UEFA Champions League 2011: Power Rankings Day 2

The second game in the group stage is crucial.

It gives some teams an opportunity to take command of their group.

For most, it is a near must-win situation so as to not fall further off the pace.

But for the fans, it is a time to really see what you team has to offer in terms of depth and reliability.

Most clubs have played many games over the past several weeks, and even though the Champions League is important, for the bigger clubs, it is not always at the front of their mind. With tough league matches coming up and perhaps a lesser side to play in Europe, a manager must weigh his options as to get the most out of all his players.

With the second Champions League match day in the books, we can now reflect back on how our favorite teams (those from Italy, England, Spain, Germany and France) fared.

This is a ranking based on their performance this week in accordance to their rankings last time. As always, the number in parenthesis is their previous ranking.

17. Villarreal (16)

The whipping boys for Bayern Munich were not able to right their Champions League ship as they fell to Napoli 2-0 on Wednesday.

The Yellow Submarines went into Northern Italy in desperate need of some points, and despite dominating in possession, they left with nothing.

With only two wins in the nine matches they have played thus far this season, they are struggling all around.  With the likes of Nilmar and Giuseppe Rossi, goals should not be too hard to come by. But in those nine games, they have registered a mere eight goals.

With no points in a group that features Bayern Munich, Napoli, and Manchester City, the odds of them moving on are slim to none. The club should really turn their attention back to La Liga and ensuring they get back to Europe next season.

16. Lille (9)

The French champions continue to shoot themselves in the foot  by not converting chances and giving up late goals. Trabzonspor’s 1-1 tie with Lille kept them on the top of group B while Lille fell to third.

The team from Northern France revamped their squad over the past few seasons, bringing in some of the best young talent in the world. The problem with playing with young talent is that competitions like the Champions League are still new to them. It is one thing to win in France and another to do it in Europe.

Their previous No. 9 ranking was more giving them the benefit of the doubt, suggesting that they dominated Moscow, but that two slip-ups cost them. But with the same thing happening for the second time in a row, we may be more looking at what this team really is as opposed to who we thought they were.

15. Borussia Dortmund (10)

The German champs seem to have hit a rut in their season. Back-to-back losses in the Bundesliga dropped them down to eighth, and a 3-0 drubbing to Marseille put them in third in group F. What makes matters worse is that they actually outplayed the French.

Dortmund dominated possession, chances and corners but were unable to come away with anything to show for it. Two goals in the second half against the run of play seemed to deflate the Germans and added insult to injury on their trip to Marseille.

They are far from being knocked out of the tournament and will benefit from the fact that they have yet to play Olympiakos. A win there, and they should be right back in contention.

14. Inter Milan (17)

It looks as if a coaching change was all that was needed for Milan’s blue boys. They have won their first two games under newly appointed Claudio Ranieri including Tuesday’s win away to CSKA Moscow.

The Russians proved to be a tough challenge. They have talent and fight-to-the-death attitude, as they proved against Lille.

Inter were able to overcome both by answering them goal for goal and getting the last laugh 15 minutes before time.

Inter got off to one of the worst starts in the club's history.  Loss after loss embarrassed the once-proud club and its fans. However, with the new man in charge, they can forget about the past and move forward with their winning ways.

13. Lyon (14)

After managing only a tie against Ajax in the opener, Lyon returned home and got a vital 2-0 win over Zagreb. 

With Ajax playing Madrid and the French squad having their easiest match of the group stage, there was little room for error, as they needed to take advantage of the situation and create distance between them and the Dutch.

Statistically, they dominated from top to bottom as they were expected to do. A goal about halfway through the first half from Bafetimbi Gomis gave them the lead they deserved.

Bakari Kone’s score just before the break was all they needed to secure the victory.

In just under three weeks, they will travel to Spain to play Madrid for their most difficult fixture of the group stage. A win their will not only have them atop group D, but also prove that they are real contenders for the title.

12. Manchester City (6)

In their first Champions League game in decades, the all-star team that is Manchester City learned that this is a different competition than anything they are use to.

On Tuesday, they learned another lesson, one that is perhaps harder to understand. Bayern Munich taught them that it is one thing to be good, but a whole other thing to be world class.

The 2-0 loss in Munich is not that much of a surprise. But it did expose City for who they may really be.

City’s coasting through the early part of this season can mostly be attributed to high energy and things just going their way game after game. As the excitement of hope starts to wear and things start to turn against them, how they handle it will be a real mark of their character.

And so far, it has not been good.

The episode that unfolded between Roberto Mancini and Carlos Tevez dominated the headlines. Tevez’s refusal to play and Mancini’s hard-nosed approach to the situation were the worst things that came out of the match. An issue like this has the real chance of dividing the clubhouse and derailing the entire season.

11. Valencia (15)

The best of the rest last year in Spain was able to get a well deserved 1-1 draw over group E favorites Chelsea at home on Wednesday. Roberto Soldado’s late penalty evened things up on a warm night on the Spanish coast, but the goal was a deserved one after Salomon Kalou foolishly handled the ball.

Valencia were by no means outplayed by the Londoners. Statistically, things stayed pretty close, but Chelsea had a handful of chances they should have put away.

Valencia, in good fashion, stayed close and never allowed the Blues to get that multiple-goal lead, making every attack a threatening one.

After a disappointing draw to Genk to open their campaign, the point they gathered in one of their most difficult contests in this group stage were vital in keeping their hopes alive.

With the team beginning to settle into life without Mata, we can only expect them to get better from here.

10. Bayer Leverkusen (13)

After a tough loss to Chelsea in the opener, Leverkusen earned their first points of their Champions League campaign with a 2-0 win over Genk. A goal 15 minutes from the half by Lars Bender got the ball rolling for the Germans, and the volley from Michael Ballack in stoppage time secured the three points.

An exciting game to watch, the match was end-to-end competition with Genk trying to rely on the counterattack to steal a win.

However, the home crowd would not be disappointed, as Leverkusen kept most of the attacks harmlessly at bay.

In a group that has first and fourth place separated by a mere three points, every one counts. Leverkusen have already gotten the trip to Stamford Bridge out of the way and so can look to move forward from here.

Genk may not be the best win, but you can only beat the team you are playing. Leverkusen did so, and well.

9. Arsenal (11)

Arsenal has started to turn their season around. After getting thrashed by Manchester United in the most embarrassing loss in the club's history, they have managed the go undefeated while winning five of their last six games.

The win over Olympiakos on Wednesday was far from assuring that they are back to their Championship form, but it was a win nonetheless. Early goals from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Andre Santos gave them a comfortable 2-0 lead. But the defense continues to keeps fans on the edge of their seats, and the Greeks looked more than capable of stealing a point.

Critics will say that a lot of things went the Gunner’s way yesterday, that perhaps this win can be attributed more to luck than anything. But sometimes a little luck is better than being good.

Arsene Wenger and his boys will look at this as the continuation of a consistent improvement in form over the past several weeks.

8. Marseille (12)

Last year’s French runners-up got their second win of the 2011 Champions League and put themselves comfortably at the top of group F. The 3-0 win over Dortmund will please fans and the team, but neither should take comfort in the way they played.

The score gives a deceptively one-sided look to this match, but it was far from it. Dortmund had more possession and corners, but the French were able to deflect everything that was thrown at them. Some timely goals against the run of play were also critical in making sure that any hopes the German’s had were short lived.

These may not have been two of the best wins for the club, but a win is a win. With the victory, Marseille joins Bayern Munich and Madrid as the only teams with full points from their first two matches. Pretty good company to be in no matter how you played.

7. Manchester United (5)

The clear favorites of group C find themselves currently out of advancing, with two ties in their first two games. With Alex Ferguson clearly not fielding his best side in Champions League so far, it may be a sign of good fortune that they are able to say that they have competed with their opposition. But as a player at United, you are expected to be great whether you are the No. 1 starter or third on the depth chart.

The most concerning thing for Fergie is the fact that in both instances he found his team behind and in need of a goal to rescue the points. Though it is typical United fashion to score the crucial goal at the death, it is not in their nature to find it so difficult to beat teams that are clearly not their caliber.

The tie to Basel showed that the depth this team looked to have at the beginning of the season may be dwindling down. A late substitution of Nani was needed for them to rescue the points and make sure they didn’t fall too far adrift in the table.

While it was promising to see the likes of Danny Welbeck scoring twice when he was questionably given the start over Berbatov, it is just as concerning that his defensive line, which has been stellar all season, gave up three second-half goals

6. AC Milan (8)

Of all the big boys playing this week, AC Milan had it the easiest. Not only did they play lowly Viktoria Plzen, but they had them coming to the Giuseppe Meazza.

The match never seemed in doubt for the hosts, as it figured to be one their lightest contests of the year. With a poor run of late for last year’s Serie A champions, the confidence builder was welcomed.

With seven shots on goal, 62 percent possession, and no cards to against, Milan cruised to a 2-0 victory on goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Antonio Cassano. Massimiliano Allegri took little chance in the game, fielding a side that may have seemed a bit excessive given the competition. But with the poor results they have been having, there is no reason to take chances.

Milan will hope that this victory will also springboard them back to the run of form they had last year, or at least give them the confidence to start playing the type of football they know they can.

5. Napoli (7)

The team that was expected to finish fourth in the so-called “group of death” going into the campaign got their second positive result Tuesday with a convincing 2-0 over Villarreal.

The Northern Italian club is looking to return to their glory days of the late 1980s when they were one of the best teams in the world. The way they are playing now has them moving toward that.

Marek Hamsik and Edinson Cavani both netted within minutes of one another to establish the two-goal lead before the 20-minute mark. In typical Italian fashion, that was all the hosts needed to give them the bravado to sit back and display a fine defensive performance.

For over an hour, the Italians packed the box and frustrated the struggling Spaniards by resisting anything they threw at them. It may not be the best kind of football, but if done properly it can be very effective.

Villarreal is by no means the best side they will meet, but a result like this just goes to show that Napoli is the real deal.

4. Chelsea (1)

Chelsea travelled to Valencia for their most difficult game of the group stage on Wednesday. Some great play from Valencia keeper Diego Alves kept the Blues great chances out of the net, as the visitors were only able to manage a 1-1 draw.

Chelsea had the far greater opportunities throughout, with finally-finding-his-form Fernando Torres getting a few great shots on net. Frank Lampard’s excellent low strike from the top of the box gave Chelsea a deserved 1-0 lead.

However, Salomon Kalou’s moronic hand ball allowed Saldado to score from a penalty and even it up late.

Many fans were scratching their heads as Andre Villas-Boas brought on Kalou in a game where they were looking to secure the win. Kalou offers nothing in the way of defense and little in offense as of late. It was a move that the manager would like to have back, even if he has already stated that he made the right move.

With their most difficult game out of the way and now towards the end of a stretch that had them playing five games in 15 days, Chelsea can relax and figure out what needs to be done to continue to stay competitive in their many competitions.

3. Barcelona (3)

There is really not much more that can be said about this game. Going into the match, Barca was the clear-cut favorites by overwhelming numbers, and they proved it with a 5-0 win in traditional Barcelona fashion.

Lionel Messi’s double helped anchor goals from Pedro and David Villa as they cruised from the onset.

BATE was not even able to get a shot on goal as the Catalonian’s dominated possession throughout. Pep Guardiola put a surprisingly strong side out there in a game that their B team would have won with relative ease. Perhaps after the tie against Milan, no chances were to be taken.

The margin of victory is no indication of how good Barca are, but the fact that Valdes could have read the newspaper while it was going on is.

They should be able to move to the top of the group after their next match and not let go.

2. Bayern Munich (4)

Bayern Munich are quietly proving to be the best team in the world.

They a 12-0-1 record in all competitions, better than any other major side in Europe.

But what is even more than that is the fact that they have conceded only a single goal out of those 13 games.

You could argue that they have not faced any potent offenses, but not after Tuesday. Their 2-0 victory over Manchester City proved that they are without a doubt the best team in group A. They frustrated the big-money squad into submission, and City eventually embarrassed themselves with off-field arguments.

Right now there are not many teams that seem to be better equipped to handle a competition like the Champions League. Shootout sides like Real Madrid, Barcelona and AC Milan may find their match in the German giants.

1. Real Madrid (2)

Madrid went on top of group D with a 3-0 victory over a strong Ajax side. The Dutch stayed close to Madrid for a majority of the first half, but they were only able to resist so much until Christiano Ronaldo’s breakthrough in the 25th minute opened the gate for two more.

Playing in Madrid, the hosts were the heavy favorites, but after laboring to a win against a much weaker Zagreb side, they knew nothing would come easy. The decision to start Kaka for only the second time this season proved to be the vital move, as he helped set up Ronaldo’s opener, scored his own and then completed the points hat trick by setting up Karim Benzema.

Madrid has so far found this Champions League campaign to be one of relative ease. If they can keep this going, they should be able to finally nip Barcelona and reclaim not only silverware, but the honor of being the best team in Spain and the world.

What Do You Think?

Do you agree with my rankings?

How would you place the very best in Europe?