We’re starting off this week’s rankings with a pair of congratulations. First, we congratulate Mexico’s Monterrey for becoming the first qualifier for the 2011 Club World Cup by defeating Real Salt Lake for the CONCACAF Champions League title. Next, we should also congratulate Borussia Dortmund for mixing its own victory with a Bayer Leverkusen loss to clinch its first German Bundesliga title since 2001/02.
As for the other clubs, there were mixed results. Each of the top three clubs in the world lost this weekend, though the weekend matches didn’t really matter for the Spanish pair of that trio. Big away victories in the UEFA Champions League make a Manchester United/Barcelona matchup in the finals of that tournament extremely likely, but you never know. The first leg of the Copa Libertadores Round of Sixteen took place in the past week and the second legs will take place in the coming week.
Manchester United’s loss to Arsenal over the weekend makes this coming weekend’s match between Manyoo and Chelsea of the upmost importance. Obviously, this time of the season, lots of matches produce added drama. Why don’t we just go ahead and get to the rankings so we can see what happened and what’s coming up?
World Club Rankings – Top 25 Clubs in the World – May 2, 2011
1. Manchester United (Eng) (1) – There was lots of excitement for Manchester United this week; some good, some bad. In the Champions League, the Red Devils went to Germany and defeated Schalke 04 2-0 to take a huge lead into the second leg of the Semifinal matchup at Old Trafford. Manyoo’s Premier League 0-1 loss to Arsenal, on the other hand, put United’s once presumed league title in jeopardy. Coming Up: On Wednesday, United will try to put Schalke 04 away and qualify for the finals of the UEFA Champions League. Practically as important, Manchester United will host Chelsea on Sunday in what could determine the championship of the Premier League.
2. Barcelona (Esp) (2) – Like Manchester United, Barcelona scored a 2-0 away victory in its Champions League semifinal match. Barça took down a 10-man Real Madrid club to move closer to setting up a dream final against Manchester United. Over the weekend, Barcelona lost to Real Sociedad by a 1-2 score. Coming Up: The rematch with Real Madrid will take place at Camp Nou on Tuesday. Domestically, Barcelona will host its cross-town rival Espanyol on Sunday.
3. Real Madrid (Esp) (3) – What a horrible week for Real Madrid, with two matches at home resulting in two losses. First off, a short-handed Real Madrid club suffered a devastating 0-2 loss at home to archrival Barcelona in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals. Less important, but still embarrassing, Real Madrid fell 2-3 at home to Real Zaragoza over the weekend. Coming Up: It’s not impossible, but Real Madrid faces an uphill battle on Tuesday when it tries to overcome a two-goal deficit against Barcelona at the Camp Nou. In La Liga action, Real Madrid will face off with Sevilla on Saturday.
4. AC Milan (Ita) (4) – Milan moved a little closer to its first Serie A title since 2003/04 with a 1-0 victory over Bologna. Coming Up: Milan can clinch the Italian title on Saturday with a victory over Roma at Stadio Olimpico on Saturday regardless of what happens with respect to the other Serie A matches.
5. Borussia Dortmund (Ger) (6) – Coupled with a Leverkusen loss, Borussia Dortmund clinched its first Bundesliga title in nine seasons with a 2-0 defeat of Nürnberg. Coming Up: At this point, Dortmund is just finishing out the season and this week’s matchup will be away at Werder Bremen on Saturday.
6. Chelsea (Eng) (5) – The Blues’ title chances in the Premier League got a huge boost this week when Manchester United lost while Chelsea defeated Tottenham Hotspur 2-1. Coming Up: Chelsea will take the upper hand in the Premier League title race if it can defeat Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.
7. Porto (Por) (7) – Porto moved within a whisper of the Europa League finals by crushing Villarreal 5-1 in the first semifinal leg in Portugal. In the Liga Sagres, Porto remained undefeated by stomping Vitória Setúbal 4-0. Coming Up: Porto can set up an all-Portuguese Europa League final by not suffering a catastrophic loss to Villarreal on Thursday. In domestic league action, Porto will host Paços de Ferreira on Sunday.
8. Lille (Fra) (10) – Lille needed help, but it remains atop France’s Ligue Un following its 5-0 butt-whoopin’ of lowly Arles. Coming Up: Lille’s destiny is back in its own hands and its next chance to shine will be on Saturday against Nancy Lorraine.
9. Arsneal (Eng) (8) – The Gunners pulled off one of its biggest victories in awhile by defeating Manchester United 1-0 and re-opening the Premier League race, at least for Chelsea. Coming Up: Arsenal can still win the Premier League, mathematically, but it’s extremely unlikely. An away victory against Stoke City on Sunday, though, will keep its faint hopes alive.
10. Inter Milan (Ita) (9) – Even though its run of Serie A titles is about to come to an end, Internazionale maintained its slim hold on second place in Italy with a 2-1 victory over Cesena. Coming Up: On Sunday, Inter Milan will take on Fiorentina in its next Serie A match.
12. Bayer Leverkusen (Ger) (12) – Leverkusen’s hopes for a German Bundesliga title came to an end this weekend with a 0-2 loss to Köln. Coming Up: Bayer Leverkusen can still clinch second place in the German table by defeating Hamburger SV on Saturday.
13. Benfica (Por) (13) – In a two-leg match, a 2-1 home victory in the first leg gives you about a 50/50 chance of advancing. That’s what Benfica scored on Thursday at home against Sporting Braga on Thursday in the Europa League semifinals. In the Liga Sagres, Benfica settled for a 1-1 draw with Olhanense. Coming Up: The all-important second leg of the Europa League semifinals against Sporting Braga will take place on Thursday. In much less important (at this point of the season) domestic league action, Benfica faces Rio Ave on Sunday.
14. Bayern Munich (Ger) (22) – Bayern moved back into third-place in the German Bundesliga with a Hannover loss and a 4-1 victory over Schalke 04. Coming Up: Saturday’s matchup at St. Pauli is a must-win match for Bayern Munich, as all of its matches are from here on out.
15. Valencia (Esp) (14) – Just like the two clubs above it in the Primera Division table, Valencia lost this weekend. Valencia fell to Osasuna 0-1. Coming Up: Valencia will host Real Sociedad on Saturday.
16. Manchester City (Eng) (15) – Mansee moved a little closer to next season’s Champions League, and moved West Ham United a little closer to the Championship, by defeating West Ham 2-1. Coming Up: City heads to Mersey on Saturday to take on Everton in its next Premier League match.
17. Napoli (Ita) (16) – Napoli also moved closer to a rare trip to the UEFA Champions League this past weekend by beating Genoa 1-0. Coming Up: Napoli will face an away match against Lecce in a match in which Napoli can clinch a spot in next season’s European championship tournament.
18. Cruzeiro (Bra) (20) – With a 2-1 away win against Once Caldas at midweek, Cruzeiro moved closer to the Copa Libertadores quarterfinals. Over the weekend, Cruzeiro, once again, defeated América TO 5-1 to move into the Mineiro League finals against Atletico Mineiro. Coming Up: Cruzeiro’s home leg against Once Caldas will take place on Wednesday evening. Over the weekend, the away leg of the Mineiro League finals will be played on Sunday.
19. Marseille (Fra) (18) – OM moved to the top of the Ligue Un table at midweek with a 4-2 victory over Nice only to drop back to second-place following a 1-1 draw with Auxerre over the weekend. Coming Up: Marseille will take on third-place Lyon on Sunday in one of the most important matches of the weekend.
20. Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukr) (17) – Shakhtar failed to clinch the Ukranian title this weekend by losing in the nation’s capital in a 0-3 match against Dynamo Kyiv. Coming Up: Shakhtar Donetsk will have another opportunity to win the league title on Saturday, at home, against Metalurh Donetsk.
21. Fluminense (Bra) (19) – In its home leg of the Copa Libertadores defeated Libertad 3-1 to inch forward towards the South American championship tournament’s quarterfinals. Coming Up: With its state league duties over, Fluminense can concentrate on its rematch with Libertad in Paraguay on Wednesday evening.
22. Vélez Sarsfield (Arg) (NF) – It was a prosperous week for Vélez Sarsfield this week as it defeated LDU Quito 3-0 in its Copa Libertadores Round of Sixteen match and smashed Estudiantes by a 4-0 score to move into first place in the Argentine Clausura table. Coming Up: Vélez’s rematch with LDU Quito will take place in Ecuador on Thursday evening. In Argentine Clausura action, it will host Banfield on Monday.
23. Villarreal (Esp) (24) – Villarreal’s Europa League dreams took a kick in the crotch this week as it fell 1-5 to Porto in the first semifinal leg. In Primera Division action, though, the Yellow Submarine was the only victorious club amongst the top four, defeating Getafe 2-1. Coming Up: On Thursday, Villarreal will host Porto as it tries to overcome the four-goal deficit it earned in Porto. On Sunday, Villarreal will take on Mallorca in its next Primera Division match.
24. Lyon (Fra) (23) – Lyon defeated Montpelier 3-2 at midweek in Ligue Un action, but followed that up with a 0-2 loss to Toulouse over the weekend. Coming Up: In a match that will help to determine Lyon’s 2011/12 European season, Lyon will host championship-contending Marseille on Sunday.
25. Fenerbahce (Tur) (BU) – A hot Fenerbahce club defeated Istanbul BB 2-0 to maintain its narrow lead in a tight Turkish Super League race. Coming Up: Next up for Fenerbahce will be Karabükspor in a Sunday away match.
Bubbling Under: Dynamo Kyiv (Ukr), Lazio (Ita), Schalke 04 (Ger), Tottenham Hotspur (Eng), Udinese (Ita).
Next Five: Celtic (Sco), Liverpool (Eng), Panathinaikos (Gre), Paris St.-Germain (Fra), Rangers (Sco).
Matches Between WCR Top 25 Clubs This Week:
3 May – (3) Real Madrid at (2) Barcelona
5 May – (7) Porto at (23) Villarreal
8 May – (6) Chelsea at (1) Manchester United
8 May – (19) Marseille at (24) Lyon
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