Champions League Power Rankings Week 2: Chelsea impress

Champions League power rankings after matchweek 2, featuring Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester United.

Chelsea and Real Madrid both scored impressive wins away from home during matchweek 2 of this season’s Champions League. It was a similar story for Manchester United, who passed a tricky trip to Russia in style.

By contrast, there was misery for Bayern Munich. The Bundesliga side was hammered by a Paris Saint-Germain team in ominous form the first two weeks.

Meanwhile, Liverpool stumbled again, dropping two points for the second time in as many matches.

Here are the top 16 teams after the second matchweek:

16. Spartak Moscow

Spartak held Liverpool to a draw on home soil. But it was more due to shaky finishing from the Reds than anything the hosts did.

Liverpool routinely played through an overwhelmed Spartak defence, only to miss several presentable chances. Strikers Roberto Firmino and Daniel Sturridge were among the most profligate repeat offenders.

At least Spartak opened the scoring, courtesy of a thunderous free-kick from Fernando. It was enough to earn a second point in as many matches for manager Massimo Carrera’s side.

Spartak may sit second in Group E, but they are fooling nobody. This is a team sure to struggle in the upcoming double-header against group leaders Sevilla.

15. Shakhtar Donetsk

Shakhtar Donetsk were beaten away by Manchester City, hardly a surprise given the latter’s irrepressible form this season. However, Shakhtar left the Etihad Stadium with some credit after the way they kept the ball well on the Citizens’ own patch.

Armed with their usual platoon of playmakers from Brazil, Shakhtar worked the ball effortlessly between the lines. For once, it was possession hogs City who were left chasing the passes.

The final score was 2-0, but the result was only made certain by Raheem Sterling’s goal in the final minute. It came after City boss Pep Guardiola had altered his two-striker formation, subbing Gabriel Jesus for the match-winner.

Guardiola’s change was a testament to how proactive Shakhtar were on their travels.

14. Juventus

Juventus won 2-0 at home to Olympiakos, but were far from convincing. Instead, the Greek visitors caused the Serie A giants a few headaches in Turin.

It took the Bianconeri 69 minutes to break a 0-0 deadlock. Seeing prolific striker Gonzalo Higuain come off the bench and get on the scoresheet had to please manager Massimiliano Allegri.

Honestly, there wasn’t a lot else to please Allegri, despite Mario Mandzukic adding a second. Juve need to play better than this if last season’s runners-up have any chance of returning to the final.

Next: Champions League Power Rankings: PSG shine in matchweek 1

13. Basel

A 5-0 win over Benfica in Group A would ordinarily place Basel higher, were it not for the other more impressive wins by teams who also got off the mark in matchweek 2.

Basel are traditionally strong on Swiss soil, strength they showed off against the Eagles. Raphael Wicky’s team went through the gears in a terrific display of attacking football.

A well-taken brace by Dimitri Oberlin, along with Ricky van Wolfswinkel scoring from the spot, were among the highlights.

Basel now need to show they can pick up points away from home if they’re going to keep pace with United.

12. Celtic

Finally, Celtic got the result and performance they have been waiting for in the Champions League. The 3-0 win away to Anderlecht showcased the free-flowing football manager Brendan Rodgers has the Hoops playing, as well as the ability to keep clean sheets in Europe.

Celtic are strong and exciting thanks to the young talents throughout the squad. Players such as 20-year-old left-back Kieran Tierney, who provided the cross for Leigh Griffiths’ opener in Belgium, exemplify the precocious nature of Rodgers’ team.

Tierney, Griffiths and midfield duo Olivier Nitcham and Tom Rogic give Celtic a potent threat going forward. But the defensive resolve pleased Rodgers most, per BBC Sport:

"Lots of people look at all the goals we score and the creativity we have, but we have a defensive philosophy that’s really about being aggressive and being compact and you saw that tonight."

Rodgers knows Celtic will need to click at both ends to keep up with PSG and stay ahead of stuttering Bayern in a daunting Group B.

11. Porto

Okay, so Monaco are far from the team that lit up Ligue 1 and this competition last season. Even so, Porto are still due plenty of credit for the way they bossed last season’s beaten semi-finalists at Stade Louis II.

A brace from brilliant striker Vincent Aboubakar put Porto in firm control. A third goal, courtesy of defender Miguel Layun, was no mere gloss for the scoreline.

Instead, it was a reflection of Porto’s dominance. This was an intelligent European away performance from the 2004 winners, one combining pragmatism with a genuine cutting edge up front.

The same combination can help Porto emerge as the biggest challengers to rampant Besiktas in Group G.

10. Roma

Roma had waited a long, long time to win away from home in the Champions League. In fact, the side from the Italian capital had not won away for almost seven full years, per OptaPaolo:

Their 2-1 triumph over Champions League newbies Qarabag came courtesy of two of Roma’s best players. Centre-back Kostas Manolas headed in after seven minutes, before striker Edin Dzeko doubled the lead in the 15th minute.

Roma boast talent in their ranks thanks to Dzeko and Manolas. In between, Radja Nainggolan and Maxim Gonalons provide the platform for success in midfield.

After earning a point against Atletico Madrid on matchday 1, Roma have put themselves in a strong position in Group C.

9. Tottenham

Tottenham won 3-0, but it was more like Harry Kane beat APOEL Nicosia, while his Spurs teammates stood and watched.

In fact, the Cypriot hosts had the Tottenham defence and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris scrambling several times early on. Only the ruthless efficiency of Kane spared Spurs’ blushes.

There is no doubt Kane is in peak form at the moment. Scoring hat-tricks has become a happy habit for the attacking talisman, something BT Sport host Gary Lineker saluted on Tuesday night:

Spurs have scored six goals and won their first two matches,. However, decisions went their way against Borussia Dortmund on matchday 1, while APOEL asked troubling questions of a veteran defence.

Tottenham sit second in Group H, but still don’t look equipped to trouble Real in their upcoming two-match tilt.

8. Sevilla

Sevilla stay competitive thanks to an enviable ability to unearth gems in the transfer market. The latest is Wissam Ben Yedder, the former Toulouse striker who scored a hat-trick to beat Maribor.

Ben Yedder also netted the equaliser to frustrate Liverpool at Anfield in the first week. He is maturing as a finisher and benefiting from the quality supply Sevilla’s playmakers can create.

Franco Vazquez and Ever Banega worked the ball with flair and purpose against Maribor. The cultured pair helped Sevilla top the pass-masters during matchweek 2, per Squawka Football:

Thoughtful, incisive passing dovetailing with a finisher as efficient as Ben Yedder makes Sevilla one to watch in this season’s tournament.

7. Barcelona

Barca looked awesome in matchweek 1 as they took Juventus apart 3-0 at the Camp Nou. Yet the Blaugrana just about scraped by this week.

The five-time winners needed an own goal by former Liverpool defender Sebastian Coates to beat Sporting in Lisbon. Barca looked leggy and strangely lacking in ideas, despite Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Andres Iniesta all starting.

At least manager Ernesto Valverde found out his team can defend stoutly enough to grind out and protect results when the stars up front aren’t firing.

Next: Is the Neymar-Cavani penalty beef as dumb as it seems?

6. Manchester City

City could have won by more against Shakhtar had Sergio Aguero not missed a penalty. The gaffe from the usually reliable Aguero summed up a rather frustrating night for Guardiola’s team.

City didn’t play with the kind of pace and verve that’s become common on Guardiola’s watch. Their passing was somewhat pedestrian, and it took 48 minutes for a usually free-scoring side to find the net.

Of course, City can’t score four, five or six every week, nor should they be expected to. They have still made a winning start to Group F, keeping two clean sheets in the process.

However, making a credible run at winning the Champions League will require more convincing performances than this one.

5. Besiktas

Besiktas won again, playing some superb football in the process. The Turkish outfit swatted RB Leipzig aside thanks to goals from Anderson Talisca and winger Ryan Babel.

A 2-0 win to follow the 3-1 victory away to Porto last time out shows Besiktas deserve to be taken seriously in Group G. Serious is the only way to take a side blessed with pace in wide areas thanks to Babel and Ricardo Quaresma.

There’s also experience at the back thanks to Champions League winner Pepe. Meanwhile, the midfield is underpinned by the brawn of Gary Medel and the artistry of skipper Oguzhan Ozyakup.

Besiktas are always strong at home and have already proved they can win away. It’s why they are the team to beat in this group, a fact they can underline against Monaco next.

4. Manchester United

Premier League teams can often struggle with daunting and taxing trips to Eastern Europe. But United made easy work of their visit to Moscow, overwhelming CSKA with their improved firepower.

United are more of a threat going forward this season thanks to the pace of centre-forward Romelu Lukaku. He scored twice to continue his fast start to life with the Red Devils, per OptaJoe:

Yet Lukaku isn’t the only reason United are more effective up top this season. Anthony Martial’s undoubted potential finally looks like being unlocked after he scored a penalty and created both of Lukaku’s goals.

Martial’s pace and strength in combination with similar attributes from Lukaku make United capable of beating anybody in the tournament. Add in the cerebral craft of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, also on the scoresheet in Russia, and the Reds boast the arsenal needed to win this competition for a fourth time.

3. Real Madrid

The holders pip United in the rankings, because the latter are yet to face strong opposition this season. Real certainly faced a test in matchweek 2 when they travelled to Germany to take on Borussia Dortmund.

It was a test Los Blancos passed with room to spare thanks to the awesome double act of Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo. Bale opened the scoring before Ronaldo added two more to seal a 3-1 win and remind everyone Real are still the deadliest attacking force in the competition.

Ronaldo still saves his best for the Champions League. If Bale can stay fit, the Portuguese powerhouse will have plenty of help this season, bad news for the rest of the teams involved.

2. Paris Saint-Germain

Thrashing Celtic in Glasgow turned a few heads, but PSG made European heavyweights sit up and take notice when they put three past Bayern this week. In fact, the defeat was so comprehensive it cost Carlo Ancelotti his job, per ESPN.

Ancelotti will bear the brunt of blame, but there aren’t many sides in the Champions League able to cope with PSG at the moment. Neymar and Edinson Cavani put their penalty spat behind them to each find the net.

Meanwhile, the other member of PSG’s star-studded front three, Kylian Mbappe, routinely tied Bayern defenders in knots. His performance left Champions League winner and current BT Sport analyst Rio Ferdinand shocked, per Squawka Football:

https://twitter.com/Squawka/status/913369950756143105

While Mbappe dazzled, Neymar also found the time to assist Dani Alves’ opening goal. Les Parisiens are looking unstoppable at the moment, and a double-header against Anderlecht should see them salt away Group B ahead of schedule.

1. Chelsea

It’s impossible to overstate how impressive Chelsea were during their 2-1 win away to Atletico. Los Rojiblancos had never been beaten at home by an English team in the Champions League, but Eden Hazard and Co. made history.

The Belgian was by some distance the best player on the pitch in the Spanish capital on Wednesday. Hazard tormented Atleti between the midfield and defensive lines.

He benefited from playing closer to frontman Alvaro Morata as a virtual second striker. Manager Antonio Conte also risked playmaker Cesc Fabregas behind the front two in a bold team selection.

The fact Pedro and Willian started on the bench only underlined the flexibility of Conte’s squad. Chelsea set up to boss possession against Atletico. But they also have the pace and direct running from wide areas to soak up pressure and strike on the break.

This level of versatility and talent is already making the Blues a major threat in this season’s Champions League.