European Power Rankings: Top 25 Teams on the Continent

This time in the B/R World Football Power Rankings, we're trying to make sense of a chaotic week.

Chelsea knocked Barcelona out of the Champions League, and Bayern Munich topped Real Madrid on penalties.

So who's No. 1? We're guessing that question will spark plenty of debate among the commenters.

Oh, and what do we do with those Europa League finalists? Neither of them are exactly lighting up their domestic league.

The answers to those questions are ahead.

25. Athletic Bilbao

Results: Won 3-1 (won 4-3 on aggregate) home to Sporting Lisbon (Europa League semifinal, second leg); lost 2-0 at Real Zaragoza (league).

Fixtures: Home to Real Madrid, Wednesday (league); home to Getafe, Sunday (league).

Comments: This team can play with anyone on their day. And they can also lose to anyone in La Liga, apparently.

24. Atletico Madrid

Results: Won 1-0 (won 5-2 on aggregate) at Valencia (Europa League semifinal, second leg); drew 2-2 at Real Betis (league).

Fixtures: Home to Real Sociedad, Wednesday (league); home to Malaga, Sunday (league).

Comments: Here's your other Europa League finalist. Neither Athletic Bilbao nor Atletico Madrid are in La Liga's top four, but they both deserve spots in our countdown for their accomplishments in Europe this season.

23. Olympiakos

Results: Beat Atromitos 2-1 (a.e.t.) (Greek Cup final).

Fixtures: Season complete.

Comments: Olympiakos capped off their season by beating Atromitos in the Greek Cup final.

Watch out for them next season in the Champions League. They could make some noise.

22. Valencia

Results: Lost 1-0 (lost 5-2 on aggregate) home to Atletico Madrid (Europa League semifinal, second leg); lost 1-0 at Malaga (league).

Fixtures: Home to Osasuna, Wednesday (league); home to Villarreal, Sunday (league).

Comments: Two more losses for Valencia. How are they still third in La Liga?

21. Málaga

Results: Drew 1-1 at Osasuna (league); won 1-0 home to Valencia (league).

Fixtures: At Barcelona, Wednesday (league); at Atletico Madrid, Sunday (league).

Comments: Málaga have drawn level on points with Valencia for third place but remain in fourth on goal differential. Their quest doesn't get any easier this week.

20. Tottenham Hotspur

Results: Won 2-0 home to Blackburn Rovers (league).

Fixtures: At Bolton, Wednesday (league); at Aston Villa, Sunday (league).

Comments: Spurs beat relegation-threatened Blackburn on Sunday. I guess that means they're back.

By the way, did everyone see that Kyle Walker free kick? Glorious.

19. Basel

Results: Won 3-1 home to Lausanne (league).

Fixtures: Home to FC Thun, Wednesday (league); at FC Zurich, Sunday (league).

Comments: Basel refused to celebrate winning the title last week (here's the story). So was this week's win enough reason to finally pop the champagne?

18. Lille

Results: Won 2-1 home to PSG (league).

Fixtures: At Nice, Wednesday (league); home to Caen, May 7 (league).

Comments: That win over PSG pulled Lille within two points of the big-spenders with four matches left—and it seriously dented PSG's Ligue 1 title hopes.

17. Schalke

Results: Won 4-0 home to Hertha Berlin (league).

Fixtures: At Werder Bremen, Saturday (league).

Comments: Schalke are guaranteed to finish third in the Bundesliga. That means a spot in the Champions League group stage next season.

16. Benfica

Results: Drew 2-2 at Rio Ave (league).

Fixtures: Home to Uniao Leiria, Sunday (league).

Comments: The league is all but lost for Benfica. Second place, though, still brings with it an invitation to the Champions League group stage next season.

15. PSG

Results: Lost 2-1 at Lille (league).

Fixtures: Home to St. Etienne, Wednesday (league); at Valenciennes, Sunday (league).

Comments: Money can't buy everything, at least this season.

14. Zenit St. Petersburg

Results: Won 2-1 home to Dinamo Moscow (league).

Fixtures: At Rubin Kazan, Wednesday (league); home to Spartak Moscow, Sunday (league).

Comments: Zenit St. Petersburg have clinched the Russian Premier League title, as expected.

13. Montpellier

Results: Won 1-0 at Toulouse (league).

Fixtures: Home to Evian Thonon, Tuesday (league); at Rennes, May 7.

Comments: Four matches remain in the French Ligue 1 season, and Montpellier sit five points clear at the top of the table.

This week could prove decisive.

12. Porto

Results: Won 2-0 at Maritimo (league).

Fixtures: Home to Sporting Lisbon, Sunday (league).

Comments: Porto keep closing on the Portuguese title. Two matches are left.

11. Arsenal

Results: Drew 1-1 at Stoke (league).

Fixtures: Home to Norwich, Saturday (league).

Comments: Arsenal have taken two points out of their last nine available, but the teams behind them can't seem to catch up.

Third place in the English Premier League is still Arsenal's, but they could have sewn it up long ago.

10. Ajax

Results: Won 2-1 at Twente (league).

Fixtures: Home to VVV Venlo, Wednesday (league); at Vitesse Arnhem, Sunday (league).

Comments: That makes 12 straight Eredivisie wins for the Dutch champions-elect. During the winning run, Ajax have outscored their opponents 39-5.

9. Manchester City

Results: No new results.

Fixtures: Home to Manchester United, Monday (league).

Comments: The English Premier League title tilt beckons. Should be good.

8. Manchester United

Results: No new results.

Fixtures: At Manchester City, Monday (league).

Comments: Could United really choke away their once formidable league lead? We'll find out Monday.

7. AC Milan

Results: Won 1-0 home to Genoa (league); won 4-1 at Siena (league).

Fixtures: Home to Atalanta, Wednesday (league); at Inter Milan, Sunday (league).

Comments: AC Milan picked up two more wins this week, but they still trail Juventus by three points atop Serie A.

6. Chelsea

Results: Drew 2-2 (won 3-2 on aggregate) at Barcelona (Champions League semifinal, second leg); won 6-1 home to Queens Park Rangers (league).

Fixtures: Home to Newcastle, Wednesday (league); vs. Liverpool at Wembley, Saturday (FA Cup final).

Comments: No, Chelsea fans, I'm not ranking your team any higher. They're sixth in the league. Sixth!

And no, everybody else, I'm not ranking them behind your favorite English club. They're in the Champions League final!

I can't believe it. I'm not sure Roberto Di Matteo can even believe it. Props are in order, regardless.

Anyway, the Blues play in the FA Cup final next weekend. This was supposedly a bad season for them, but it could end in a blaze of glory.

5. Juventus

Results: Won 1-0 at Cesena (league); won 4-0 at Novara (league).

Fixtures: Home to Lecce, Wednesday (league); at Cagliari (league).

Comments: The reason AC Milan can't make any headway in Serie A? Juventus, who have won eight straight matches by a combined score of 23-1. Yes, you read that right. That's 23 goals scored and one conceded. Not bad, huh?

Here's another great stat: Juventus have now gone 35 matches unbeaten to start the Serie A season. That's a record for the league in seasons played with 20 teams.

4. Borussia Dortmund

Results: Won 5-2 at Kaiserslautern (league).

Fixtures: Home to SC Freiburg, Saturday (league).

Comments: Dortmund won again this week, even though they had nothing left to prove after already claiming the Bundesliga title.

This was the best team in Germany this season, but for now, Bayern will be ranked higher by virtue of their place in the Champions League final.

Dortmund and Bayern will play again in the DFB-Pokal final on May 12. That might help settle the debate somewhat.

3. Barcelona

Results: Drew 2-2 (lost 3-2 on aggregate) home to Chelsea (Champions League semifinal, second leg); won 7-0 at Rayo Vallecano (league).

Fixtures: Home to Malaga, Wednesday (league); home to Espanyol, Sunday (league).

Comments: I'm having a crisis of faith with Barca, like a lifelong believer missing church for the first time in decades.

Is this team still great? Have I been overrating them? Did I give them too much credit based on reputation?

Barca won't win La Liga or the Champions League this season. But they do still have a shot at the Copa del Rey, and they won that Club World Cup way back at the beginning of the season.

And…what to make of Pep leaving?

My faith is shaken.

2. Bayern Munich

Results: Lost 2-1 (drew 3-3 on aggregate, won 3-1 on penalties) at Real Madrid (Champions League semifinal, second leg); won 2-0 home to Stuttgart (league).

Fixtures: At Köln, Saturday (league).

Comments: Bayern are the favorites for the Champions League title after knocking out Real Madrid in the semifinals. They'll meet Chelsea in next month's final.

The problem with ranking Bayern so high is the fact that they didn't win their domestic league this season. But with Bastian Schweinsteiger in the lineup all year, I think Bayern would have beaten Borussia Dortmund to the title.

That's conjecture, of course, but I really like the way this team is playing right now.

Still, I can't rank them No. 1. Win the DFB-Pokal and the Champions League, though, and we'll talk.

1. Real Madrid

Results: Won 2-1 (a.e.t, drew 3-3 on aggregate, lost 3-1 on penalties) home to Bayern Munich (Champions League semifinal, second leg); won 3-0 home to Sevilla (league).

Fixtures: At Athletic Bilbao, Wednesday (league); at Granada, Sunday (league).

Comments: Here's the part where I try to convince you Real Madrid still have the best team in Europe.

Here goes…

Despite the fact that Bayern Munich eliminated Real Madrid from the Champions League, Real actually won the second leg 2-1. In the first leg, they were literally seconds away from a 1-1 draw, and in the second leg, they only lost in a penalty shootout.

So Champions League glory is gone, but only by the slimmest margin possible. On the other hand, Real are champions-elect in Spain—where they dethroned mighty Barca.

For me, this is the best team in Europe this season. And, yes, I said that about Barcelona for much of the year.

Here's to admitting when you were wrong.

Follow @MikeCummings37