The 2025-26 Champions League season can be again in two weeks after six matchdays of the league section occurred from September to December 2025, however the prime European leagues aren’t occurring break within the meantime. Arsenal and Manchester Metropolis are able to combat for one more Premier League title whereas Bayern Munich are as soon as once more dominating the Bundesliga standings. Elsewhere, Juventus are getting again to the highest of the Serie A standings whereas Actual Madrid appear to have solved their issues. Let’s check out our weekly energy rankings:
1. Arsenal (–)
Week after week, I am extra satisfied that is going to be the yr when they may lastly raise a trophy. Mikel Arteta’s facet have a six-point benefit on Manchester Metropolis within the Premier League standings and lead the league section desk within the Champions League. If they do not win not less than a type of within the subsequent 5 months, it is going to be a failure.
2. Bayern Munich (–)
The German Bundesliga can be again this week after the winter break and we will count on Bayern Munich to proceed to attain, having recorded 55 targets scored in 15 video games performed up to now within the league. Averaging 3.6 targets per sport, they must be thought-about the most effective groups of the season.
3. Manchester Metropolis (–)
Regardless of the house draw towards Chelsea over the weekend that slowed down their pursuit of Arsenal, the sensation is that they may proceed to present their sturdy type, whereas the way forward for the Spanish supervisor Pep Guardiola can be an enormous subject within the coming weeks. This is likely to be the final six months of him at Metropolis regardless of a contract working till 2027, and so they must take advantage of out of it.
4. Barcelona (–)
The staff coached by Hansi Flick received 2-0 in every of the final 4 video games performed in all competitions, exhibiting an enormous enchancment in protection, one thing that they’ve all the time struggled to attain previously months. Subsequent up: the Spanish Tremendous Cup.
5. PSG (–)
As soon as the 2025 AFCON is over, PSG may even welcome again Achraf Hakimi, who lastly recovered from his damage and can be an enormous enhance for the staff coached by Luis Enrique within the coming weeks, when each Ligue 1 and Champions League will enter their key phases.
6. Inter (+1)
Inter are performing extremely effectively previously weeks, exhibiting some nice soccer and likewise profitable loads of video games, because it occurred over the previous weekend towards Bologna. Will probably be one other key week because the Nerazzurri may even meet Napoli on Sunday at San Siro for what’s prone to be an important take a look at for the title race.
7. Actual Madrid (+2)
Xabi Alonso’s job was in peril a month in the past, however the Spanish coach was in a position to flip issues round and regulate all of it. Over the weekend, the Blancos received 5-1 towards Actual Betis and Gonzalo Garcia scored his first hat trick with the staff. That is getting attention-grabbing.
8. Atletico Madrid (-2)
The most important problem about Diego Simeone’s facet this season has been the inconsistency of outcomes. Too many instances Atletico Madrid had some ups and downs that prevented them from being on the prime of the standings and attempting to place stress on each Actual Madrid and Barcelona for the title race. I used to be anticipating a bit extra from them after final summer season.
9. Atalanta (+1)
Raffaele Palladino did what he was requested to. He took over Atalanta and shortly modified the scenario after a disappointing begin below Ivan Juric. The 1-0 win over AS Roma this weekend marked the start of a brand new period as Palladino received towards the facet coached by Gian Piero Gasperini, the previous Atalanta coach who left in the summertime of 2025 after a decade on the membership.
10. Liverpool (+1)
It is not a lot a mirrored image of their enchancment, however after what has occurred in latest days with Enzo Maresca’s departure, they merely can’t be ranked under Chelsea.
11. Chelsea (-3)
Ah, right here we go once more. In my earlier rankings, I requested the Chelsea board to stay with Enzo Maresca not less than till the tip of the season. I assume they did not learn it.
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12. Olympique Marseille (–)
If there’s one staff that may beat PSG, that is the facet coached by Roberto De Zerbi. I will not be shocked if he is on the radar of many golf equipment this summer season or even Manchester United proper now.
13. Newcastle (–)
Eddie Howe’s facet are slowly coming again however this season just isn’t going as we have been anticipating final summer season. Too many ups and downs do not repay in terms of the Premier League and because of this they’re now in ninth place.
14. Borussia Dortmund (–)
The Bundesliga can be again this week and Dortmund will attempt to shut the hole with Bayern Munich, however that is simply not going to occur. Nevertheless, they need to focus extra on the Champions League’s final two video games of the league section as they nonetheless have probabilities to finish up in a great spot.
15. Galatasaray (–)
After what they’ve executed in the summertime, there are excessive expectations, particularly within the Champions League however they won’t be over as they’re at present seeking to signal Italian midfielder Davide Frattesi from Inter within the winter switch session. If that occurs, it is going to be one other sign of their need to impress.
16. Napoli (+1)
Their place on this rating is strictly associated to their disappointing Champions League marketing campaign as Antonio Conte’s staff are performing extremely effectively within the Serie A standings regardless of some massive accidents that proceed to have an effect on the roster.
17. Juventus (-1)
After some good outcomes, the Bianconeri drew 1-1 towards Lecce over the weekend, however the cycle below Luciano Spalletti began off effectively. They need to lengthen his deal past the summer season and begin working with him to rebuild the staff. He is the proper supervisor for this membership.
18. Bayer Leverkusen (–)
I am undecided what we will count on from them within the second a part of the season and the winter break. I am certain they made the proper choice to sack Erik ten Hag and to nominate Kasper Hjulmand, however they want extra stability in 2026, after so many adjustments within the roster and within the teaching employees.
19. Sporting CP (–)
They’ve been performing effectively this season, however Porto look unstoppable, with Francesco Farioli’s facet profitable 16 matches, drawing as soon as, and remaining unbeaten within the Portuguese league up to now.
20. PSV (+1)
They’re doing nice. Within the league: 15 wins, one draw, just one defeat and a 15-point hole on Feyenoord.
21. Tottenham (-1)
I believed Thomas Frank was the proper man to show issues round, however I am undecided at this level if he can obtain what he hoped for on the membership. Each Enzo Maresca and Ruben Amorim have been sacked this yr, and I am not shocked if he is subsequent.
22. AS Monaco (–)
One other difficult season for AS Monaco. The nice outdated days appear actually distant however perhaps with the proper supervisor this staff can nonetheless be again on the prime.
23. Benfica (–)
They discovered the proper supervisor however I am undecided he’ll keep endlessly. What if Manchester United name Jose Mourinho again this summer season?
24. Membership Brugge (–)
Can they keep away from promoting their greatest participant to AC Milan this yr? I assume not, as their striker Nicolò Tresoldi was at San Siro to look at the Rossoneri dealing with Hellas Verona.
25. Copenaghen (–)
I did not assume they might make it for the playoffs of the league section however their away win towards Villarreal will give them a shot.
26. Qarabag (–)
They shocked everybody within the opening matches of the league section however that was it. Not sufficient to hope to see them once more within the playoffs.
27. Eintracht Frankfurt (–)
They’ve conceded 30 targets in 15 Bundesliga matches. With such a file, they can not hope for way more than that.
28. Union Saint-Gilloise (–)
Their focus now can be on the league as they don’t have any probabilities to qualify for the play-offs.
29. Athletic Membership (–)
I used to be certain they have been going to turn out to be the shocking facet of the league section. That is proper, I used to be.
30. Villarreal (–)
I nonetheless cannot perceive how they are often probably the most shocking staff in LaLiga, at present sitting third behind solely Barcelona and Actual Madrid, but on the identical time are one of the crucial disappointing sides within the Champions League.
31. Pafos (–)
It was wonderful to see them taking part in within the Champions League and actually hope to see them once more right here sooner or later.
32. Slavia Prague (–)
With all due respect, they don’t seem to be on the degree of the opposite groups, and that is the place we have been anticipating to see them.
33. Olympiacos (–)
There have been expectations to be good when perhaps there should not have been.
34. Bodo/Glimt (–)
I believed they might do higher in Europe this season, particularly contemplating the temperatures at their dwelling video games.
35. Ajax (–)
By far the most important disappointment of the season, and there are nonetheless loads of months to go earlier than the tip.
36. Kairat (–)
I write this each week, however I am not drained but: I hope to see them again on the Champions League stage subsequent season. They provide one thing distinctive.
