Power Ranking the Top 25 European Clubs After Weekend of November 1-3
Welcome to the latest edition of our European club power rankings, where we order the top teams on the continent based on early-season form and squad strength.
Bayern Munich beat Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City beat Manchester United and Barcelona lost for the second game running. Will Real Madrid edge Bayern Munich for top spot, and how do the Italian teams place after a topsy-turvy week?
Disagree with our order? Join the conversation in the comments below!
Dropping out
1 of 26
Dropping Out
Liverpool—the Reds have been in dire form. Even the victory over Swansea City in the League Cup came in questionable circumstances. They drop out this week.
Still Missing
Manchester United—Losing the Manchester derby does not get you into our top-25.
Borussia Dortmund—Another loss. Make it five in a row in the Bundesliga.
Ajax—competition was too tough this week despite another win.
25. Milan
2 of 26
Last Week: 15
Differential: -10
Milan are in poor form, perhaps balancing out after an unusually strong start to the season. Two draws have been followed by a 2-0 home loss to Palermo, where Paulo Dybala put on a clinic up front.
It's six games without a goal for Fernando Torres, and the Rossoneri drop sharply in our rankings. Their place is under severe threat.
24. PSV Eindhoven
3 of 26
Last Week: 24
Differential: -
The PSV Eindhoven winning machine rolled on this weekend, beating ADO Den Haag despite being reduced to 10 men. Memphis Depay, of course, scored the winning goal—who else?
Ajax's form has drastically improved after drawing two straight, but we can't find a place for them this week due to the exceptional level of competition from others.
23. Lazio
4 of 26
Last Week: New!
Differential: New!
It's possible we may have ignored Lazio's form a little too long. To all Laziale, we apologise: Your team is rightly recognised here as one of the best in Europe right now.
The front three of Miroslav Klose, Antonio Candreva and Senad Lulic all clicked in fierce fashion this weekend, leading the team to a win over Cagliari and to within three points of Roma.
22. Lyon
5 of 26
Last Week: 25
Differential: +3
As always, we go privately to Jonathan Johnson for the Ligue 1 lowdown:
"Olympique Lyonnais are starting to look like a side capable of challenging for the Ligue 1 title this season after their come-from-behind away at OGC Nice last Saturday. With Alexandre Lacazette in his current inspired form—topping Le Championnat's scoring charts and sharing first place with two teammates for assists—Hubert Fournier's men have looked unstoppable recently.
"Les Gones are unbeaten in eight league games and have won six of those fixtures, the last four coming back-to-back. With top two Olympique de Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain meeting on Sunday, it is possible that Lyon find themselves in second place this time next week."
21. Bayer Leverkusen
6 of 26
Last Week: 16
Differential: -5
Bayer Leverkusen's impressive run of form and games came to a screeching halt this weekend as they lost to lowly Hamburg SV.
The HSV we knew and loved—a European contender—is gone, and for Roger Schmidt's team to be turned over by Rafael van der Vaart and Co. goes down as a bad slip.
20. Wolfsburg
7 of 26
Last Week: 23
Differential: +3
It's five Bundesliga wins in a row for Wolfsburg, who smashed Stuttgart 4-0 on their own turf in style. Kevin de Bruyne ran riot, the defensive pairing of Naldo-Robin Knoche looked excellent and Ricardo Rodriguez didn't even play.
It's fantastic to see Ivan Perisic continuing his strong World Cup form, too. Wolfsburg rising.
19. Borussia Monchengladbach
8 of 26
Last Week: 22
Differential: +3
Borussia Monchengladbach returned swiftly to winning ways this weekend, beating an impressive Hoffenheim outfit 3-1 at home.
Patrick Herrmann and Andre Hahn did the damage from the wings as Gladbach opened up a three-point gap on fourth place and kept pace with Wolfsburg. Whether they can sustain this and stick with Bayern Munich is a question well worth asking.
18. Benfica
9 of 26
Last Week: 19
Differential: +1
Benfica overcame a fairly average opponent in Rio Ave this weekend. A win is a win, but this wasn't as easy as it should have been for the Eagles.
Anderson Talisca scored a thunderbolt from 30 yards to secure the win, and Jorge Jesus' men stay atop the Liga Sagres table as a result.
17. Southampton
10 of 26
Last Week: 21
Differential: +4
Southampton showcased the other side of their game this weekend: defensive solidarity and ultimate organisation.
For weeks they've been all about Graziano Pelle, Dusan Tadic and Sadio Mane; this week, at the KC Stadium, it was all about Toby Alderweireld, Jose Fonte and a "You shall not pass!" attitude.
A complete team...?
16. Valencia
11 of 26
Last Week: 18
Differential: +2
Beating Villarreal at El Madrigal is no small feat whatever form the hosts are in, and Valencia rightly move up in our rankings after yet another impressive display.
Shkodran Mustafi was the unlikely hero of the day, scoring two goals and defending superbly. Alvaro Negredo still hasn't managed a start for the club since joining on loan, such is their amazing, settled form.
15. Napoli
12 of 26
Last Week: 17
Differential: +2
Napoli turning over Roma this weekend is one hell of a result. Rafa Benitez's men started slow, as we've used this space to illustrate several times, but they are well and truly hitting gear now.
"Keep calm and [Jose] Callejon" is a popular saying among the Partenopei fans right now, and if the Spanish winger continues to chip in with goals every game, they'll keep on singing his name.
14. Marseille
13 of 26
Last Week: 14
Differential: -
As always, we go privately to Jonathan Johnson for the Ligue 1 lowdown:
"After last week's defeat to Lyon in Ligue 1, Marseille also crashed out of the Coupe de la Ligue and looked like they were on the verge of implosion with Andre-Pierre Gignac and Brice Dja Djedje coming to blows after the game. A narrow win over Lens last Sunday steadied the ship and kept OM four points clear of Paris Saint-Germain in the table.
"Marcelo Bielsa and his players now know that they will remain top whatever the outcome of Le Classique (PSG-OM) this Sunday and Les Phoceens go into the crunch clash with a number of suspensions. The big question is, how will the charismatic Argentine keep his Marseille side in front of PSG following this weekend's encounter?"
13. FC Porto
14 of 26
Last Week: 12
Differential: -1
One of the features of FC Porto's season so far has been the excellent play of their full-backs, and Danilo got himself on the scoresheet this weekend as the Dragons beat Nacional 2-0.
Yacine Brahimi also scored, continuing his excellent start to the season, and Julen Lopetegui's men are now just a point off Benfica at the summit of Liga Sagres and playing more convincing football to boot.
12. Zenit St. Petersburg
15 of 26
Last Week: 13
Differential: +1
A huge result in the Russian Premier League this weekend, Zenit St. Petersburg beat CSKA Moscow in the capital, with Javi Garcia scoring the only goal of the game.
The result leaves CSKA seven points off Zenit at the top of the table and the gap looks insurmountable. The only challenge left for Andre Villas-Boas is in the Champions League.
11. Sevilla
16 of 26
Last Week: 9
Differential: -2
Sevilla's impressive run came to an end this weekend, dropping all three points to a resurgent, but still weaker, Athletic Bilbao side.
Aritz Aduriz reared his powerful head to score the only goal of the game, subjecting los Rojiblancos to just their second loss of the campaign. They are level on points with Barcelona but have temporarily dropped out of the top four.
10. Roma
17 of 26
Last Week: 10
Differential: -
Roma recovered from their battering at the hands of Bayern Munich with a 2-0 win over Cesena, but they lost footing in the title race this weekend as they succumbed by the same scoreline to Napoli.
They travel to Munich with a host of injuries and possibility, it seems, of playing Alessandro Florenzi at right-back. It could get a little bit worse before it gets better for Rudi Garcia.
9. Arsenal
18 of 26
Last Week: 11
Differential: +2
Arsenal were mocked after a 2-1 victory over Anderlecht in which they played terribly and bailed themselves out at the last minute, but the fact is they've won three in a row.
Sunderland and Burnley do not present the most challenging games of football, but with Alexis Sanchez catching fire at the right time, we could see the Gunners' streak continue for a while yet.
8. Juventus
19 of 26
Last Week: 8
Differential: -
Juventus' double gameweek produced a win and a loss—enough to keep them top of the Serie A table by three points.
The negative is the nature of the defeat to Genoa midweek, with Luca Antonini—a former Milan player—grabbing a 93rd-minute winner. The positive comes in the form of Alvaro Morata, who is hitting form and looking great.
7. Manchester City
20 of 26
Last Week: 7
Differential: -
Rebounding from a nightmare week is Manchester City, who put two consecutive losses behind them and beat Manchester United in the local city derby.
Sergio Aguero scored the only goal of the game, but the Citizens could, and probably should, have had three penalties awarded by the referee. Bragging rights retained.
6. Barcelona
21 of 26
Last Week: 4
Differential: -2
After refusing to concede a goal for eight games in La Liga this season, Barcelona have now relented in consecutive games and sustained consecutive losses.
The latest loss, to Celta Vigo, was disappointing on a number of levels, but after striking the woodwork three times and dominating play, it's important not to get too wrapped up in the doom and gloom.
5. Atletico Madrid
22 of 26
Last Week: 6
Differential: +1
Did you forget about Atletico Madrid? It's OK; many made the same mistake.
Quietly, Diego Simeone's men have crept into second place in the Liga table and sit just one point off Real Madrid in top spot. Their weekend victory over Cordoba made it three wins from three; Antoine Griezmann is clicking and Koke is absolutely bossing.
4. Paris Saint-Germain
23 of 26
Last Week: 5
Differential: +1
As always, we go privately to Jonathan Johnson for the Ligue 1 lowdown:
"PSG are finally starting to click through the gears, or so it seems. Laurent Blanc's men recorded their third consecutive league win—fourth in all competitions—last Saturday with a 2-1 come-from-behind success away at FC Lorient.
"Les Parisiens are still not playing to the best of their awesome potential, yet they remain unbeaten in all competitions and still await the return of talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic from injury. With virtual qualification for the latter stages of the UEFA Champions League at stake with the visit of APOEL on Wednesday and then Marseille in Le Classique on Sunday, this week has the potential to make or break PSG's season."
3. Chelsea
24 of 26
Last Week: 3
Differential: -
Jose Mourinho squeezed through two tight games last week, first beating Shrewsbury 2-1 and then Queens Park Rangers by the same scoreline in a West London derby.
The Portuguese boss was not happy with any of his men bar perhaps Oscar and the young guns filling in at the New Meadow midweek, but the important thing is they're still ticking over and finding wins.
2. Real Madrid
25 of 26
Last Week: 2
Differential: -
Real Madrid smashed Granada in comfortable fashion over the weekend, with James Rodriguez taking centre stage with an absolutely unbelievable volleyed goal.
Karim Benzema picked up two assists and a goal to boot, while Cristiano Ronaldo, predictably, got in on the act too. It all went rather smoothly ahead of a big night in the Champions League against Liverpool.
1. Bayern Munich
26 of 26
Last Week: 1
Differential: -
Borussia Dortmund are a shadow of their former selves but still presented a stern test to Bayern Munich on Saturday in "Der Klassiker."
That Die Bayern emerged with a victory eventually is testament to their will-power, determination and strength; they battled hard to bring down the BVB wall and, in the end, deserved all three points.
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