Weekly Ranks 10/19 - PSG/Real Madrid, Manchester Derby on Deck

Rankings

1. Bayern Munich
2. Barcelona
3. Real Madrid
4. Paris Saint-Germain
5. Manchester City
6. Atletico Madrid
7. Borussia Dortmund
8. Juventus
9. Chelsea
10. Arsenal
11. AS Roma
12. Manchester United
13. Zenit St. Petersburg
14. FC Porto
15. Benfica
16. Vfl Wolfsburg
17. Celta Vigo
18. Napoli
19. Fiorentina
20. CSKA Moscow

Out: Villarreal

In: Napoli

News:

Bayern Munich made it nine-for-nine in the Bundesliga to maintain a seven-point lead over Dortmund. Bayern has a ridiculous +25 goal differential.. Barcelona got back on track with a 5-2 win over Rayo. Neymar isn't quite Robert Lewandowski, but did manage four goals on Sunday. He's doing his best to replace Messi, and I don't think Barca will fall off too much without the world's best player.. Celta Vigo maintained their surge, now second in La Liga after picking up a win at previous leaders Villarreal.  They are now joint top with Real Madrid and Barcelona. I'm not a believer quite yet. Real might not be as flashy of a team this year, but defensively, Rafa has the team in top form. They've conceded just two goals over eight games in a league that averaged 2.66 per game last year, second highest in the top-five leagues.. All four English teams in the rankings recorded wins last weekend, with Manchester United most impressive in a dominating win at Everton. The other three sides played very weak opposition, and each won easily. The Premier League is shaping up to be a bit more lopsided than usual this year.. Napoli joins the rankings after defeating Serie A leaders Fiorentina 2-1, cutting the gap between the two sides to three points. That's four wins out of five in the league for Napoli, who have recorded two additional wins the Europa League over that span.. Juventus looked better against Inter but could not defeat their rivals, drawing 0-0. I'm still waiting for Juve to turn it around, and there's still plenty of time. Maybe success in Europe will get the team going.. The Portuguese league was off this week.

Games to Watch:

Tuesday: Champions League action features Arsenal hosting Bayern Munich and Dynamo Kiev welcoming Chelsea. Arsenal dropped their first two contests and now face the unenviable task of defeating the German side to try and kick-start their European campaign. Bayern haven't lost since the Super Cup against Wolfsburg in August. They've also won their last two trips to the Emirates, 2-0 and 3-1, during first-leg matches in the Champions League. It's hard to see Arsenal breathing life into their hopes of progressing. Chelsea hardly proved they were back on Saturday despite a 2-0 win over Aston Villa, and face a long trip to Ukraine to face current Group G leaders Dynamo. Dynamo were just beaten 3-0 against arch-rivals Shakhtar, who jumped them into first in the Ukrainian Premier League. It's hard to predict what Chelsea team will show up in Kiev, and a loss would be very damaging for their chances of progression. With Eden Hazard likely returning to the side, I expect a strong performance from the Blues in Ukraine. 

Wednesday: A true titanic matchup in Group A takes place, with PSG hosting Real Madrid, and Real one goal ahead of their hosts through two games. Real have been superb defensively and will be a stern test for PSG, who have been rolling through Ligue 1. This is a statement game for the French side – they are not tested in the league very often and have spent the money to be among Europe's elite. Despite the talents of Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic being on display, I expect a tight, low-scoring game in Paris, with a slight edge to the home side. CSKA Moscow take on Manchester United with all four teams in Group B recording a win and loss in their first two games. All four are even in goal difference as well. Moscow is the site of United's 2008 Champions League triumph, and they won their last visit in 2009, defeating CSKA 1-0. It should be a good contest with a lot of goals – CSKA are leading the Russian Premier League and can keep up with United's pace. A win for United would put them in pole position to progress.

Saturday: League action is highlighted by Celta Vigo – Real Madrid. After defeating Barcelona 4-1 earlier this season, Celta could make a serious statement to the rest of the league by getting a positive result against Real. Real's goal differential is a bit inflated after a two-game stretch where they recorded 11 goals, but Ronaldo is still maintaining a healthy scoring pace. Celta would deserve a place in the top fifteen with a victory, while Real could close what has been a growing gap between Bayern Munich and the rest of the continent. It's hard to trust Celta with so few games played, but I expect them to give Real some issues.

Sunday: The top two sides in the Premier League clash in Manchester - United get the first shot at City at Old Trafford.  United halted a three-game home losing streak against City with a resounding 4-2 win last season. City have won four of six overall against United and lead them by two points. The Manchester derbies have been must-watch games over the last few seasons, and with both sides near the top of the league again, it should be another classic matchup. Wilfried Bony did a good job last week replacing Sergio Aguero, and City's title challenge this season could depend on his ability to produce until he returns. City are the better team overall, but you never know in these sort of games. Complete toss-up.

Weekly Ranks 10/5 - Bayern Jumps Barcelona, English Sides Struggle

Rankings

1. Bayern Munich
2. Barcelona
3. Real Madrid
4. Paris Saint-Germain
5. Manchester City
6. Juventus
7. Atletico Madrid
8. Borussia Dortmund
9. Zenit St. Petersburg
10. Chelsea
11. Arsenal
12. AS Roma
13. Manchester United
14. FC Porto
15. Benfica
16. Fiorentina
17. Vfl Wolfsburg
18. Villarreal
19. Celta Vigo
20. CSKA Moscow

Out: Bayer Leverkusen

In: CSKA Moscow

News:

Bayern Munich tops the rankings after their 5-1 drubbing of Dortmund. Bayern were ruthless on Sunday, scoring their five goals within a forty-minute time period. It seems to come in fives for the German sides now-a-days. Both Bayern and PSG will run away with their respective leagues – the question is, will the lack of legitimate competition derail performance in the Champions League, or will it allow star players some much needed rest? Bayern were beaten easily by Barcelona in last year’s semifinal after winning a weak Bundesliga, a year after they were crushed by Real Madrid at the same stage. Bayern's transfer policy, which has substantially weakened their opponents, seems to be backfiring in Europe.. Fiorentina is sitting on top of Serie A, and has scored thirteen goals to just one against in their last four matches, all wins. They’ve built up a ten-point lead over struggling Juventus, and must be considered legitimate contenders. Juve picked up two wins this week, and will surely begin to close the gap sooner rather than later.. Manchester City were the only English side to pick up two wins this week, slipping by Borussia Monchengladbach before destroying Newcastle. City can go as far as Sergio Aguero will take them.. It was another week of disaster for Chelsea, as two listless performances against Porto and Southampton has Jose Mourinho talking about his job prospects. I don’t believe Chelsea will fire Mourinho, but something needs to change, fast. The performances are getting worse and the defense is routinely out of position, giving away easy goals. A loss to Aston Villa after the break could spell big trouble for the Blues.. Arsenal and Manchester United had mixed weeks. Arsenal suffered a devastating loss against Greek champions Olympiakos, which practically ends their Champions League hopes, but bounced back with a 3-0 win over United. The Reds picked up a solid win over Wolfsburg on Wednesday before collapsing in the aforementioned defeat. It’s simply more of the same; United have yet to establish any consistency, while Arsenal are just the same old Arsenal. These sides wouldn’t be considered contenders if Chelsea weren’t in miserable form. It’s Manchester City’s title to lose.. I want to give some love to Andre Villas-Boas and Zenit. The club has navigated around AVB’s six-game domestic suspension to go top of Group H. Their domestic form is improving, but CSKA lead the pack with nine wins and two losses in eleven matches. AVB will be leaving Zenit at the end of the season, and while his tenure in Russia has had some curious moments, he has certainly earned himself another chance at a big club.. It was a good week for the Portuguese sides, as Porto and Benfica produced three wins from three. Benfica’s win in Madrid over Atletico was most impressive, albeit Atletico were preparing for a Madrid derby on the weekend. Porto’s win over Chelsea was analyzed particularly for Chelsea’s poor form, but Porto deserves a ton of credit. They attacked Chelsea with pace and were able to win the ball back quickly in midfield. Executing that type of football could take Porto a long way this season; they seem due for a run, don’t they?

Games to Watch:

Thursday: Euro 2016 qualifying matches will be taking place and there are just two matches left for many teams. Two interesting affairs, which happen to be in the same group, are Ireland – Germany and Scotland – Poland. The current standings in Group D are Germany with 19 points, Poland with 17, Ireland with 15 and Scotland with 11. However, Scotland’s last game is against Gibraltar, so barring what would perhaps be the biggest upset in qualifying history, Scotland will gain an additional three points, giving them 14. Despite playing the current world champions, the pressure is squarely on Ireland, as a loss would make their trip to Poland on Monday a must-win, unless the Poles can help them out by defeating Scotland. These four sides are all pretty good (obviously the Germans are world class) and usually light up the scoreboard, so the magnitude of these matches make them all the more compelling.

Keep an eye on Albania – Serbia as well. The first fixture was abandoned in Serbia after a pro-Albanian flag was attached to a drone and flown above the field during the match. The flag was eventually pulled down by a Serbian player, sparking a melee. The game was awarded as a 3-0 win to Albania, and Serbia were deducted a further three points due to the incident, which was yet another chapter is a series of worrying race and discrimination issues with Serbian fans. Albania have already qualified for the playoffs, and could secure an automatic place in Euro 2016 with wins over Serbia and Armenia, while Serbia are dead last and eliminated. It’s quite sad with Serbia, as there a number of household names on the team, but their fans continue to commit various hooligan crimes, both abroad and at home. It has undoubtedly affected the performance of the team, which has failed to build on their 2010 World Cup qualification.

Friday: 2018 World Cup qualifiers? Already? Qualifying begins in CONMEBOL, the football federation of South America, and Chile – Brazil is the highlighted matchup. Chile won the Copa America on home turf, sealing their first ever title. There isn’t much new with Brazil – they have begun to wash away last summer’s disaster, but their Copa America quarterfinal loss to a mediocre Paraguay side wasn’t nearly enough. I expect Chile to keep on rolling here.

Saturday: More European qualifiers, as Czech Republic – Turkey and Bosnia-Herzegovina – Wales highlight the slate. The Czechs, along with Iceland, have already qualified from Group A, while Turkey leads the Netherlands by two points for third. Four points from the two remaining games will send Turkey to the playoffs, which would mark a shocking collapse for the heralded Dutch side. Both sides play Iceland and the Netherlands face off against Kazakhstan on Saturday. It’s all on the line for Bosnia, as they must defeat group leaders Wales to have any chance of qualifying. They currently trail Israel by two points for third place. After qualifying for the World Cup for the first time as an independent nation, Bosnia has struggled badly in Group B, losing matches to Israel and Cyprus. Like the Dutch, they would be noticeable absentees if they don’t qualify for the final tournament.

Sunday: Thursday’s matches will determine the ultimate significance of Poland – Ireland but it will have meaning regardless of the results. If the Poles and Irish are able to secure their places with wins on Thursday, the match will determine which side goes through automatically versus through the playoffs. If Scotland defeats Poland on Thursday, the match will be for survival. These are two good sides so it should be an entertaining affair, especially with the form that Robert Lewandowski has been displaying for Bayern.

Monday: It could be a testy affair between Russia and Montenegro for each team’s final qualifying match. The Russians are currently in second place with Montenegro fourth. Sweden is in third, one point ahead of Montenegro, but face minnows Liechtenstein and Moldova in their final two matches. Montenegro could easily be eliminated by kickoff, and even if they remain three points behind Russia, they will need to win by four goals to go through. I’m highlighting the match because like Serbia and Albania, the first match was abandoned due to crowd trouble, and Russia was awarded a 3-0 win. The pressure will be cranked up further if the Swedes or Russians trip up on Friday, but things have to break perfectly for the Montenegrins.

Weekly Ranks 9/28 - Barcelona On Top, Bayern Close Behind

Rankings

1. Barcelona
2. Bayern Munich
3. Real Madrid
4. Paris Saint-Germain
5. Manchester City
6. Juventus
7. Chelsea
8. Borussia Dortmund
9. Atletico Madrid
10. AS Roma
11. Vfl Wolfsburg
12. Arsenal
13. Zenit St. Petersburg
14. Manchester United
15. FC Porto
16. Bayer Leverkusen
17. Villarreal
18. Benfica
19. Fiorentina
20. Celta Vigo

News:

Barcelona tops the rankings, despite a shocking 4-1 loss at Celta Vigo and the loss of Lionel Messi against Las Palmas. Both should serve as more of a wake-up call than a warning sign. The Catalan side still has the most potent attack in the world, despite just eleven goals in six games. Rivals Real Madrid have conceded just once thus far this season. Expect lower-scoring Classicos this year.. Robert Lewandowski’s five-goal tally in nine minutes against Wolfsburg was incredible. Bayern must be happy they went through all of that trouble to get him. Atop the league, Guardiola’s men will face few challenges domestically this season.. Meanwhile, Dortmund have gotten off to a hot start in the Bundesliga, with new coach Thomas Tuchel off to a bright beginning after replacing Jurgen Klopp. Tuchel didn’t change much tactically or within the squad, but did add some extra pace by acquiring Adnan Januzaj on loan. Dortmund’s sixth place finish last season is still baffling.. Manchester City has cooled off after a hot start, and Chelsea can’t seem to get going this season. The Sky Blues are the favorites to win the league, but they still have many of the same issues as prior years. With Vincent Kompany and Eliaquim Mangala out, City were all over the place defensively in a 4-1 defeat at White Hart Lane.. Chelsea is just playing too slowly. They have been unable to break on the counter and use the pace of their forwards. Their poor defensive record stands out, but it has been a myriad of mistakes rather than sustained poor play that has cost them goals. Expect things to improve, but not greatly until Thibaut Courtois returns.. This should be PSG’s year to shine. Off to a hot start in Ligue 1, expectations are high for the Parisians in Europe. This could finally be their year.. Manchester United are top of the Premier League, but the odds of a season-long run at the title are still long. Anthony Martial is off to a firing start, and things are certainly coming together for the Reds, but I would not consider them to be contenders until next term. Performances are still too uneven, but this team is capable of beating anyone. The consistency will come.. Villarreal and Celta Vigo are off to good starts in La Liga, with Villarreal top of the league after six matches. While neither side can be expected to sustain a run at the top three, the clubs notched victories over Atletico Madrid and Barcelona, respectively. La Liga is the best league in the world right now, and if some balance finally begins to occur in the table, it will make the league even better.. Juventus, like Chelsea, has lost three of its first six games after losing just three last year. They sit 15th in the table, ten points behind Fiorentina after the Viola notched an impressive 4-1 win over Inter in Milan. Juventus’s dominance of Serie A gives them an easier chance at a fight back than the Blues have in the Premier League, but their 1-1 home draw against newcomers Frosinone was particularly poor. Injuries have played a part but Juve need to press their foot on the gas soon.. FC Porto took the early edge in the Portuguese Liga by defeating Benfica 1-0 last weekend. Benfica has won the league each of the past two seasons, and this season figures to be another tight race between the two archrivals.

Games to Watch:

Tuesday: Eight Champions League matches take place, but keep an eye on FC Porto – Chelsea and Arsenal – Olympiacos. Jose Mourinho visits the club where he won his first Champions League title, and Porto should provide a stiff test for a Chelsea side still trying to find their form. I’m expecting a draw, as Mourinho is typically conservative in road European matches and a draw would be just fine for the Blues as Porto drew their first match. However, Diego Costa will be ready to go – his three-game ban is only for domestic matches. Arsenal and Olympiacos each lost their first match, but in contrasting circumstances. The Greeks lost a relatively tight match to Bayern 3-0, and although the score line is not favorable, two of Bayern’s goals came in the final minutes. However, Olympiacos created little going forward and will need to push the tempo in London, as Arsenal have defended well when they have eleven players on the field. In Zagreb, that was not the case, as Olivier Giroud was needlessly sent off in the first half, and Arsenal fell to an embarrassing defeat in Croatia. This is certainly a must-win for the Gunners. The home side has won each of the last six matches between the two sides, and I expect that trend to continue.

Wednesday: Eight more Champions League matches, and there are two more that stand out: Juventus – Sevilla and Manchester United – Wolfsburg. Although, I wouldn’t mind watching Atletico take on Benfica in an Iberian battle, either. Both Juve and Sevilla won their first match, but are struggling badly in their domestic leagues. It is most surprising to see Juventus struggling, as they have dominated Serie A and kept hold of their most prized asset, Paul Pogba, this summer. Sevilla finally won their first match of the season on Saturday and picked up a solid 3-0 win over Borussia Monchengladbach on Matchday 1. I expect Juve to win this game, but it should be an entertaining affair for the neutrals. Manchester United are top of the league but coming off a surprising 2-1 defeat in Eindhoven against PSV. Wolfsburg, my pick to win the group, defeated CSKA in their first match. German teams usually travel well, and Wolfsburg has a number of talented players, including German internationals Andre Schurrle and Julian Draxler. United should take this game, as it is essentially a must-win, but it should be very exciting with a number of goals.

Thursday: 24 Europa League games are on the slate – most interesting are Monaco – Tottenham and Celtic – Fenerbahce. Monaco and Spurs are two of the best teams in the competition, and while we likely won’t see their best sides on the field, it should still be an entertaining affair. Celtic and Fenerbahce faceoff at what is an always electric scene, Celtic Park. Celtic’s glory days are well behind them, but there is always a spirit about the Bhoys at home, and the crowd always creates an impressive atmosphere on European nights. Fener are finally past the match-fixing scandal that has plagued the club since 2011, and after missing European football the past two seasons, the Turkish side are looking to improve after a surprising 3-1 loss to Molde. Group A is probably the best group in this year’s Europa League – the fourth team is Ajax, another team with a proud history.  

Saturday: I will be watching Chelsea take on Southampton, but the only matchup between top sides is Sevilla – Barcelona. As mentioned, Sevilla have struggled in the league but they should be up for the challenge of playing the Catalan side. Expect the fireworks to be going off in Seville, although the absence of Lionel Messi will dampen the hype.

Sunday: The slate is nothing short of incredible – if you’re not an NFL fan (or a fan of say, the Saints, or the Bears) there’s an entire day’s worth of matches. Everton – Liverpool, Arsenal – Manchester United, Atletico Madrid – Real Madrid, Bayern Munich – Borussia Dortmund, PSG – Marseille, and AC Milan – Napoli highlight a jam-packed schedule. The Merseyside derby is always a testy affair, and the pressure has been building for Brendan Rodgers’s Liverpool. An improving Everton side could be exactly what gets them going – or the final nail in the coffin for Rodgers. The Madrid derby has been very tight over the last few seasons, and Diego Simeone’s side will be looking to inflict a first defeat of the season on Real. Unsurprisingly, Real have been much more efficient at the back but far less potent going forward under Rafa Benitez. Expect physical play to persist throughout the game. Bayern sit four points ahead of Dortmund entering the match, with the former already twenty goals to the good with seven wins from seven. Bayern are far ahead of their rivals nowadays, but Dortmund always gives them a good game. The tension between the two clubs regarding transfer policy has made these matches a must-watch.  

Top 25 - September 7, 2012

The Top 25 is back after the completion of the first month of the season. The usual suspects are in the top 5, but the list has changed around quite a bit due to transfers over the summer.

1) Real Madrid CF (ESP)
2) FC Barcelona (ESP)
3) Manchester City FC (ENG)
4) Bayern Munich (GER)
5) Manchester United FC (ENG)
6) Chelsea FC (ENG)
7) Juventus FC (ITA)
8) Borussia Dortmund (GER)
9) Paris Saint-Germain FC (FRA)
10) Zenit St. Petersburg (RUS)
11) AC Milan (ITA)
12) Arsenal FC (ENG)
13) Schalke 04 (GER)
14) SSC Napoli (ITA)
15) Atletico de Madrid (ESP)
16) Olympique de Marseille (FRA)
17) Malaga CF (ESP)
18) Olympique de Lyon (FRA)
19) CSKA Moscow (RUS)
20) SL Benfica (POR)
21) Borussia Monchengladbach (GER)
22) Ajax Amsterdam (NED)
23) Everton FC (ENG)
24) SS Lazio (ITA)
25) Montpellier HSC (FRA)

Notes:

1-10: Real Madrid deserves top spot after beating out Barcelona for last year's La Liga crown, as well as their Supercopa victory last week on away goals. After toppling the Catalans, Mourinho's goal for this year must surely be another Champions League crown. It doesn't start easy. Early matchups with Manchester City and Dortmund make it a difficult road to London..While the Premier League has proven itself to be the deepest in Europe, its top teams have struggled mightily in the defensive end. City, United and Chelsea have all conceded at least two goals twice within their first three to four games. United were the only team not to reinforce their ranks this summer, although they do have returns from Phil Jones and Chris Smalling to look forward to. United have drawn another easy group, but will struggle again in Europe if they do not improve, especially after conceding eight goals in four games against Basel and Benfica last year.. Zenit made two huge acquisitions in Hulk and Axel Witsel, giving them a top-ten pedigree in both talent and experience. They should be favorites in Group C and could make a deep run in Europe after a disappointing drop-down to the Europa league last year.. After becoming the biggest of all spenders this summer, PSG have failed to see results on the pitch. Draws in each of their first three league games (followed by a first win against Lille) have put pressure on the new signings as well as manager Carlo Ancelotti. Group A looks soft for the Parisians, but they could be exposed by the experience of Dynamo Kiev and Porto.

11-25: Atletico Madrid are back on the rise after several mediocre seasons. Falcao can be argued as the best striker in Europe at the moment, scoring a hat-trick in a resounding Super Cup victory over Chelsea. Whether Atleti can keep him is a completely different question - transfer rumors have already started coming in from England. If he makes a January move to the Premier League, it could be a season-changer.. Everton are currently the fifth-best team in England. Tottenham, Liverpool and Newcastle have all stuttered at the start. If Everton keeps up their second-half form of recent years, they could challenge for a European place. Marouane Fellaini is in the top form of his career.. A horrendous 10th place finish is clearly out of the minds of Marseille as they have raced to a four-for-four start in Ligue 1. More importantly, they hold an early six-point advantage over PSG. The hot start makes the acquisition of Joey Barton even more questionable for L'OM.. Malaga look like a great story after they qualified for the Champions League against Panathinaikos. A huge investment looked to make Malaga a mainstay in Spanish football, but funds have dried up and the club had to sell many of the stars they bought. However, Manuel Pellegrini has kept heads up in the camp, good for a first appearance in the UCL and seven points from nine in La Liga.. Same old Arsenal this summer, as the club again decided to sell its instrumental players. Wenger did a better job this summer reinforcing his ranks, but the fans and players of the club are questioning its transfer policy. If they want to be serious contenders for trophies, and not just competing well, Arsenal must make a stand with its top players and force them to stay. Whether that means paying them more or not is the issue.

Top 25

From now on, every two weeks I will put out a Top 25 of the teams in Europe, with a few comments on the movements in the rankings and particular squads' recent activity. These are subjective rankings, because I don't have a computed way of ranking the clubs. I've done my best to evaluate the squads based on their relative strength domestically and in Europe. Here is the Top 25 for January 24:

1) FC Barcelona (ESP)
2) Real Madrid CF (ESP)
3) Manchester City FC (ENG)
4) FC Bayern Munich (GER)
5) Manchester United FC (ENG)
6) AC Milan (ITA)
7) Chelsea FC (ENG)
8) Tottenham Hotspur FC (ENG)
9) Juventus FC (ITA)
10) Borussia Dortmund (GER)
11) Paris St. Germain FC (FRA)
12) FC Inter Milan (ITA)
13) Arsenal FC (ENG)
14) Zenit St. Petersburg (RUS)
15) Olympique de Marseille (FRA)
16) SL Benfica (POR)
17) LOSC Lille (FRA)
18) Schalke 04 (GER)
19) Valencia CF (ESP)
20) SSC Napoli (ITA)
21) Olympique Lyon (FRA)
22) Bayer Leverkusen (GER)
23) CSKA Moscow (RUS)
24) FC Porto (POR)
25) Montpellier HSC (FRA)

Notes

TOP TEN: Despite being second in La Liga, Barcelona is clearly the best team in Europe. They have been dominant against top competitors Real Madrid and remain favorites to take home the Champions League for the second straight year.. Manchester City is the best team in England, and should remain in the top 3 for the rest of the season. City have the depth and talent to win the Premier League despite failing to reach the knockout stages of the UCL.. Chelsea and Tottenham are neck and neck, but Spurs may have peaked too early. Chelsea are strengthening their squad in January, and Spurs must do the same to keep their league position ahead of the Blues. Spurs are one major injury away from a slide down the table, and with extremely talented, but injury-prone players in Aaron Lennon, Gareth Bale and Luka Modric, Spurs would do well to add another player or two.. Bayern Munich is a dangerous team. They have the talent and experience to beat anyone in Europe.. Borussia Dortmund is a top team despite flopping in the Champions League. However, losing Mario Gotze for up to two months could be a fatal blow to their attempt to repeat as German champions.

11-25: PSG has performed a remarkable turnaround. Between the summer's cash injection and hirings of Leonardo and Carlo Ancelotti, the Parisians could be a real force in Europe as soon as next year.. Porto are not the same team without Andre Villas-Boas, but are also sorely missing Falcao. They are second in the league to Benfica but struggled mightily in the Champions League. Seven goals in six games is not vintage Porto, especially considering they were handed perhaps the easiest draw.. Inter is back on track. The Nerazzurri are up to fourth in Serie A after being in the relegation zone early in the season. They will be a tough out in Europe.. For the third year in a row, Montpellier are off to a good start in Ligue 1. Last year, one win in their final ten games left the side at just 14th in the league. This year looks like a different story, as the club sit second behind 14 league goals by Olivier Giroud. They could be on course for a first ever Champions League appearance. However, there is still a lot of season left and Lille and Lyon are lurking.. Arsenal have probably the weakest squad they've ever had in Arsene Wenger's tenure, and are still a top-15 European side. That is impressive on its own.