📈 Power Rankings: Barcelona tumble, Atleti march on | OneFootball

Our Power Rankings are back as an early season table-topper falls fast in the latest update.

Here are the 10 sides in our updated Power Rankings table.

📈 Power Rankings: Barcelona tumble, Atleti march on

10. Chelsea (👎 Last week: 8)

Chelsea take a tumble in our Power Rankings table, with Enzo Maresca’s insistence his side are not ready for a title challenge gaining weight. The Blues were blunted during a goalless draw at Everton last weekend, before falling to a damaging defeat on Boxing Day.

Despite taking the lead through Cole Palmer, Chelsea were stunned as Fulham scored twice late on to win at Stamford Bridge. Rodrigo Muniz scored a 96th-minute winner as the Cottagers earned a first away win in the west London derby for 45 years.

9. Barcelona (👎 Last week: 4)

The week’s biggest fallers, have the wheels have come off in Barcelona’s title challenge?

Hansi Flick’s side were runaway leaders earlier in the campaign but have now won just one of their last seven games in La Liga. Last weekend, the Catalans blew a first-half lead to lose to title rivals Atletico Madrid, with Alexander Sorloth’s 96th-minute goal snatching the points and sending Atleti top of the division.

8. Real Madrid (👍 Last week: 10)

Fresh from returning home with the The FIFA Intercontinental Cup, Real Madrid beat Sevilla 4-2 in a thriller to move within one point of the summit in Spain. Despite a mixed start to the campaign, Carlo Ancelotti’s side are now well place in the title race, having climbed above Barcelona into second. Hopes will be high that their constellation of talent can click into gear over the run-in, in what promises to be a fascinating battle for La Liga.

7. Atletico Madrid (👍 Last week: 9)

Atletico Madrid keep on climbing.

Diego Simeone celebrated wildly as Atleti snatched a late win at Barcelona last weekend, with Alexander Sorloth’s strike sending El Cholo’s men top of the table. Since losing to Real Betis at the end of October, Atletico have reeled off 12 wins on the spin in all competitions.

The form team in Spanish football right now, Simeone will hope the winter break does not halt their momentum.

6. Atalanta (👍 Last week: 7)

Atalanta keep on ticking along in their pursuit of a maiden Scudetto.

Charles De Ketelaere’s 86th-minute winner settled a see-sawing game with Empoli at the weekend and keeps Atalanta top of Serie A. Gian Piero Gasperini’s side have won 11 on the bounce in Serie A, with only three clubs having ever recorded longer winning runs.

La Dea’s title credentials will be tested in the coming weeks, starting with a trip to Lazio this weekend. Atalanta then host Juventus and Napoli before January 18.

5. Bayern Munich (👍 Last week: 6)

Bayern Munich bounced back from their first Bundesliga defeat of the season in style.

After being upset at Mainz, Bayern responded with an emphatic 5-1 win over RB Leipzig on Friday evening. Both sides scored inside the opening two minutes before Bayern asserted their dominance on the contest. Jamal Musiala, Konrad Laimer, Joshua Kimmich, Leroy Sane and Alphonso Davies were all on target as the Bavarians routed their title rivals.

A statement win from the German giants who lead the Bundesliga heading into the break.

4. Bayer Leverkusen (👍 Last week: 5)

Bayer Leverkusen will not give up their title without a fight and remain in pursuit of Bayern in the title race.

Patrik Schick’s return to prominence has added cutting edge to Xabi Alonso’s side, with the Czech forward scoring four times in the 5-1 win over SC Freiburg. Linked with an exit earlier in the campaign as he struggled for status, Schick has now hit nine goals in his last five Bundesliga appearances.

3. Arsenal (No change)

Arsenal issued a response to successive league draws by beating Crystal Palace in cup and league. Gabriel Jesus was at the centre of both victories, as he hit a hat-trick to send Arsenal into the Carabao Cup semi-finals.

Three days later, Jesus was on target twice as the Gunners ran riot to win 5-1 at Selhurst Park in the Premier League. Palace will be sick of the sight of him.

2. Inter Milan (No change)

Inter march on in pursuit of honours, following their stunning 6-0 win at Lazio with consecutive wins and clean sheets.

After inflicting the Rome club’s biggest-ever home defeat in Serie A to climb our Power Rankings table a week ago, Inter beat Udinese and Como by 2-0 scorelines in cup and league.

Simeone Inzaghi’s side remain tough to break down and are well placed for a strong second half to the campaign. The Nerrazzuri are close to automatic progress in the Champions League, into the Coppa Italia quarter-finals, and three points off the top in Serie A with a game in hand.

1. Liverpool (No change)

Liverpool are arguably Europe’s top team right now and extended their advantage in the Premier League title race over the festive period.

A sublime performance saw the Reds hit Spurs for six in North London last weekend, before an efficient display saw Arne Slot’s side recover from going a goal down to beat Leicester 3-1 at Anfield.

Liverpool now boast a seven-point advantage in the Premier League title race, having played a game less than their nearest challengers. Slot’s side are edging closer to a dream season.

Read – Man City crisis has echoes of Liverpool’s ‘bad champions’

See more – Our Premier League pre-season predictions revisited

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