hyde team. What a wild week.

18. Lazio

Results: Lost 2-1 at Juventus (league); ppd. at Novara (league)

Fixtures: Home to Lecce, Sunday (league)

Comments: Lazio lost to Juventus, but that’s understandable. The Serie A leaders are still undefeated in league play. Anyway, Lazio remain third and in line for Champions League qualification.

17. Benfica

Results: Lost 1-0 at Sporting Lisbon (league)

Fixtures: Home to Maritimo, Saturday (league)

Comments: After falling to Sporting, Benfica are in danger of losing touch with Porto atop the Portuguese table.

16. Tottenham Hotspur

Results: Lost 2-1 home to Norwich (league); lost 5-1 to Chelsea at Wembley (FA Cup semifinal)

Fixtures: At QPR, Saturday (league)

Comments: Spurs crashed out of the FA Cup on Sunday, and their lead for fourth place in the English Premier League is gone. Their season is in serious trouble.

15. Zenit St. Petersburg

Results: Won 2-0 home to CSKA Moscow (league)

Fixtures: At Kuban Krasno, Saturday (league)

Comments: Zenit won again and stretched their lead atop the Russian Premier League championship group to a ridiculous 14 points.

14. PSG

Results: Drew 1-1 at Auxerre (league)

Fixtures: Home to Sochaux, Sunday (league)

Comments: PSG allowed a late equalizer at Auxerre on Sunday. Victory would have pulled them level again on points with Montpellier atop Ligue 1.

13. Montpellier

Results: Won 3-1 at Marseille (league); lost 2-1 at Lorient (league)

Fixtures: Home to Valenciennes, Saturday (league)

Comments: That loss at Lorient could have proven more damaging to Montpellier's title hopes in France had PSG won Sunday.

12. Ajax

Results: Won 5-0 at Heerenveen (league); won 3-1 home to De Graafschap (league)

Fixtures: Home to FC Groningen, Sunday (league)

Comments: Ajax have won 10 straight league matches (by a combined score of 33-6) dating to Feb. 5. Their lead atop Holland's Eredivisie is suddenly six points with four matches left.

11. Porto

Results: No new results

Fixtures: Home to Beira Mar (Saturday)

Comments: Porto's lead atop the Portuguese league is four points. A second-straight title is looking likely.

10. Chelsea

Results: Drew 1-1 at Fulham (league); beat Tottenham 5-1 at Wembley (FA Cup semifinal)

Fixtures: Home to Barcelona, Wednesday (Champions League semifinal, first leg); at Arsenal, Saturday (league)

Comments: Be careful, Barca. Chelsea can score even when the ball doesn't cross the line.

9. Arsenal

Results: Won 3-0 at Wolves (league)

Fixtures: Home to Wigan, Monday (league); home to Chelsea, Saturday (league)

Comments: It's a big week for Arsenal. If they win both of these matches, it's hard to see them finishing any lower than third in the English Premier League.

8. Manchester City

Results: Won 4-0 home to West Brom (league); won 6-1 at Norwich (league)

Fixtures: At Wolves, Sunday (league)

Comments: What's this? Is the title race back on?

7. Juventus

Results: Won 2-1 home to Lazio (league); ppd. at Cesena (league)

Fixtures: Home to AS Roma, Sunday (league)

Comments: Juventus have won five straight in Serie A. Still unbeaten in the league, their lead atop the table is one point over AC Milan.

6. Manchester United

Results: Lost 1-0 at Wigan (league); won 4-0 home to Aston Villa (league)

Fixtures: Home to Everton, Sunday (league)

Comments: That loss at Wigan blew life into the English title race. But for how long?

5. Bayern Munich

Results: Lost 1-0 at Borussia Dortmund (league); drew 0-0 home to Mainz (league)

Fixtures: Home to Real Madrid, Tuesday (Champions League semifinal, first leg); at Werder Bremen, Saturday (league)

Comments: Bayern's five-game league-winning streak is over. The title is almost certainly gone. Now it’s time to play Real Madrid. A rematch with Dortmund in the DFB-Pokal final also awaits in May.

4. Borussia Dortmund

Results: Won 1-0 home to Bayern Munich (league); won 2-1 at Schalke (league)

Fixtures: Home to Borussia Monchengladbach, Saturday (league)

Comments: Dortmund have gone a club-record 24 games unbeaten in the Bundesliga, where their lead is eight points with three matches left. It was a big week and Jurgen Klopp's team passed in impressive fashion.

3. AC Milan

Results: Won 1-0 at Chievo Verona (league); ppd. home to Genoa (league)

Fixtures: Home to Bologna, Sunday (league)

Comments: Milan's losing skid is over. The Rossoneri trail Juventus by one point atop Serie A.

2. Real Madrid

Results: Won 4-1 at Atletico Madrid (league); won 3-1 home to Sporting Gijon (league)

Fixtures: At Bayern Munich, Tuesday (Champions League semifinal, first leg); at Barcelona, Saturday (league)

Comments: Two more wins for Real Madrid, and a huge week awaits. First, they travel to Bavaria to face a wounded (and angry) Bayern Munich. Then it's back to Spain for El Clasico.

1. Barcelona

Results: Won 4-0 home to Getafe (league); won 2-1 at Levante (league)

Fixtures: At Chelsea, Wednesday (Champions League semifinal, first leg); home to Real Madrid, Saturday (league)

Comments: Barca came from behind to beat Levante and keep their deficit at four points behind Real Madrid in La Liga. The big showdown looms after a trip to London.