Voting: Each writer picked their top 20 teams. We then assigned points to each vote, with 20 points awarded for a first place vote, 19 for second, 18 for third and so on, to create the final list.
Presenting the fourth edition of The National’s European football Power Table, our view of the top 20 European clubs of the moment as voted this week by Thomas Woods, Jonathan Raymond and Steve Luckings.
Other receiving votes this week: Dynamo Kiev (6 points), Manchester City (5), Bayer Leverkusen (4), FC Porto (3), Sevilla (3), Ajax (2)
Dropped from the Top 20, no votes: None
Note: This week’s votes were taken before the Champions League matches of Tuesday night.
20 – KAA Gent, 7 points (last week: T18)
A loss to Wolfsburg in the Champions League first leg at home and a 5-2 battering away to Oostende in the Belgian Jupiler League, but for now they cling to a place in the list.
19 – Villarreal, 9 points (last week: unranked)
Given a boost with a win over Napoli in the first leg of their Europa League last 32 tie before battling Atletico Madrid to a goalless draw in La Liga. Quietly underrated as La Liga’s fourth-best team, just five points off Real Madrid.
18 – AS Roma, 11 points (last week: T19)
Fell to Real Madrid despite a strong showing in the Champions League, but followed it up by hammering hapless Palermo 5-0 in Serie A. Have been on a quiet charge domestically, where they have the third-best goal difference and are just two points behind third-placed Fiorentina.
17 – Southampton, 12 points (last week: 14)
Inactive since a February 13 win over Swansea City in the Premier League, but the in-form side, who have not lost in the league since January 2 despite fixtures with Manchester United, Arsenal and West Ham, will get a stern test from Chelsea on Saturday.
16 – Olympiakos, 13 points (last week: unranked)
Bounced back from successive losses to AEK in the Greek Super League and Anderlecht in the Europa League with a needed 4-0 drilling of Atromitos.
15 – Sporting CP, 17 points (last week: 12)
After losing to Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League, managed a 2-0 victory over Boavista in the Portuguese Primeira Liga to maintain their league-leading pace.
14 – PSV Eindhoven, 18 points (last week: 13)
Comfortably beat now-fifth Heracles 2-0 to continue along with a one-point cushion over Ajax at the top of the Dutch Eredivisie.
13 – Benfica, 22 points (last week: unranked)
After scoring a win over Zenit St Petersburg in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie, they cruised past Pacos Ferreira away in Portugal 3-1.
12 – Leicester City, 24 points (last week: 11)
Leicester find their position largely unchanged, which makes sense as they have not played since their 2-1 loss to Arsenal in the Premier League.
11 – Napoli, 26 points (last week: 8)
More follow-on fall from Napoli after a string of setbacks – loss to Juventus in Serie A, loss to Villarreal in the Europa League and a 1-1 draw with AC Milan in the league.
10 – Fiorentina, 32 points (last week: 15)
Managed a credible draw with Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League and then went away to Atalanta in Serie A and scored a 3-2 victory.
9 – Real Madrid, 36 points (last week: 6)
Whatever good will the Spanish giants may have earned with their hard-fought win over AS Roma in the Champions League was squandered by an all-too-characteristic draw against lesser opposition in La Liga, this time Malaga.
8 – Atletico Madrid, 38 points (last week: 7)
The draw with Villarreal should not be seen as a mark against Diego Simeone’s men, unless one really expected them to challenge Barcelona – and, from the looks of things, there is not a team in the world to challenge Barcelona.
7 – Tottenham Hotspur, 39 points (last week: T4)
Dropped a bit from a top-five perch last week after the draw with Fiorentina and a more disappointing loss to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup – still, might free Spurs up as they pursue what would be an astonishing Premier League title.
6 – Borussia Dortmund, 42 points (last week: 10)
Earned their fourth successive win in all competitions, with six wins in their seven matches since German football resumed from its winter break, by beating Bayer Leverkusen away impressively. They are still eight points off Bayern Munich at the top of the Bundesliga, and not likely to catch Pep Guardiola’s side, but at least there is a faint hint of interest thanks to their efforts.
5 – Arsenal, 44 points (last week: T4)
It is hard to knock them for losing to Barcelona – they played an even first half with Lionel Messi and Co, and simply were not able to capitalise on it. That it looked as even a match as it did for the first hour or so is a credit to a club that can now better focus their sights on securing a league title.
4 – Paris Saint-Germain, 49 points (last week: 9)
It would not be quite right to say we are beginning to become believers in PSG, but as other sides have picked up blemishes on their record in the last week, they as always held steady against French opposition and beat Chelsea, which counts for something.
3 – Juventus, 51 points (last week: 2)
Their 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich in the Champions League was credible – the goalless slog with Bologna four days earlier in Serie A less so.
2 – Bayern Munich, 57 points (last week: 3)
Leapfrog Juventus again after outplaying them for much of their Champions League first leg, while also winning their last three matches on German soil by a 9-2 combined scoreline.
1 – Barcelona, 60 points (last week: 1)
Unanimous again. As they have rightfully been in every vote we have taken so far. Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar eventually broke down a committed Arsenal defence and displayed why they are prohibitive favourites to finish atop Europe once again. At the moment, they appear peerless.
