European Power Rankings: Real Madrid topple English clubs to take top spot in week one

In a new weekly column, Robin Bairner scours the top European leagues to give us his power rankings - the top ten clubs in Europe this season.

Last weekend marked the beginning of the football season to most, with a long run in prospect to 2023’s Champions League final next June in Istanbul. Can Real Madrid win a record-extending 15th title, or will Liverpool exact their revenge on Los Blancos? Will Manchester City or PSG win their elusive first Champions League crown? 

Hopefully our power rankings can help answer these questions, as we provide fans with an idea about who the best ten teams are on the continent. So without further delay, here are our first European power rankings:

10. Atletico Madrid

It’s been a rather low-key summer for Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid. They haven’t made any blockbuster transfer market moves, although they continue to be quietly linked with Cristiano Ronaldo – a deal that remains unlikely to happen before the window slams shut. 

Last season, Atleti took a step away from their gritty style of play that they have long been associated with, but it was not necessarily to their advantage. Simeone’s men trail their domestic and European rivals by a huge gulf. You might have to wait a while until you see Real Madrid in this list!

9. Arsenal

Once again, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal spent big over the summer in the hope that they will break back into the Champions League. They fell a whisker short last season, faltering in key games towards the end of the campaign and often struggling against the bigger teams in the league. 

Gabriel Jesus appears to have added an X-factor in attack that they previously lacked, but the Gunners still have questions to answer elsewhere in their ranks.

8. Tottenham

Tottenham’s transformation under the guidance of Antonio Conte has continued at pace, with the Italian’s summer transfer market raid comprehensively strengthening his squad. In a merciless race for the top four spots in the Premier League, Spurs look well equipped to be highly competitive. 

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Those thoughts were underlined in their opening league game last weekend as they came from one behind to defeat Southampton 4-1.

7. PSG

Paris Saint-Germain made a habit of getting into winning positions in the Champions League before throwing it all away with a few minutes of madness. This doubt will linger over the French club until the final weeks of the season.

However,  their year has begun well under the guidance of new head coach Christophe Galtier. Impressive victories over Nantes (4-0) and Clermont Foot (5-0) kickstarted their campaign, but tougher tests lie ahead.

With Neymar and Lionel Messi beginning to fire again and mercurial talent Kylian Mbappe happy after signing a contract extension, PSG should be a mainstay in this column all year.

6. Chelsea

It’s been a difficult 2022 for Chelsea, whose takeover left them trailing in the transfer window compared to many of their rivals. Nevertheless, the additions of Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly appear very strong. 

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Thomas Tuchel’s side kicked off their Premier League season with a solid win against Everton, but they need more firepower and defensive depth before they can be considered real Champions League hopefuls.

5. Barcelona

It’s difficult to know what to expect from Barcelona this season. Over the summer they spent lavishly and, while there are fears that the club’s long-term future is being built on sand, their pre-season results and performances have been hugely impressive. 

The tempo at which the team played to defeat Real Madrid in Las Vegas was incredible, while they also smashed Pumas in their final warm-up game last weekend. And there may be more yet to come in the summer transfer window with Bernardo Silva and Marcos Alonso linked.

4. Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich sold prolific marksman Robert Lewandowski in the summer and have not replaced him in a like-for-like manner, but the Bavarian side remain one of the best-run sides in Europe. 

They proved their class by smashing Eintracht Frankfurt in their opening Bundesliga match of the season, while the arrival of ex-Liverpool forward Sadio Mane looks a shrewd piece of business. The Senegal star is a genuine contender to win the Ballon d’Or during another strong season for Bayern.

3. Liverpool

Reds fans will no doubt feel aggrieved to see their side third on this list after flirting with a quadruple last season, and they once again kick off the campaign with expectations of both Premier League and Champions League glory. 

They came within 90 minutes of winning both titles last season and, with star summer addition Darwin Nunez starting in blistering form – he scored in both of his opening two competitive outings, Jurgen Klopp’s side will certainly be in the mix for major honours once again this term. Expect the 2-2 draw they played out against Fulham at the weekend to be an aberration.

2. Manchester City

Pep Guardiola’s side was comprehensively outplayed by Liverpool in the Community Shield, hinting that they will have a hard time defending their Premier League title for a third successive time.

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However, they stole a march on their rivals on the opening weekend by claiming a 2-0 win over a West Ham side that was very competitive last season. Most ominously for their domestic rivals, Erling Haaland, who had looked clumsy and off-key against the Reds, scored both the goals. If he continues firing, they could be unstoppable. 

1. Real Madrid

Real Madrid haven’t yet played a competitive match this season, but as European champions they have to be respected as the top side on the continent for the time being. 

Los Blancos have supplemented their side this summer by adding Aurelien Tchouameni from Monaco, and retained all of their key figures as they seek to regain both domestic and European dominance. They will be reliant on Karim Benzema and Vinicius Jr both enjoying spectacular seasons once more.

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European Power Rankings will be updated on a weekly basis. Writer Robin Bairner will assess each team’s position based on a mixture of their most recent performances and dominance in their respective division and the Champions League.