Champions League Week 2 Power Rankings

Bayern Munich were beaten, while Real Madrid and Manchester City were held to draws on a tough second matchday for some of the big guns in the Champions League.

Bayern were made to suffer again by Atletico Madrid, their conquerors in last season’s semi-final. On the same night, Manchester City came unstuck against Celtic, despite battling back to equalise three times in Glasgow.

A day earlier, it was Atleti’s city rivals Real Madrid who couldn’t beat German opposition. They were pegged back by Borussia Dortmund, a result that drops the holders in this week’s power rankings.

Here’s the new top 16 after the second round of group matches:

16. Besiktas

A second-half goal from Viktor Tsygankov denied Besiktas all three points at home against Dinamo Kiev. It also means the Turkish club remain off the pace in Group B.

Ricardo Quaresma had spectacularly opened the scoring, but the home side’s lack of pace and ideas going forward were exposed as the match wore on. Kiev stayed compact and cagey, while always posing a threat on the break. In other words, a classic European performance.

Trips to Turkey can be tough in this competition, so Besiktas have to take greater advantage of their home games.

15. FC Copenhagen

Danish side FC Copenhagen blew the doors off the Telia Parken Stadium when they put four past Club Brugge. Federico Santander and Mathias Jorgensen were on the scoresheet, so was the unfortunate Stefano Denswil, who put through his own net barely 10 minutes into the second half.

But the goal of the night, and maybe the tournament so far, came from the boot of Copenhagen skipper Thomas Delaney. His thunderous hit on the half volley was the highlight of a night when Copenhagen passed with assurance and attacked in waves.

They also moved two points shy of leaders Leicester in Group G. The Foxes host the Danes on in Week 3.

14. Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs rate slightly above Copenhangen because winning in Russia is no small feat, even if playing in the Moscow cold is not as formidable a prospect as it once was.

Still, Tottenham’s win at CSKA Moscow’s Arena CSKA stadium showed qualities every successful Champions League club needs. Specifically, Spurs were structurally disciplined and resilient defensively.

Although they struggled manufacturing chances, the north London side never stopped probing. In the end, man of the moment Son Heung-min pounced after making an intelligent run to meet an Erik Lamela though ball.

Son has the pace, perceptive movement and technical guile to really thrive in this competition. His flair and the pragmatism of manager Mauricio Pochettino may be better suited to European soccer than life in the Premier League.

It’s a combination that let Spurs win away from home even without star striker Harry Kane.

13. AS Monaco

Kamil Glik scored in the 94th minute to ensure Monaco snatched a point to stay ahead of Spurs in Group E. Monaco had been trailing for long periods at home to Bayer Leverkusen, after the deadly Javier Hernandez had given the Bundesliga club the lead.

However, in a fashion typical of a team managed by dour strategist Leonardo Jardim, Monaco hung around to set up a late, smash-and-grab raid. It’s rarely pretty or free-flowing from Monaco, but Jardim’s men have the knack for keeping things tight and breaking with menacing intent.

They are awkward in a complimentary sense, a side savvy and resourceful enough to always play spoilers in Europe.

12. Sevilla

Sevilla have needed to prove they can still succeed in Europe without Unai Emery, the manager who won three straight Europa League titles with the Spanish club.

The jury’s still out two games into their Group H campaign, despite four points on the board. Three of those points came from a 1-0 win over Lyon at the Ramon Sanchez Pijuan. Wissam Ben Yedder scored the lone goal for a team still trying to replace Kevin Gameiro, last season’s attacking talisman.

Sevilla manager Jorge Sampaoli is an advocate of possession-based, forward-thinking soccer. But he’s struck a happy balance in the Champions League by earning two clean sheets, including a goalless draw in Juventus two weeks ago.

11. Bayern Munich

Bayern must be sick of the sight of Atletico. They couldn’t beat them last season and this campaign looks no different after Yannick Ferreira Carrasco’s goal proved enough for a win in the Spanish capital.

The Bundesliga giants moved the ball quickly and always tried to create passing patterns between the lines. However, the right weight on the final ball or enough angle on a shot consistently deserted Bayern. Players such as striker Robert Lewandowski and winger Arjen Robben were also uncharacteristically wayward in front of the Madrid goal.

It’s a blow for Bayern, but this was the toughest match facing manager Carlo Ancelotti’s squad, a team still good enough to go all the way.

10. Manchester City

The Citizens deserve credit for battling back so often in front of a naturally raucous and buoyant Celtic crowd. Goals from Fernandinho, Raheem Sterling and Nolito meant the Manchester club left Glasgow with a point.

Next: Champions League Week 1 Power Rankings

The implications of City’s 3-3 draw are two-fold. On the one hand, shipping three goals in Scotland only served as a reminder of the defensive fragility that’s lurked beneath the surface of City’s otherwise rampant start to the new season.

A suspect defense has often been overlooked thanks to the imaginative stylistics boss Pep Guardiola’s team has been producing going forward. In that sense, scoring three away from home in the Champions League merely reinforced the idea Guardiola has put together an awesome attack.

Three goals, none of them scored by star striker Sergio Aguero, showed Guardiola’s plan at work. This is a team no longer reliant on the Argentinian No. 10.

But those defensive woes should still worry Guardiola with matches against Barcelona looming.

9. Real Madrid

A 2-2 draw in Borussia Dortmund isn’t enough to have alarm bells sounding for the reigning champions. But Real manager Zinedine Zidane has to be both concerned and annoyed his team twice failed to hold the lead in Germany.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored first, but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang equalized. Raphael Varane thought he’d won it for Los Merengues only for ex-Chelsea man Andre Schurrle to strike back.

Zidane’s men haven’t been clicking in either Europe or domestically recently. But he’ll know having Ronaldo always gives his team a chance. The free-scoring No. 7 is now knocking on the door of a century of goals in this tournament, per the competition’s official site:

Still, Real only narrowly beat Sporting Lisbon in their first match. A tougher defense is needed if the holders are going to be a threat again.

8. Borussia Dortmund

Dortmund couldn’t beat Los Blancos, but they did at least prove they have the firepower to hang with Europe’s best. It makes sense since Aubameyang is a lethal striker surrounded by a host of skilled attackers.

Schurrle offers lightning pace and incisive off-the-ball runs. So does 19-year-old French forward Ousmane Dembele. Meanwhile, Mario Gotze and Shinji Kagawa bring ample vision and flair in the final third. This is a team capable of unlocking any defense with speed, creativity and technique.

Manager Thomas Tuchel rebuilt his squad on the fly after losing key players this summer. His shrewd eye found players who perfectly fit his progressive, pass-heavy system.

7. Paris Saint-Germain

Emery hasn’t enjoyed the smoothest start since succeeding Laurent Blanc in Paris. So a comeback win away from home in Europe would have been most welcome.

Not only did PSG respond to falling behind in Ludogorets with three goals, they also saw key players return to form. The most notable was previously misfiring center-forward Edinson Cavani, who scored twice.

Cavani is under a mountain of pressure trying to make PSG move on from Zlatan Ibrahimovic. He needed these goals in the worst way. So did midfield engine Blaise Matuidi, who netted PSG’s first. He’s the driving force who knits this team together, but Matuidi has looked off the pace since a difficult time at Euro 2016.

6. Arsenal

Irresistible would be an apt word to describe how good Arsenal looked during a super-slick fist-half display against Basel. Theo Walcott bagged two goals as his partnership with the equally swift Alexis Sanchez showed promising signs of life.

Sanchez has improved recently in his difficult transition to centre-forward. Yet, this wasn’t one of the Chilean’s best nights in front of goal. He missed more than one sitter, while also consistently being denied by defiant Basel goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik.

The Gunners were good, awful good. However, it’s still possible to feel a mite disappointed with the 2-0 final score. Arsenal should have scored triple that number to reflect their stylish dominance.

Since profligacy in front of goal cost them so often last season, the Gunners won’t be taken seriously until they find a truly ruthless streak.

5. Juventus

A 4-0 win away from home was the best way for Juventus to rebound from their sluggish first game. Held without a goal at home to Sevilla, the Old Lady unleashed her true attacking might against Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia.

It meant big nights for strikers Paulo Dybala and Gonzalo Higuain, both of whom scored. The latter has made a terrific start to life with Juve:

https://twitter.com/ChampionsLeague/status/780893686850871296

Higuain and Dybala form one of the more intimidating partnerships in the tournament. They can both decide games thanks to the attacking Christmas Tree-style formation coach Massimiliano Allegri favours.

Paul Pogba is not in midfield anymore, but Miralem Pjanic is one of the most cerebral pass-masters on the continent. Then there’s still a smart and stingy defence led by Giorgio Chiellini.

This is a team with the resources to return to a second final in three seasons.

4. Leicester City

Yes, Leicester are in the top four. Why wouldn’t they be after two wins from their first-ever Champions League matches? A three-goal raid in Brugge was impressive, but the 1-0 win at home to Porto actually offers more encouragement regarding City’s hopes for qualification.

Porto are experienced campaigners in Europe, with the know-how and talent to frustrate away from home. Yet, the Foxes wouldn’t yield to any clever breaks or be given the run around in midfield.

Instead, Leicester unleashed their own Porto kryptonite, in the form of towering center-forward Islam Slimani. The former Sporting Lisbon star headed in the winner to continue a lengthy run of leaving Porto wounded:

Just as important, Leicester rediscovered the defensive resolve that helped steer them to a most unlikely Premier League title last season. The Foxes kept a second clean sheet in Europe, a worthy recovery after shipping four goals to Manchester United domestically.

3. Napoli

Quietly, very quietly, Napoli are impressing in this season’s tournament. A second win in a row sees the Serie A side in firm control of Group B.

What’s most impressive is how Napoli have responded to losing star striker Higuain, evidenced by scoring four goals against a handy and experienced Benfica.

Higuain’s replacement Arkadiusz Milik got the fourth from the penalty spot, but only after a Dries Mertens brace and a deft, near-post header from Marek Hamsik. Squawka provided the chronology of the Napoli onslaught:

Napoli didn’t fare this well in Europe with Higuain in their ranks. This deep and talented squad bears watching now new and old faces are stepping up to compensate.

2. Barcelona

Speaking of squad depth, Barcelona have it in spades this season. You only have to look at their 2-1 away win over Borussia Monchengladbach for proof.

Barca were playing without Lionel Messi and trailing to a slickly worked goal from Thorgan Hazard. But Arda Turan pulled one back, before Gerard Pique won it late.

Turan is just one of the superb players the five-time winners can use to freshen things up this season. He’s part of a midfield already housing Sergio Busquets, Ivan Rakitic, Andres Iniesta and fellow new signings Denis Suarez and Andre Gomes.

Even with Messi out, there’s still more than enough creativity to help lethal forwards Luis Suarez and Neymar shine. No matter who he picks, manager Luis Enrique can field a team loaded with match-winners.

1. Atletico Madrid

Barca win in style, while Atletico work and frustrate opponents into submission. It’s a different way of winning, but few can dispute its success when it so often leads Madrid to victories over Europe’s best. The Atleti blueprint served to stymie Bayern once more and give the La Liga side six points from six.

Belgian winger Carrasco took his goal with the swagger and class typical of such a gifted young attacker. His suave finish had Munich on the ropes, and it might have been worse had the usually deadly Antoine Griezmann not crashed a penalty off the bar.

But the visitors were really undone by yet another typically staunch and stubborn Atleti rearguard.

Manager Diego Simeone’s team has perfected the practice of denying space, applying pressure in possession and dominating physically. Goalkeeper Jan Oblak and center-back Diego Godin are the cornerstones of the meanest defence in this competition.

Simeone won’t win style points, but he’s found a formula to keep Spain’s third team among Europe’s best.