UCL power rankings: PSG surges ahead following Mbappe’s form

The Champions League, the biggest club tournament on the planet, resumes Tuesday with Matchday 2. Here are the latest UCL power rankings.

Matchday 2 of the Champions League kicks off on Tuesday with two powerhouse encounters: Bayern Munich hosting Barcelona, while winless Liverpool will need to grab three points at home versus a surging Ajax.

The UCL will see the top two teams in each group advance to the knockout stage. Third-place teams from each group are downgraded to the Europa League.

For the first time in UCL history, matches will be played over a compact period of two months to accommodate the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which kicks off Nov. 20.

This season’s Champions League final will take place on June 10, 2023 at Istanbul’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium.

Here are the latest UCL power rankings.

10. Champions League Power Rankings: Napoli (1-0) 

Defeating Liverpool 4-1 to open Group A pushed the Partenopei onto the power rankings list. It remains to be seen what Napoli can do in their remaining five matches, but players like striker Victor Osimhen will certainly make them competitive.

9. Champions League Power Rankings: Dinamo Zagreb (1-0)

The Croatian club pulled off one of the biggest shockers after edging Chelsea 1-0 in Group E, a result that got manager Thomas Tuchel canned. Zagreb is looking for the label of Cinderella side at this tournament, but a few teams out there are competing for that title at the moment.

8. Champions League Power Rankings: Atletico Madrid (1-0)

It took a last-gasp goal by Antoine Griezmann to give Atleti a 2-1 win against Porto in Group B. Atletico Madrid has had some success in the UCL, but coach Diego Simeone’s team will need to be more incisive if they want to get out of the group.

7. Champions League Power Rankings: Shakhtar Donetsk (1-0)

The Ukrainians top Group F (on goal differential over Real Madrid) after a 4-1 win against RB Leipzig. The sentimental choice for many, Shakhtar may still have a few surprises left in them during the group stage.

6. Champions League Power Rankings: Bayern Munich (1-0)

The Bavarians remain a powerhouse and their 2-0 victory against Inter Milan to open Group C was a sign of it. Let’s see if they can grab three points against Barcelona.

5. Champions League Power Rankings: Real Madrid (1-0)

The defending UCL champions are expected to get out of Group F after a 3-0 dismantling of Celtic to open the group. Vinicius Junior is both dependable and explosive in attack, giving the Spanish giants just what they need to run up the score.

4. Champions League Power Rankings: Ajax (1-0)

The surging Dutch club are early favorites to win Group A after routing Glasgow Rangers 4-0. A win against Liverpool could put them on the path to the knockout stage, a surprise given that many of their core players left over the summer.

3. Champions League Power Rankings: Barcelona (1-0)

The Spanish club, 5-1 winners against Viktoria Plzen, have made a statement that they mean business and aim to win Group C. They will be put to the test when Barca, featuring Robert Lewandowski, takes on the Poland international’s former club in Bayern Munich.

2. Champions League Power Rankings: Manchester City (1-0)

The defending Premier League champions, who defeated Sevilla 4-0 to open Group G, remain contenders for the ultimate prize after such a strong start.

1. Champions League Power Rankings: Paris Saint-Germain (1-0)

A 2-1 win against Juventus to kick things off in Group H, PSG can rely on Neymar’s assists and Kylian Mbappe’s goals to forge a winning path forward. And yes, having Lionel Messi in the lineup doesn’t hurt.