Champions League Week 4 Power Rankings: Arsenal up to second

Barcelona have fallen off top spot after being humbled by major risers Manchester City in the Champions League.

Barca’s tumble means Atletico Madrid are joined by some new and surprising names at the top of the Champions League power rankings after Week 4. The latter have already qualified for the last 16, along with Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain.

Atleti remain the only team to win its first four group matches, although lowly Rostov made them work for it. While Atletico have kept winning, many of the tournament’s big guns have been misfiring.

There were notable setbacks for holders Real Madrid and sluggish 2015 finalists Juventus in Week 4.

Here are the new top 16 after four weeks of Champions League action:

16. Napoli

It took a late Marek Hamsik strike for Napoli to earn a point in Besiktas. Hamsik may have rescued something from the trip to Turkey, but Napoli have flattered to deceive the last two weeks.

The Serie A club began brightly, scoring goals by the bucket full, but things have dried up recently. Their should always be more fluency and cutting edge in attack from a squad with this many creative talents.

However, it’s been a common theme to expect more from Hamsik, Lorenzo Insigne, Dries Mertens and Co. Not getting more is why Napoli trail Benfica in Group B.

15. Porto

Few clubs boast Porto’s level of know-how in Europe. The problem is a club that loses at least one star player every year can’t possibly stay competitive against Europe’s elite.

Porto are finding that out this season. There’s no longer any Radamel Falcao, James Rodriguez or Joao Moutinho. In fact, it feels like a while since Porto sold a really great player to one of Europe’s top leagues. No, Eliaquim Mangala doesn’t count.

Maybe prolific young striker Andre Silva will be the next star to emerge from the Porto production line. The 20-year-old’s goal secured a 1-0 win over Club Brugge.

It’s kept Porto in touch in Group G, but this team is convincing nobody.

14. Bayer Leverkusen

Turning over Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley should perhaps land Levekusen in a higher spot. But you can’t ignore how much work this team still has to do to qualify.

Leverkusen are second in Group E on just six points. Three of those points were claimed after Kevin Kampl struck just after the hour mark in London.

In truth, Leverkusen dominated the match. Kampl may have scored, but excellent chances were also spurned by Javier Hernandez and Julian Brandt.

There’s a deceptive amount of quality in a squad featuring ex-Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez. But Chicharito isn’t the only player defenders need to worry about.

Winger Brandt is a creative marvel, while Hakan Calhanoglu is one of the more gifted playmakers in the tournament.

13. Juventus

There’s something thoroughly unimpressive about this season’s Juventus. A squad including strikers Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala, along with midfielders Sami Khedira and Miralem Pjanic, should be controlling Group H.

But instead Juve are second in the standings after only managing a 1-1 draw with Lyon in Turin. Higuain’s penalty wasn’t enough when Corentin Tolisso equalised with five minutes left.

Juve are only two points shy of top spot, but midfield workhorse Claudio Marchisio expressed the right sentiment after this stalemate:

This team will still qualify, but won’t last long beyond the group stage without major improvement.

12. Real Madrid

Los Blancos just can’t quite click at the moment. The holders played some terrific football in an empty stadium against Legia Warsaw. But a feeble defense undermined Real, with manager Zinedine Zidane’s side leaking three goals after going 2-0 ahead.

A 3-3 draw was the final result. It’s left Real trailing Borussia Dortmund in the Group F standings.

The frailty at the back wasted some stylish moves from the 11-time winners. In particular, Karim Benzema’s goal, Real’s second, was a thing of beauty.

It was created by a cunning pass from Croatian maestro Mateo Kovacic. His angled and clipped ball found Gareth Bale who pulled it across for Benzema to coolly slot into the bottom corner.

Next: Gareth Bale scores stunning volley for Real Madrid (Video)

The goal was an example of the flair and firepower Los Merengues are capable of. But inconsistencies in defense continue to plague Zidane’s men.

11. Benfica

Like many battle-hardened veterans of Europe, Benfica can win in a variety of ways. The Portuguese giants are at their best when they stay compact and strike suddenly on the counter.

It’s how Eduardo Salvio netted in first-half stoppage time to see off Dinamo Kiev. Salvio is part of a resourceful attacking unit in front of a physical back four led by Victor Lindelof.

The combination could make Benfica an awkward prospect in the knockout phase.

10. Monaco

Not many teams can marry pragmatism with a threat going forward as well as Monaco. The Ligue 1 side is controlling Group E after putting three past CSKA Moscow.

Falcao’s return to scoring was the night’s big story, though. Many wondered if the Colombian had anything left after nightmare spells with United and Chelsea.

But this was the South American striker turning the clock back to the days when he was at his predatory best. He’s not quite the Falcao of his Atletico and Porto days, but he can still give Monaco the cutting edge they need in the Champions League.

How far they go will depend on how long Falcao’s renaissance lasts.

9. Bayern Munich

Bayern might not be able to chase down Atletico, but this is merely a sleeping giant who is sure to be involved come the final reckoning. Munich flexed some muscle by winning 2-1 in PSV Eindhoven to keep their chances of still winning the group alive.

A brace from Robert Lewandowski offered an ample reminder Bayern still possess one of the deadliest frontmen on the continent.

The only issue with Munich is how long it will take manager Carlo Ancelotti to find the best way to put all the talent together. Once he finds the right 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 diamond framework for Lewandowski, Arjen Robben, Thomas Muller and the rest, Bayern will be a major force in Europe.

8. Paris Saint-Germain

Monaco may be topping a group, but already qualified PSG are a better bet to go further in the tournament. PSG are second in Group A, behind Arsenal on goal difference, but there’s oodles of top-level quality in this squad.

In fact, the PSG midfield may be the envy of every top club in Europe. You won’t find better balance than the symmetry between trio Angel di Maria, Marco Verratti and Blaise Matuidi.

The latter boasts the best engine in the competition. His goal helped the Paris club come from behind to win late in Basel.

Now it’s a straight shootout between PSG and Arsenal for first place. It’s no foregone conclusion given the talent in PSG ranks, talent guided by a knockout-football master in Unai Emery.

7. Leicester

The Foxes dropped their first points in the Champions League after being held to a goalless draw by FC Copenhagen. But the stalemate in Denmark has done little to detract from what’s been a superb debut campaign in Europe’s premier club competition.

Just like their title-winning effort in last season’s Premier League, City are relying on a stout defense. Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel and center-backs Wes Morgan and Robert Huth have kept four clean sheets in a row.

Huth has pedigree in this tournament from his days with Chelsea, and it’s showing. The German is consistently keeping the door shut for Champions League forwards, per WhoScored.com:

Keeping things tight at the back while unleashing pace up top will be a killer combo in knockout football.

6. Borussia Dortmund

Dortmund beat the holders to the last 16 by getting goals from everywhere.

Against Sporting Lisbon, it was Adrian Ramos’ turn to be the match-winner. His arched header gave Dortmund a 1-0 win.

But if it hadn’t been Ramos, it might have been Ousmane Dembele, Christian Pulisic, Gonzalo Castro or Mario Gotze. Manager Thomas Tuchel didn’t even call on Shinji Kagawa, Andre Schurrle, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang or Marco Reus.

An attack this loaded should scare every team in the next phase.

In fact, the only side who might stop Dortmund is Dortmund themselves. Star striker Aubameyang has been suspended for “internal reasons,” while Reus can never stay fit.

A healthy and convivial Dortmund squad can be a handful for any of the Champions League big guns.

5. Barcelona

Barca were soundly beaten, but remain in the top five for a very simple reason. Their injuries won’t last forever.

The Catalan club arrived in Manchester with left-back Jordi Alba and center-backs Gerard Pique and Jeremy Mathieu missing from defense. Just as important, Andres Iniesta was a notable absence from midfield.

He was the most telling loss against City, as Barca struggled to create chances for its awesome forward line. Still, things might have been very different had Iniesta’s replacement Andre Gomes not hit the bar at 2-1.

4. Manchester City

A jump 11 places from Week 3 is more than merited after the way Manchester City overwhelmed Barcelona at the Etihad Stadium. The Citizens tore into their more illustrious opponents with determination, guile and class.

More important, every one of City’s big names delivered a big-game performance. Silky playmaker David Silva was outstanding, as were two-goal hero Ilkay Gundogan and winger Raheem Sterling.

Yet even that trio had to take a back seat to Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian forward has become the inspiration City count on in big matches.

De Bruyne’s free-kick started Barca’s crumbles. His sly movement and artful passing  added the decisive flourish to an attack few teams can live with.

Nobody has as many game-changers in attacking areas as City. Center-forward Sergio Aguero is a talisman, but this team is no longer reliant on him.

3. Sevilla

Quietly, very quietly, Sevilla are becoming one to watch in this season’s Champions League. Anyone who thought this team would lose its European nous without Emery in charge has had to think again.

Emery guided Sevilla to three-straight UEFA Europa League trophies, but the club look better equipped for the top tournament under Jorge Sampaoli. The Chilean has this team playing with more pace and ingenuity in forward areas.

Those qualities led to four goals against Dinamo Zagreb as Sevilla took control of Group H. Luciano Vietto, Sergio Escudero, Steven N’Zonzi and Wissam Ben Yedder were all on the scoresheet.

N’Zonzi, usually a defensive-minded destroyer, has become more accomplished in possession, as statistics from Squawka show:

N’Zonzi’s more progressive instincts showcase how Sampaoli’s possession-based philosophy is taking hold.

2. Arsenal

Like City, Arsenal are consistently getting more big-time performances from their star players. It was Mesut Ozil who rose to the occasion in the 3-2 away win over Ludogorets.

The Gunners stumbled through the first 15 minutes in Bulgaria and were punished twice. But an Ozil assist to help tee up Granit Xhaka got Arsenal back in it. OIivier Giroud equalised, before Ozil produced this masterclass to win it late on, courtesy of the Champions League:

Ozil’s goal will live long in the memory, but it may not have been the most impressive thing about this win. Instead, what stood out was how Arsenal won away in Europe with so many key players missing.

Lethal winger Theo Walcott, pint-sized midfield general Santi Cazorla and regular full-backs Nacho Monreal and Hector Bellerin didn’t even make the trip. The Gunners were already without injured Spanish striker Lucas Perez.

Arsenal have rarely been so well-equipped to juggle the demands of tournament football against the league calendar.

1. Atletico Madrid

Rostov gave them a scare, but Atleti remain the most impressive team in the tournament after Antoine Griezmann rescued them with a brace. Of course it was Grizemann to the rescue. He’s the most intelligent mover in Europe and a lethal finisher with either foot or in the air.

But unlike last season, Atletico aren’t all about their outrageously gifted French forward. Griezmann’s partnership with Fernando Torres wasn’t prolific enough to win the 2015-16 tournament.

So it helps to have Yannick Ferreira Carrasco and Kevin Gameiro both in prolific form. A quartet of match-winners up front to go with a resourceful midfield and stingy back five, make Atletico the team to beat this season.