Things get a little monotonous this time of year around the World Club Rankings. There are a couple of reasons for this. First, clubs do not move up and down the tables of their own respective domestic leagues nearly as often as the number of matches played increases. There’s always a little movement, but the tables are much more static. That issue will remain as the season progresses. The other reason for the monotony is that the other event that can cause major changes in the weekly rankings is the continental championship tournaments and these tournaments are all in various states of hiatus at the moment. When they return/begin, they will result in much more movement in the rankings. Until then, we are going to be a tad static.
There were two big events this past weekend in the football world. The first was the matchup of top ten clubs at Old Trafford. In the end, it really wasn’t much of a match as Manchester United defeated Chelsea 3-0. The other took place not far away, at the offices of The Special One at Setanta Sports. This weekend marked the finale (or did it?) of I’m On Setanta Sports on, of course, Setanta Sports. Jose, Sven and the Boy Rooney will be missed in puppetry form, if not in real life. Tha’s brilliant , that was.
Well, that was then, and this is now. What do we have coming up? Not very many marquee matchups, for one. The event that I am looking forward to most is the return of the Eredivisie, which takes place this weekend. Among the top several domestic leagues in Europe, this will leave only the Bundesliga remaining on winter break. Until it comes back, though, and the continental tournaments begin again, I leave with this week’s version of the WCR Top 25.
World Club Rankings – Top 25 Clubs in the World – January 12, 2009
1. Liverpool (Eng) (1) – Liverpool couldn’t score a goal this week against Stoke City and had to settle for a scoreless draw. This draw, along with Chelsea’s defeat, was enough to keep Liverpool atop the Premiership table and the WCR rankings. At least for now. Next Week: Liverpool’s next match will not be until the Merseyside Derby against Everton next Monday.
2. Inter Milan (Ita) (2) – Inter’s return to Serie A play proved to be with mixed results as it could manage only a 1-1 draw with Cagliari. Next Week: Internazionale faces two opponents in the upcoming week, first hosting Genoa in a Coppa Italia match, and then taking on Atalanta in Serie A action.
3. Barcelona (Esp) (3) – Is it inevitable that Barcelona win the Champions League and move to the top of the rankings? It certainly appears that it is not destined to lose to any Spanish clubs. This week, Barcelona defeated Atletico de Madrid 3-1 in the Copa del Rey and then came from behind to defeat Osasuna 3-2. Next Week: Barcelona faces a pair of matches again this week. First, Barcelona will play its home match against Atletico de Madrid in the Copa del Rey. Over the weekend, Barca will host Deportivo La Coruna.
4. Manchester United (Eng) (4) – The week didn’t start off well for United, falling 0-1 to Derby County in the first leg of its Carling Cup semifinal. The weekend proved much better, however, as the Red Devils took Chelsea apart by a 3-0 score. Next Week: At midweek, Manchester United hosts Wigan Athletic to make up for a match missed during the Club World Cup. Over the weekend, United’s Premiership opponent will be Bolton Wanderers.
5. TSG Hoffenheim (Ger) (5) – No current matches.
6. Juventus (Ita) (6) – Juve returned to Serie A action this week in good, if not pretty, form, defeating Siena 1-0 and moving two points closer to Inter Milan at the top of the Serie A table. Next Week: On Wednesday, Juventus will host Catania in a Coppa Italia match. Over the weekend, Juve head to Rome to take on SS Lazio.
7. Chelsea (Eng) (8) – Once again, Chelsea has demonstrated that it has serious problems when it takes on the big boys, falling 0-3 to Manchester United at Old Trafford. Obviously, this does not bode well heading into the knockout stages of the Champions League. Next Week: On Wednesday, Chelsea has to play an FA Cup replay, this time away, against Southend United. Fortunately, the Blues have performed well against weak clubs in the Premeirship and it will have to count on that when it hosts Stoke City this weekend.
8. Benfica (Por) (12) – Benfica moved this week back to the top of the Liga Sagres and back into the WCR Top Ten. In League Cup play, Benfica defeated Vitoria Guimaraes 2-0. In league play, Benfica defeated Braga Sporting 1-0 to move atop the table. Next Week: Benfica has two League Cup matches coming up this week, first against Olhanenge and then against OS Belenenses.
9. Bayern Munich (Ger) (9) – No current matches.
10. Real Madrid (Esp) (17) – Real Madrid is finally beginning to look like the club everyone expected. A 3-0 defeat of Real Mallorca made Real Madrid the most current holders of the runner-up position in La Liga’s Primera Division. Next Week: Real Madrid already has been eliminated from the Copa del Rey, so it will wait until next weekend before playing again, when it will host Osasuna.
11. AZ Alkmaar (Ned) (11) – Next Week: AZ returns to Eredivisie action this weekend in an away match against Volendam.
12. AC Milan (Ita) (13) – In one of the more fun matches of the weekend to watch, AC Milan and Roma battled to a 2-2 draw. Next Week: In what could be one of the more fun matches of next weekend, AC Milan will host Fiorentina.
13. Sao Paulo (Bra) (14) – No current matches.
14. Aston Villa (Eng) (16) – Aston Villa continued its assault on the top four spots in the Premier League with a 2-1 victory this weekend over West Bromwich Albion. Next Week: Aston Villa will try to stay in third place this week, or possibly gain even more on the leaders, when it takes on Sunderland this weekend.
15. Ajax (Ned) (15) – Next Week: Ajax returns to Eredivisie action this week against NEC Nijmegen.
16. Sporting CP (Por) (21) – As it prepares for the Champions League knockout stage, Sporting finds itself in second place in the Liga Sagres following a 2-0 victory over Maritimo this weekend. Next Week: Both of Sporting’s matches this week are League Cup matches, first against Rio Ave and then against Pacos de Ferreira.
17. Porto (Por) (7) – Just below Sporting in both the Liga Sagres and the rankings is Porto, who forfeited its Liga Sagres lead this weekend with a 0-0 draw with Trofense, who had knocked Benfica out of the league lead the week before. Earlier in the week, Porto defeated Veitoria Setubal in a League Cup match 2-1. Next Week: Like the other Portuguese clubs, both of Porto’s matches this week, against Nacional and Academica de Coimbra, are League Cup matches.
18. Sevilla (Esp) (23) – Sevilla faced Deportivo La Coruna twice this week and won twice this week; first in a Copa del Rey match by a 2-1 score, and then in a Primera Division match, winning 3-1 despite being shorthanded. Next Week: A third consecutive match against Deportivo takes place at midweek. Over the weekend, Sevilla will finally mix it up a little bit and host Numancia.
19. Olympiakos (Gre) (19) – Olympiakos defeated AO Xanthi 2-1 this weekend to maintain its top position in the Greek Super League. Next Week: Coming up next weekend for Olympiakos will be an away matchup with Panserraikos.
20. Napoli (Ita) (BU) – Napoli returns to the rankings this week after a 1-0 defeat of Catania. Next Week: Napoli is off until the weekend when it will take on Chievo Verona.
21. Valencia (Esp) (10) – Two matches, two draws this week for Valencia. In the Copa del Rey, Valencia scored a 1-1 draw against Racing de Santander in its away match. In Primera Division play, Valencia went back-and-forth all game with Villarreal before finally settling on a 3-3 draw with the Yellow Submarine. Next Week: Valencia will play its home Copa del Rey match against Racing before heading to Basque country to take on Athletic de Bilbao.
22. Arsenal (Eng) (20) – Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over Bolton Wanderers allowed it to keep pace on Aston Villa for fourth place in the Premiership and allowed it gain ground on both Liverpool and Chelsea. Next Week: As the Gunners hold on tight to its current position, it will take on Hull City over the weekend.
23. Bordeaux (Fra) (NR) – Even though Bordeaux is still in second place in Ligue Un, its 4-0 crushing defeat of Paris St.-Germain was good enough to move Bordeaux back into the rankings. Next Week: In a Coupe de Ligue match, Bordeaux will host, forgive me if I get this wrong, Berrichonne Chateauroux. Whew. In league play, Bordeaux will take on Nantes over the weekend.
24. Gremio (Bra) (22) – No current matches.
25. Rangers (Sco) (BU) – Rangers returns to the rankings without playing a match. Sometimes, I don’t understand the rankings myself. Next Week: Later today, Rangers will take on St. Johnstone in a Scottish FA Cup match. In SPL play, Rangers will host Falkirk next weekend.
Bubbling Under (alphabetically): Bayer Leverkusen (Ger), Celtic (Sco), Genoa (Ita), Lyon (Fra), San Lorenzo (Arg).
Not that far behind: Atletico de Madrid (Esp), Fiorentina (Ita), Hertha Berlin (Ger), Panathinaikos (Gre), Twente (Ned).
There were two big events this past weekend in the football world. The first was the matchup of top ten clubs at Old Trafford. In the end, it really wasn’t much of a match as Manchester United defeated Chelsea 3-0. The other took place not far away, at the offices of The Special One at Setanta Sports. This weekend marked the finale (or did it?) of I’m On Setanta Sports on, of course, Setanta Sports. Jose, Sven and the Boy Rooney will be missed in puppetry form, if not in real life. Tha’s brilliant , that was.
Well, that was then, and this is now. What do we have coming up? Not very many marquee matchups, for one. The event that I am looking forward to most is the return of the Eredivisie, which takes place this weekend. Among the top several domestic leagues in Europe, this will leave only the Bundesliga remaining on winter break. Until it comes back, though, and the continental tournaments begin again, I leave with this week’s version of the WCR Top 25.
World Club Rankings – Top 25 Clubs in the World – January 12, 2009
1. Liverpool (Eng) (1) – Liverpool couldn’t score a goal this week against Stoke City and had to settle for a scoreless draw. This draw, along with Chelsea’s defeat, was enough to keep Liverpool atop the Premiership table and the WCR rankings. At least for now. Next Week: Liverpool’s next match will not be until the Merseyside Derby against Everton next Monday.
2. Inter Milan (Ita) (2) – Inter’s return to Serie A play proved to be with mixed results as it could manage only a 1-1 draw with Cagliari. Next Week: Internazionale faces two opponents in the upcoming week, first hosting Genoa in a Coppa Italia match, and then taking on Atalanta in Serie A action.
3. Barcelona (Esp) (3) – Is it inevitable that Barcelona win the Champions League and move to the top of the rankings? It certainly appears that it is not destined to lose to any Spanish clubs. This week, Barcelona defeated Atletico de Madrid 3-1 in the Copa del Rey and then came from behind to defeat Osasuna 3-2. Next Week: Barcelona faces a pair of matches again this week. First, Barcelona will play its home match against Atletico de Madrid in the Copa del Rey. Over the weekend, Barca will host Deportivo La Coruna.
4. Manchester United (Eng) (4) – The week didn’t start off well for United, falling 0-1 to Derby County in the first leg of its Carling Cup semifinal. The weekend proved much better, however, as the Red Devils took Chelsea apart by a 3-0 score. Next Week: At midweek, Manchester United hosts Wigan Athletic to make up for a match missed during the Club World Cup. Over the weekend, United’s Premiership opponent will be Bolton Wanderers.
5. TSG Hoffenheim (Ger) (5) – No current matches.
6. Juventus (Ita) (6) – Juve returned to Serie A action this week in good, if not pretty, form, defeating Siena 1-0 and moving two points closer to Inter Milan at the top of the Serie A table. Next Week: On Wednesday, Juventus will host Catania in a Coppa Italia match. Over the weekend, Juve head to Rome to take on SS Lazio.
7. Chelsea (Eng) (8) – Once again, Chelsea has demonstrated that it has serious problems when it takes on the big boys, falling 0-3 to Manchester United at Old Trafford. Obviously, this does not bode well heading into the knockout stages of the Champions League. Next Week: On Wednesday, Chelsea has to play an FA Cup replay, this time away, against Southend United. Fortunately, the Blues have performed well against weak clubs in the Premeirship and it will have to count on that when it hosts Stoke City this weekend.
8. Benfica (Por) (12) – Benfica moved this week back to the top of the Liga Sagres and back into the WCR Top Ten. In League Cup play, Benfica defeated Vitoria Guimaraes 2-0. In league play, Benfica defeated Braga Sporting 1-0 to move atop the table. Next Week: Benfica has two League Cup matches coming up this week, first against Olhanenge and then against OS Belenenses.
9. Bayern Munich (Ger) (9) – No current matches.
10. Real Madrid (Esp) (17) – Real Madrid is finally beginning to look like the club everyone expected. A 3-0 defeat of Real Mallorca made Real Madrid the most current holders of the runner-up position in La Liga’s Primera Division. Next Week: Real Madrid already has been eliminated from the Copa del Rey, so it will wait until next weekend before playing again, when it will host Osasuna.
11. AZ Alkmaar (Ned) (11) – Next Week: AZ returns to Eredivisie action this weekend in an away match against Volendam.
12. AC Milan (Ita) (13) – In one of the more fun matches of the weekend to watch, AC Milan and Roma battled to a 2-2 draw. Next Week: In what could be one of the more fun matches of next weekend, AC Milan will host Fiorentina.
13. Sao Paulo (Bra) (14) – No current matches.
14. Aston Villa (Eng) (16) – Aston Villa continued its assault on the top four spots in the Premier League with a 2-1 victory this weekend over West Bromwich Albion. Next Week: Aston Villa will try to stay in third place this week, or possibly gain even more on the leaders, when it takes on Sunderland this weekend.
15. Ajax (Ned) (15) – Next Week: Ajax returns to Eredivisie action this week against NEC Nijmegen.
16. Sporting CP (Por) (21) – As it prepares for the Champions League knockout stage, Sporting finds itself in second place in the Liga Sagres following a 2-0 victory over Maritimo this weekend. Next Week: Both of Sporting’s matches this week are League Cup matches, first against Rio Ave and then against Pacos de Ferreira.
17. Porto (Por) (7) – Just below Sporting in both the Liga Sagres and the rankings is Porto, who forfeited its Liga Sagres lead this weekend with a 0-0 draw with Trofense, who had knocked Benfica out of the league lead the week before. Earlier in the week, Porto defeated Veitoria Setubal in a League Cup match 2-1. Next Week: Like the other Portuguese clubs, both of Porto’s matches this week, against Nacional and Academica de Coimbra, are League Cup matches.
18. Sevilla (Esp) (23) – Sevilla faced Deportivo La Coruna twice this week and won twice this week; first in a Copa del Rey match by a 2-1 score, and then in a Primera Division match, winning 3-1 despite being shorthanded. Next Week: A third consecutive match against Deportivo takes place at midweek. Over the weekend, Sevilla will finally mix it up a little bit and host Numancia.
19. Olympiakos (Gre) (19) – Olympiakos defeated AO Xanthi 2-1 this weekend to maintain its top position in the Greek Super League. Next Week: Coming up next weekend for Olympiakos will be an away matchup with Panserraikos.
20. Napoli (Ita) (BU) – Napoli returns to the rankings this week after a 1-0 defeat of Catania. Next Week: Napoli is off until the weekend when it will take on Chievo Verona.
21. Valencia (Esp) (10) – Two matches, two draws this week for Valencia. In the Copa del Rey, Valencia scored a 1-1 draw against Racing de Santander in its away match. In Primera Division play, Valencia went back-and-forth all game with Villarreal before finally settling on a 3-3 draw with the Yellow Submarine. Next Week: Valencia will play its home Copa del Rey match against Racing before heading to Basque country to take on Athletic de Bilbao.
22. Arsenal (Eng) (20) – Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over Bolton Wanderers allowed it to keep pace on Aston Villa for fourth place in the Premiership and allowed it gain ground on both Liverpool and Chelsea. Next Week: As the Gunners hold on tight to its current position, it will take on Hull City over the weekend.
23. Bordeaux (Fra) (NR) – Even though Bordeaux is still in second place in Ligue Un, its 4-0 crushing defeat of Paris St.-Germain was good enough to move Bordeaux back into the rankings. Next Week: In a Coupe de Ligue match, Bordeaux will host, forgive me if I get this wrong, Berrichonne Chateauroux. Whew. In league play, Bordeaux will take on Nantes over the weekend.
24. Gremio (Bra) (22) – No current matches.
25. Rangers (Sco) (BU) – Rangers returns to the rankings without playing a match. Sometimes, I don’t understand the rankings myself. Next Week: Later today, Rangers will take on St. Johnstone in a Scottish FA Cup match. In SPL play, Rangers will host Falkirk next weekend.
Bubbling Under (alphabetically): Bayer Leverkusen (Ger), Celtic (Sco), Genoa (Ita), Lyon (Fra), San Lorenzo (Arg).
Not that far behind: Atletico de Madrid (Esp), Fiorentina (Ita), Hertha Berlin (Ger), Panathinaikos (Gre), Twente (Ned).
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2 comments:
I can't decide if United's domination of Chelsea should be credited to United's skill or Chelsea's lack of marking! To be sure, each Man Utd. goal was clinically finished.
In the last month or so, Chelsea has been pretty laggard. I don't think Jose would have allowed Manchester United to claw its way back so quickly. That being said, over the same time period, I believe United (and possibly Aston Villa) have had the best form in the Premier League.
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