📈 Power Rankings: Real Madrid one of two new teams, league leaders slide | OneFootball

A week with a lot of disappointing results for a lot of big teams has caused quite the Power Rankings shake up.

10. Real Madrid (🆕)

How do you talk about this Real Madrid side? They are picking up great results in most of their biggest of games but so inconsistent in others.

The LaLiga defeat to runaway leaders Barcelona was quickly put to one side as they won 4-0 at Camp Nou in the Copa del Rey, only to lose to Villarreal at the weekend before brushing Chelsea aside in the Champions League on Wednesday. A conundrum of a side but one that should always be feared.

9. Barcelona (👎 Last week: 6)

It was week to forget for Barça, with that Copa del Rey defeat followed up by a goalless draw with Girona on Monday.

They had won four LaLiga games in a row ahead of that but the season is now petering out, with the club 13 points clear in the league but out of Europe and the cup.

8. Newcastle United (🆕)

Last weekend saw Newcastle make it five Premier League wins in a row, one shy of their longest such run of the season, as they continued their recovery from a late winter wobble in form.

Alexander Isak and Joelinton are looking particularly impressive at the minute as Eddie Howe’s side develop a superb attacking side to their game on top of the defensive resilience they displayed earlier in the campaign. They are now very much in the top four box seat.

7. Napoli (👎 Last week: 5)

No Victor Osimhen, no party. Napoli did win 2-1 at Lecce at the weekend but they had to work for it more than you’d expect.

That win came either side of defeats to Milan — 4-0 in Serie A, then 1-0 in the Champions League — and while the former didn’t matter too much in the grand scheme of things, the latter could set the scene for a premature end to their Champions League dream.

6. Aston Villa (👍 Last week: 10)

Villa, and Ollie Watkins, are on fire. Especially Ollie Watkins.

It’s now 17 points from the last 21 available in the Premier League, including four wins in a row, with Watkins scoring in nine of his last 11 appearances and Villa charging up to sixth in the table.

5. Juventus (👎 Last week: 3)

The charge for a top four spot after their points deduction has been impressive but defeat at Lazio on Saturday meant Juve seriously slipped away.

They had won seven of their last eight in the league before that loss but time is now running out if they are to make up ground on the Milan sides and Roma. Still, they also have the chance to respond quickly with Thursday’s Europa League quarter-final first leg as well.

4. Bayer Leverkusen (👍 Last week: 9)

Just one Bundesliga club (Borussia Dortmund) has picked up more points than Leverkusen in 2023 and nobody can come close to their ongoing five-game winning run.

Xabi Alonso’s side have scored 15 and conceded just five in those games and been formidable in the Europa League in the meantime as well. A spectacular turnaround since Alonso arrived could have a final flourish before the season is over.

3. Atlético de Madrid (👍 Last week: 7)

Such is the inconsistency of some of Europe’s top teams, Atleti are the first of two teams in our top three not even involved in European competition anymore.

A corner has been turned by Atleti in 2023 and they look more assured than at any point across the last couple of seasons, winning five in a row in LaLiga (and going 12 unbeaten) to cut the gap to Real Madrid in second to just two points with 10 games to play.

2. Arsenal (No change)

Arsenal were so close to a huge result at Anfield on Sunday, taking a two-goal lead early on, but had goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale to thank as they eventually wound up heading home with a point.

The result meant the gap at the top of the Premier League was cut to six points but it also saw Arsenal better what the Manchester clubs and Newcastle have come away from Anfield with this season as they made it an eighth league game without defeat.

1. Manchester City (No change)

Don’t they just look unstoppable right now? City blew Southampton away at the weekend, then did the same to Bayern Munich in midweek to make it nine wins in a row across all competitions.

Good luck to anyone trying to deny them right now.