WCR Top 25 Clubs in the World - Penultimate Edition

Here we are nearing the end of the season and it’s almost time to close the door on another season of weekly World Club Rankings. There was the potential for a lot of movement in the charts this week, but in the end, teams that needed to win to maintain their place ended up winning. The best part of the weekend was trying to watch four Serie A games at one time. At one point in the second half, Roma was in the lead and AC Milan was heading the Champions League. But, then, Inter scored and Fiorentina scored and the top five in Italy remained unchanged. In France, Lyon defeated Auxerre to win its 231st consecutive Ligue Un championship and the top three in Germany remained unchanged as Bayern, Bremen and Schalke all won.

In South America, there were surprises galore in the Copa Libertadores, although they won’t show up on the charts until after the quarterfinal’s second legs take place. Nevertheless, how are teams that did so horribly in the Mexican Clausura (Atlas and Club America) doing so well against Boca Juniors and Santos, respectively. There is still a tight fight at the top of the Argentine Clausura and the Brasileiro Serie A is just getting under way.

What’s coming up this week? Oh, yeah. The top two teams in the world play each other in the European Championship? That should be enough. Both teams appear to be in good physical shape and we may be looking at an instant classic on Wednesday. That is the 800 pound gorilla in the room of football, but here at World Club Rankings, we like to look at all of the little monkeys in the room, too. In South America, the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores, where pre-tourney favorites Sao Paulo, Boca Juniors and Santos all have to fight to advance. Over the weekend, there are a few domestic cups out there to be won as Roma gets a chance to get a little revenge on Internazionale in the Coppa Italia finals and Lyon faces Paris St.-Germain in France.

Now, we reach the end of the story telling portion of this blog entry. Next, the penultimate weekly Top 25 of the season. Oh yeah, by the way, congratulations to Zenit St. Petersburg on their UEFA Cup title!!

World Club Rankings Top 25 – May 19, 2008

1. Manchester United (Eng) (1) – Is it just a coincidence that the Premier League ended a week earlier than all of the other major European leagues and that both of the teams in the Champions League finals are from the Premier League and get a week and a half to prepare for the final? What’s that? It is? Okay.

2. Chelsea (Eng) (2) – See, when teams stop playing over the weekend, I have nothing to say on the Top 25 lists. That’s why this is the penultimate Top 25 list. Anyway, Manchester United and Chelsea play on Wednesday in the Champions League finals. Just in case you hadn’t heard about it by now. My prediction?

3. Internazionale (Ita) (3) – At halftime, it looked like Inter may be in trouble, but a pair of second half goals gave Internazionale a victory over Parma and their third-straight Scudetto. The season isn’t over for Inter yet, though, as they play AS Roma in the Coppa Italia final this weekend in what has to be anti-climactic after the Serie A race and the Champions League, but it could be a good game, nonetheless.

4. Sao Paulo (Bra) (4) – Defeated Fluminense 1-0 in Copa Libertadores action before continuing its disappointing start to the Brasileiro Serie A season by managing only a 1-1 draw with Atletico—PR. The second leg of the Copa Libertadores quarterfinal is on Wednesday and Coritiba is on the schedule over the weekend.

5. Real Madrid (Esp) (5) – Finished off its La Liga championship season with a 5-2 victory over Levante. While the season is over for all intents and purposes, Real Madrid faces Saudi team Al-Nasr in a friendly this week.

6. Porto (Por) (6) – Failed to score a domestic double by falling to Sporting CP 0-2 in extra time in the Portuguese Cup final. Thus ends another season in Portugal.

7. Roma (Ita) (7) – Managed only a 1-1 draw with Catania, but by the time Catania scored its goal, Inter had already scored two against Parma, so it didn’t matter much. Can still win a trophy for the season with a victory over Inter Milan this weekend in the Coppa Italia finals.

8. Arsenal (Eng) (8) – Don’t really have much to add that hasn’t been said throughout the season.

9. Bayern Munchen (Ger) (9) – Saw Oliver Kahn off victoriously by defeating Hertha Berlin 4-1 and setting the Bundesliga record for fewest goals allowed in a season. Congrats Bayern.

10. Lyon (Fra) (10) – Defeated Auxerre 3-1 to clinch its 7th consecutive Ligue Un title. (See, I know it’s not really their 231st consecutive title.) Now, if they could only break through in Europe and bring some glory to France.

11. Juventus (Ita) (11) Managed only a 3-3 draw against Sampdoria. Another season is over and now that other cheating bastards have been picked out (I’m looking at you, Porto), I will hereby retire my affectionate Juventus nickname.

12. Villarreal (Esp) (12) – Finished up a historic season with a 2-0 victory over Deportivo La Coruna. Congratulations Yellow Submarine and see you in the Champions League group stage!!!

13. Barcelona (Esp) (14) – Saw Frank Rijkaard off in style with a fun, if not exciting, 5-3 victory over Real Murcia. Might see you in the Champions League semifinals, but we won’t know until after the third qualifying round. Better luck next year.

14. Liverpool (Eng) (13) – I know some of you are Liverpool fans. Was this year disappointing? Fourth place isn’t so bad and you did make the Champions League semifinals. I’d kill for a season like that from Newcastle United, but I have to assume that you wanted more.

15. Sporting CP (Por) (15) – Defeated Porto 2-0 to win the domestic cup competition and to finish an impressive season as the second best team in Portugal. What the hell happened to you Benfica?

16. PSV Eindhoven (Ned) (16) – Pass

17. Santos (Bra) (NR) – Santos can attribute their return to the rankings courtesy of their good start in the Brasileiro Serie A, defeating Ipatinga 4-0 this week. They damn sure don’t owe it to their Copa Libertadores play, losing to Club America (last place in the Mexican Clausura) 0-2. Host the second leg this week and play an away match against Cruzeiro over the weekend.

18. Ajax (Ned) (17) – Managed only a scoreless draw against Twente to be eliminated from next year’s Champions League, thanks to the pathetic way that the Dutch pick their representatives. Thankfully, this is the last season of this unfair system.

19. Bordeaux (Fra) (18) – In a similar boat as Roma, needing a win and a little luck this weekend and receiving neither. Drew 2-2 with Lens, relegating Lens, but not mattering much for Bordeaux as Lyon was busy clinching the Ligue Un title regardless of Bordeaux’s results. A very good season lands Bordeaux in next season’s Champions League group stage.

20. Boca Juniors (Arg) (NR) – Boca returns to the rankings this week after moving from sixth to third in the Argentine Clausura via a 2-1 defeat of Racing Club this weekend. Did not fare as well at home against Atlas, drawing 2-2 and must now succeed in Mexico if they want to successfully defend their Copa Libertadores title.

21. Sevilla (Esp) (NR) – After a very slow start and the tragic death of Antonio Puerta, Sevilla eventually bounced back to finish tied for fourth in La Liga. Finished the season well with a 4-1 victory over Athletic de Bilbao. Sevilla missed the Champions League for next year, but they do have a pretty good recent history in the UEFA Cup which may serve them well next season.

22. Werder Bremen (Ger) (22) – Finished its season this weekend with a 1-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen, knocking Leverkusen out of European competition next year. Second place in the Bundesliga automatically places Bremen in the group stage of next year’s Champions League.

23. Everton (Eng) (21) – Good team in a great league. I think Kevin Keegan’s right. Fifth place is a tremendous accomplishment; unfortunately, it’s all most of the Premier League teams can really play for.

24. Fluminense (Bra) (19) – Didn’t fare well anywhere this week. Lost to Sao Paulo 0-1 in the Copa Libertadores and fell 0-2 to Nautico in domestic action. Could be worse. A one goal deficit on the road isn’t impossible to overcome and the Brasileiro Serie A season is still in its infancy. Play the home match against Sao Paulo this week and SPORT over the weekend.

25. Fiorentina (Ita) (23) – Thank you Fiorentina!!! For the second straight year, AC Milan played like crap during the Serie A season and rested their reputation on Champions League play. Next year, they won’t have the opportunity. Maybe they’ll finally play up to our expectations.

Bubbling Under (alphabetically): Benfica (Por), Cruzeiro (Bra), Estudiantes (Arg), AC Milan (Ita), San Lorenzo (Arg).

Next Five European Teams: (31) Celtic (Sco), (33) Aston Villa (Eng), (35) Atletico de Madrid (Esp), (36) Schalke 04 (Ger), (38) Vitoria Guimaraes (Por)

Games Between Top 25 Teams This Week
21 May – (1) Manchester United vs. (2) Chelsea
21 May – (4) Sao Paulo at (24) Fluminense
24 May – (3) Internazionale vs. (7) AS Roma