UEFA Champions League Power Rankings: Continuing to slide in Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City retake the top spot

The Champions League group stage will end next week on Supreme +. With 11 places in the knockout stages already guaranteed, here’s how the powerhouses of European football are ranking right now:

Highest level: Trophies or busts

These teams should be frustrated with anything less than a semi-final landing and, honestly, that may not be enough, so is their talent record.

1. Manchester City (+1)

Pick any of the top four teams as the one most likely to win the Champions League. On the right day any of these teams are likely to overtake the other 28 on the pitch as Man City did against PSG. Although the odds of winning on the pitch may have been tight, Pep Guardiola’s men were once again the dominant team; across two meetings with a supposedly crowned opponent, they scored 4.03 expected goals (xG) while allowing only 1.5.

2. Bayern Munich (-1)

Their relegation is not representative of any defeat on their part although it is perhaps fair to question how often Julian Nagelsmann’s side have actually been tested in what has proven to be a weak group Champions League. Sunday’s clash with Borussia Dortmund maybe put out a more thorough examination of their qualities after three games where they failed to come up with the impressive scores they had put together a few weeks ago.

3. Liverpool (-)

Perhaps the most terrible attack in Europe at the moment, every Diogo Jota, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and of course Mohamed Salah are all in terrible form when they come on. Most intriguing, however, may be Thiago’s long-awaited sublimation in recent weeks. The defense is firing more dangerous shots than the other Premier League superpowers, but this looks like one team will more than make up for it at the other end.

4. Chelsea (+1)

There are games where Chelsea create all the chances in the world but never quite like to score, but Thomas Tuchel’s side are currently at the stage where they are hitting exceptionally high xG counts – more than 2 ,5 each in each of their last matches. eight games – without giving up a huge amount of opportunity at the other end. Their crushing Juventus is an all-round performance like in the Champions League this season.

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Serious competitor: If things go right, why not us?

It is certainly not out of the question that any of these teams could lift the European Cup in Istanbul in May, although it may take a few lucky breaks to get the tournament to work their way.

5. Ajax (-1)

As detailed last week, it is equally impressive to see a Weak Ajax overtakes Besiktas in gritty fashion than it has been seen them crush all other opposers in their path. Sebastien Haller continues to amaze the doubters while Dusan Tadic leads the Champions League in terms of chances created.

Black Horse: There is no possibility of an opponent, but the opponents are the same

These teams can hardly win the title, but so was Chelsea this time a year ago. Circumstances may have to change like the Blues did when they appointed Thomas Tuchel, be it a new signing or the unearthing of a new tactical plan. It is possible, but certainly not possible.

6. Real Madrid (+1)

With a six-match winning streak, Madrid had two hugely impressive results last week, negotiating what could be a tough trip to Moldova in assertive style before beating Sevilla from behind to open the door. a big gap in La Liga. Their defense is still struggling to keep a clean sheet but with the form of Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior as they are now, it probably won’t matter.

7. Paris Saint-Germain (-1)

While the aggregate score might suggest otherwise, the fact is that PSG have played two games against potential opponents to win the Champions League and looked inferior in both games. Almost a year on, Mauricio Pochettino’s energetic style has ceased to work and it’s hard to see that happen with three ballless passengers at the top of the pitch. Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe may still not win this team in some of the knockout matches but Jamie Carragher is right to suggest the title is out of this team right now.

In the last 16

They may not be in the tournament to win the tournament but they will definitely be in the knockout stages next year.

8. Inter Milan (+1)

In the continental arena and Serie A, Inter seems to have taken another step forward in recent weeks. The 3-2 win over Napoli was indeed a real boost to their title hopes while the composure with which they knocked out Shakhtar Donetsk proved that this side will not repeat Antonio Conte’s side in the Premier League. group stage. Through to the round of 16, no one will like a draw that leaves them with a solid defense at one end and a Lautaro Martinez-Edin Dzeko pairing at the other.

9. Manchester United (+1)

Of course, they made it to the last 16, which helps, but any optimism one might have about United’s chances in the new year certainly depends on projections of where the Ralf Rangnick team will likely work on their project two months or so. At the moment, they look pretty short compared to a game for the top teams and had a somewhat lucky draw with Chelsea. However, with a suitable man in peaches, they can be a more serious opponent in the new year.

10. Sports (+8)

Their initial woes erased their Champions League copybook but since the 0-1 defeat to Dortmund on September 28, all Sporting has done is win…and a way quite convincing. Their climax so far was a superb 3-1 win over BVB in Lisbon, which secured them a place in the round of 16, a match that is sure to boost Pedro Goncalves’ reputation.

11. Juventus (-3)

Increasingly, the six-match winning streak in September and October seems more and more like an odd coincidence for a team playing as it is now: a mid-tier Serie A side. They certainly can’t match Chelsea. : overwhelming in midfield, lacking important clues in attack. Injuries did not help Massimiliano Allegri’s side but this was not the standard Juventus expected.

Knockout Stage Candidates

Advance to the final round of the game, these teams can still make it to the round of 16.

12. Lille (+8)

It seems that out of nowhere, the defending champion of Ligue 1 has turned Group G in their favor. Only Chelsea have conceded fewer goals than Lille in the group stage while they have the 5th best opponent xG. On the other end, Jonathan David is emerging as a big star coveted by a series of top European teams. One spot in Wolfsburg – nothing is certain, but certainly within their reach – and Lille is passing.

13. Porto (+2)

14. Benfica (+6)

15. Villarreal (-1)

16. Red Bull Salzburg (-5)

Lille’s rise has been accompanied by the rapid demise of Red Bull Salzburg, who could claim their spot on Wednesday but have lost their last two games. The question surrounding Matthias Jassle’s youthful squad, so dominant in the match against Austria, is whether they have the fighting strength to go through the last few yards in the Champions League. The visit of seasoned European operators Sevilla will tell us.

17. Atletico Madrid (-1)

18. Seville (+3)

19. Atalanta (-)

20. Wolfsburg (-3)

21. Barcelona (-8)

It’s a testament to the state of the Spanish game at the moment as Barcelona, ​​Atletico Madrid and Sevilla all think about topping Europe’s biggest league.

22. AC Milan (+4)

At Barcelona and AC Milan we have two traditional powerhouses who have played very well but it looks like they will only fall behind the teams that have usurped the top spot in European football. After the draw with Benfica, Barcelona need to beat Bayern Munich. That should be enough regardless of results elsewhere, though easier said than done. Milan, meanwhile, need to beat Liverpool and hope Atletico Madrid and Porto play each other to open up the game. Stefano Pioli’s side proved throughout this competition that they can test any top team but the rub of green simply isn’t for them.

Europa League binding

These teams will compete in Europe next year but will be in second place.

23. Borussia Dortmund (-11)

24. Police Chief Tiraspol (-3)

25. Zenit (-)

In the Europa League race

These teams mathematically cannot make it to the round of 16 but they can make it to the Europa League.

26. RB Leipzig (+4)

27. Club Brugge (-4)

The key calculation in figuring out which team can finish third in Group A may just be that their opponents have more of a chance on matchday Friday. Both PSG and Man City know where they will end up but the former player still feels they have something to prove in their performances; It just feels more logical that Leipzig would get something at home against the Citizens than Club Brugge could win in Paris.

28. Young men (-4)

Out of Europe

These teams were guaranteed bottom of their table and were eliminated from the European competition entirely.

29. Dynamo Kyiv (-1)

30. Shakhtar Donetsk (-3)

31. Besiktas (-)

32. Malmo (-)