Champions League Power Rankings
GOAL's latest Champions League Power Rankings put Bayern Munich, PSG, and Real Madrid as top contenders [https://www.goal.com/en/lists/champions-league-2025-26-power-rankings/blt04f1d035afcafe91]. Premier League sides are underperforming after a "wild week."
Bayern Munich's dominant 6-1 victory over Atalanta, even without Harry Kane starting, has solidified their position as a top contender. PSG, the defending champions, showed signs of returning to their best form with a 5-2 win over Chelsea. Real Madrid, despite missing key players like Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham, continues to be a force in the competition, defeating Manchester City. Premier League clubs are facing challenges, with none securing a victory in the first leg of the round of 16. Analysts attribute this underperformance to fixture congestion and fatigue. Chelsea's youthful squad is considered a work in progress, while other English teams struggled against strong opposition. Several teams debuted in the Champions League league phase this season, including Bodø/Glimt, Kairat, Pafos and Union Saint-Gilloise. Kairat, based in Almaty, became the easternmost team to ever qualify for the Champions League, while Bodø/Glimt is the northernmost. The new league phase format involves 36 teams competing in a single league table, with each team playing eight matches against different opponents.
