With matchweek 3 in the books, we have seen each team showcase their skills against each of their group stage opponents now. The groups have taken shape, and each team knows what they need to do in order to achieve their goals, whatever those might be.
In this blog, I will rank all 32 teams in a power ranking. These rankings will be based on a number of criteria. This will be different from my mid-season grades, insofar as the grades were based on expectations and were relative to how the teams were presumed to preform going into the tournament. These rankings will strictly be based on which teams will be the scariest to face for the remainder of the tournament and specially in matchweek 4.
32. AEK Athens (GRE)
As one of only two teams with 0 points, Athens are just happy to be in the Group Stage.
31. BSC Young Boys (SUI)
Young Boys really haven't challenged either of the big boys in their group. They will be battling with a weak Valencia side for Europa League football.
30. Lokomotiv Moskva (RUS)
Embarrassing. Zero points and a -6 goal difference from the seeded team in the most wide-open group. Beyond poor.
29. Red Star Belgrade (SRB)
The Serbians have shown they can defend their home turf, but in a devastatingly difficult group, they will not have much chance of advancing.
28. Viktoria Plzen (CZE)
They have shown well for themselves, taking a point off of CSKA and playing Real Madrid tough on the road. Still, the other teams in the group will look for at them as an important 3 points to keep pace in the group.
27. Club Brugge (BEL)
Brugge will feel hard done by following their 1-0 home loss to Dortmund in matchweek 1. That's far in the past now though. With their only point against a poor Monaco side, Brugge will be competing for that Europa League spot as well.
26. AS Monaco (FRA)
As mentioned above, Monaco has been disappointing. After a few successful Champions League campaigns, it seems their luck has run out in this season.
25. Valencia CF (ESP)
Valencia are struggling in their domestic league and struggling in the CL. They had a massive opportunity to keep pace with United but were unable to pick up 3 points against Young Boys. Now their focus will likely be on securing the Europa League spot.
24. FC Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)
The Ukrainian champions have experienced CL success in the past, but this year doesn't seem to be their year. Losing big attacking names like Fred and long-time captain and club legend Darijo Srna have really affected the club.
23. PSV Eindhoven (NED)
The Dutch side has struggled in one of the groups of death, but salvaging a late point against Spurs keeps their hope for a Europa League berth alive.
22. TSG 1899 Hoffenheim (GER)
The newcomers have shown well for themselves, especially for it being their inaugural Champions League season. With two points from three games, the German side will look to challenge the top sides in their group.
21. SL Benfica (POR)
Benfica are 4 points adrift from the top two teams in their group, largely due to the 92' goal they conceded to lose to Ajax. Now they must get results against one of the top teams to even have any hope of advancing.
20. Galatasaray SK (TUR)
Galatasaray still have a great chance to advance out of the infamous Group D. With Lokomotiv looking a none-factor, it seems to be a three-horse race for two spots in the R16.
19. FC Schalke 04 (GER)
The Germans are doing well in Group D as well, with 5 points through 3 games. Advancing to the R16 will probably be deemed a success for Schalke. However, it is a reality that no team will fear the teams that come out of Group D in the knockout stages.
18. CSKA Moscow (RUS)
The Russians provided the shock of the tournament when they dismantled Real Madrid. However, they disappointingly dropped points against Plzen. If they were to have beaten the Czech side, it would be a three-way tie atop the group on 6 points. A missed opportunity.
17. Tottenham Hotspur (ENG)
Spurs have had an abysmal Champions League campaign thus far. However, they will know their backs are against the wall for the rest of the tournament. It is for this reason that the teams in their group may not want to face them. However, they have not shown enough quality to really unnerve their opponents.
16. Manchester United (ENG)
Manchester United have been underwhelming as well. Despite sitting second in Group H, they are closer to elimination than they are to topping the group. Only drawing Valencia and losing 1-0 at home to Juventus are both massively disappointing results.
15. AS Roma (ITA)
Despite sitting second in their group and even on points with Real Madrid, AS Roma find themselves in a mediocre position on this list. They thrashed the teams they were expected to thrash, but they were easily handled 3-0 by Madrid. Group G as a whole as been a bit puzzling.
14. Olympique Lyonnais (FRA)
Lyon have definitely been a positive surprise in the CL thus far. They provided both one of the shocks of the tournament when they knocked off Manchester City on the road in matchweek 1 and also played a part in one of the most entertaining matches as they drew Hoffenheim 3-3. However, draws against Hoffenheim and Shakhtar can both be viewed as missed opportunities.
13. Paris Saint-Germain FC (FRA)
PSG will always be a feared team, especially with Neymar up top. However, they sit in 3rd in an ultra-competitive Group C, and it took a brilliant stoppage-time equalizer to draw Napoli last time out.
12. FC Porto (POR)
The Group D leaders have looked good, but position in a weak group is not enough to elevate them into a Top 10 position. If the Portuguese leaders can hang onto the top spot in the group, they will get earn a favorable match-up in the R16.
11. SSC Napoli (ITA)
Napoli are also in the competitive group C, and some might say should be perfect through three games. They drew 0-0 to Red Star in Serbia, a game they certainly will feel they should have won. And they conceded a wonder-goal in stoppage time to draw PSG. However, they have shown how good they can be when they blanked free-scoring Liverpool 1-0 in matchweek 2.
10. Atletico Madrid (ESP)
Despite having two wins from three, Atletico were thrashed by group leaders BVB last time out. On top of that, in a group with two relative cupcakes, they are yet to keep a clean sheet, which has been their mantra in the past.
9. Liverpool FC (ENG)
Liverpool is one of the most offensively proficient teams in this entire competition, and they sit atop a tricky group C. There are a couple reasons they aren't higher on this list, though. First, they are only 2 points above 3rd in their group; its still very possible they don't advance. Secondly, Napoli showed it is possible to stifle their offense when they were shutout by the Italian side in matchweek 2.
8. FC Internazionale (ITA)
It may be shocking to some that Inter Milan is ranked this highly. Despite falling to group-leaders Barcelona, Inter showed massive grit in their comeback victory over Spurs, and handled PSV. With PSV and Spurs splitting points, Inter are in prime position to advance, and no team will want to face them in the knockout stages.
7. AFC Ajax (NED)
Ajax have to be the biggest surprise in the CL to this stage. The Dutch side found a late winner last time out to keep pace with the German giants Bayern, against whom they stole points from on the road. To get a point against Bayern is immense, and again, no one will want to face high-flying Ajax in the R16.
6. FC Bayern Munich (GER)
Bayern undoubtedly will feel a bit disappointed to drop points at home to Ajax. However, they are still in a fine position. For the massive clubs that make their living in the Champions League, the tournament sometimes doesn't really start until the knockout stages.
5. Real Madrid CF (ESP)
If this list was just based off of recent form and performances, Real Madrid would be much lower. With that said, no one wants to play the three time defending champions, even if they are without Cristiano Ronaldo. Dropping points to CSKA was an unforeseen disaster, but they have recovered to still top their group.
4. Manchester City (ENG)
The English champions and record-setters also suffered a setback against Lyon, but have bounced back just fine. Leading a group that before the tournament started would have been deemed one of the weakest, City will just have to focus on seeing off the high-energy French side that gave them trouble on matchweek 1.
3. FC Barcelona (ESP)
Three teams are perfect through three games. Barca lead the group of death on 9 points and a +8 goal difference, and really never looked like struggling in any of their matches. The Messi injury will be a bit unnerving to some, though. But all signs point to a return well before the group stage.
2. Borussia Dortmund (GER)
Nobody could have predicted how Dortmund would have preformed in their return to the CL. They have silenced all the haters, even after a less-than-stellar performance against Brugge in matchweek 1. Also possessing a +8 goal difference, BVB made a statement with an emphatic 4-0 over usually-organized Atletico Madrid. The only question now is can the German side sustain this form.
1. Juventus FC (ITA)
Juventus have been nothing short of brilliant. Three wins, six goals, and most notably, zero goals conceded—the only team in the competition that can boast this feat. However distasteful this may sound, they are obviously not missing veteran goalkeeper and club legend Gianluigi Buffon as Polish international Wojciech Szczesny has stepped in flawlessly. The addition of Champions League legend Cristiano Ronaldo only solidifies their top spot in this list, even though he hasn't really hit his stride yet. Paulo Dybala has lead the team in goalscoring, headlined by his hattrick against Young Boys. Juventus are truly the team to beat in this tournament, and no one will want to see themselves drawn against the Italian giants.
Before matchweek 3, I again attempted to predict all the matches results and scorelines. Below I compare my predictions to the actual results.
Group A:
Actual Scores My Predicted Scores
Dortmund 4-0 Atletico Dortmund 1-1 Atletico
Brugge 1-1 Monaco Brugge 1-3 Monaco
Group B:
Barcelona 2-0 Inter Milan Barcelona 3-1 Inter Milan
PSV 2-2 Tottenham PSV 1-2 Tottenham
Group C:
Liverpool 4-0 Red Star Belgrade Liverpool 5-1 Red Star Belgrade
PSG 2-2 Napoli PSG 3-2 Napoli
Group D:
Lokomotiv 1-3 Porto Lokomotiv 2-2 Porto
Galatasaray 0-0 Schalke 04 Galatasaray 3-1 Schalke 01
Group E:
AEK Athens 0-2 Bayern AEK Athens 0-3 Bayern
Ajax 1-0 Benfica Ajax 2-2 Benfica
Group F:
Hoffenheim 3-3 Lyon Hoffenheim 2-1 Lyon
FC Shakhtar 0-3 Man City FC Shakhtar 1-2 Man City
Group G:
Real Madrid 2-1 Plzen Real Madrid 6-0 Plzen
AS Roma 3-0 CSKA Moscow AS Roma 2-1 CSKA Moscow
Group H:
Young Boys 1-1 Valencia Young Boys 0-1 Valencia
Man United 0-1 Juventus Man United 2-2 Juventus
(Home teams are listed first)
By the numbers
Matchweek 3:
Total number of matches: 16
Correct Result and Correct Score: 0
Correct Result but Wrong Score: 6
Completely Wrong: 10
A badddd week for me.
Close but barely missed:
AEK Athens / Bayern
Miserably Wrong:
Dortmund / Atletico
Lokomotiv / Porto
Man United / Juventus
Total thus far (keeping in mind I didn't make predictions for matchweek 1)
Total number of matches: 32
Correct Result and Correct Score: 2
Correct Result but Wrong Score: 13
Completely Wrong: 17
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