WCR Top 25 - September 19, 2023

The biggest change in our rankings this week came from a change in the formula.  After losing FiveThirtyEight earlier in the year, we have been down to basing our rankings on four various statistical websites that each use their own formulas to determine international football rankings.  This week, we welcome TeamForm Club Rankings to our mix, which gives us more data to use and returns us to having five different sources for us to base our rankings upon. 

Once again, we had very little movement at the top of our rankings as the top five or six clubs just kept rolling along.  The most significant outcomes of the weekend belonged to the clubs in European football this past weekend involved the clubs in the bottom half of the previous WCR Top Ten.

First of all, we’ll talk about the two outstanding results in that group.  Sixth-ranked Inter Milan looked even more dominant than expected in their meeting with archrival AC Milan, dismantling the red and black in a 5-1 match at the San Siro.  Barcelona won by an even bigger margin, knocking off UEFA Europa League contestant Real Betis 5-0 in a La Liga “home” match.

At the other end of the spectrum, Lazio had to come from behind at Genoa and could only manage a single point in their 2-2 draw.  Worst yet, both Atletico Madrid and Manchester United suffered humiliating losses, with the former going down 0-3 at Valencia and the latter losing 1-3 at Old Trafford against Brighton.  These results forced the ouster of both clubs from our Top Ten making room for two German clubs to take their places - the return of Borussia Dortmund and the debut Top Ten ranking for RB Leipzig, both of which scored impressive victories over the weekend - particularly Leipzig, who has now had several impressive victories early in the season.

All of the rankings are below.  If you don’t like the list, please feel free to check out our methodology page, which includes links to all of the source data we are using. 

1.  Manchester City (Eng) (125 pts) (5 first place votes) (LW 1) - The final score looked like a typical Manchester City score but West Ham put up quite a struggle, even having a halftime lead, before City proved too much and defeated the Hammers with a 3-1 final tabulation of goals.  City’s Champions League officially gets underway this week when it hosts Crvena Zvezda on Tuesday.  City will remain home for its next Premier League match on Saturday against Nottingham Forest.

2.  Bayern Munich (Ger) (115 pts) (LW 3) - There were a few times during the match when you thought Bayern had it and would keep their perfect record in the Bundesliga, but Leverkusen kept finding ways to even the score, including a late penalty kick to finish the match at 2-2.  Bayern will be at home twice this week as Oktoberfest gets underway.  In one of the best matchups of the first Champions League Group Stage matchday, they will host Manchester United and then hang around a few days and wait for VfL Bochum to come to town for their Saturday afternoon match.

3.  Liverpool (Eng) (113 pts) (LW 2) - The Wolves looked the better club for about thirty minutes, but missed opportunities left them with only one goal, which was far from adequate to withstand the Liverpool barrage.  Ultimately, the Reds scored three in a 3-1 come-from-behind victory.  Liverpool opens up their Europa League campaign in an early match at LASK on Thursday before returning home Sunday to host West Ham United.

4. Real Madrid (Esp) (112.5 pts) (LW 4) -This week’s match against Real Sociedad wss the type that is becoming typical in Real Madrid’s young season.  They give up an early goal, clamp down and then score whatever they need to win.  That’s what they did on Sunday to score a 2-1 victory over their fellow Champions League club.  Speaking of the Champions League, Real Madrid will return to action in that competition in one of the early matches on Wednesday when they host Union Berlin.  Real Madrid will be back on the road for Sunday night’s matchup, but not far away, when they will play Atletico Madrid, who will be looking to come off on a humiliating defeat at Valencia.

5. Inter Milan (Ita) (103.5 pts) (LW 6) - Inter Milan took their stadium rivals back to proverbial woodshed and spanked them in their own home (though Milan were technically visitors) by a 5-1 score that won’t be forgotten soon.  Inter will play Real Sociedad away in what is one of the more intriguing opening matchday matches in the Champions League Group Stage before going to Empoli for another away match, this time in Serie A, on Sunday.

6.   Arsenal (Eng) (103 points) (LW 5) - It’s hard to say that Arsenal was impressive in its 1-0 victory over Everton, but after the goal was scored, the result never seemed to be in doubt.  The competition will get tougher, however, in the week ahead, so the Gunners will have to pick up their game.  Arsenal will take on PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday night in Champions League action and then host North London rival Spurs on Sunday.  Both matches are against ranked clubs (see below), but both will also be held at Emirates Stadium, giving Arsenal an advantage in each.

7.  Barcelona (Esp) (94 points) (LW 8) -Barcelona enters the Champions League in great form following a 5-0 thwacking of Real Betis in its domestic league match of the week.  Barça’s first Champions League match promises to be on the lighter side, at home on Tuesday against Royal Antwerp.  In La Liga, it shouldn’t be much more difficult when they host Celta Vigo on Saturday.

8. Napoli (Ita) (85 pts) (LW 7) -  The defending Serie A champions managed to find two goals late in the match to pick up a point in a 2-2 draw at Genoa in an encounter that had to make you wonder if last season’s run for Napoli was an aberration.  Napoli’s world tour continues this week with a visit to Portugal to take on Braga in its initial Champions League match of the season and then yet another away match on Sunday at Bologna.

9.  RB Leipzig (Ger) (80.5 pts) (LW 11) - Leipzig has been one of the fastest rising clubs this year.  Counting their German Super Cup, they have outscored their opponents 16-4 already this season, and that includes a 2-3 away loss to another hot club, Bayer Leverkusen.  This week’s victim was Augsburg, whom Leipzig handled quite easily, finishing with a 3-0 scoreline.  Coming up, Leipzig will make its Champions League season debut at Stadion Wankdorf against Young Boys on Tuesday night and continue their road trip through to Saturday afternoon’s matchup with Borussia Monchengladbach.

10.  Borussia Dortmund (Ger) (67 pts) (LW 15) - With the way last season ended for Dortmund and the seemingly slow start to this season, it’s easy to forget that they have not lost a match, including friendlies, since they were eliminated from the DFB Pokal by RB Leipzig in early April.  Dortmund returned to their winning ways this weekend with late goals at Freiburg securing them a 4-2 victory.  They are currently the highest ranked club in the Champions League’s proverbial Group of Death and will begin that challenge at Parc des Prince against PSG on Tuesday night.  Domestically, Dortmund returns to action at home against Wolfsburg in Saturday’s stable of Bundesliga matches.

11. Porto (Por) (64 pts) (LW 12)

12. Atlético Madrid (Esp) (63.5 pts) (LW 9)

13. AC Milan (Ita) (56 pts) (LW 13)

14. Benfica (Por) (55 pts) (LW 18)

15. Manchester United (Eng) (53 pts) (LW 10)

16. Newcastle United (Eng) (49 pts)  (LW 14)

17. Brighton (Eng) (49 pts) (LW 19)

18. Tottenham Hotspur (Eng) (45 pts) (LW 16)

19. Paris St. Germain (Fra) (41 pts) (LW 17)

20. Juventus (Ita) (37.5 pts) (LW 22)

21.  Palmeiras (Bra) (30 pts) (LW 21)

22. Aston Villa (Eng) (23 pts) (LW 20)

23. Bayer Leverkusen (Ger) (15 pts) (LW NR)

24. Sporting CP (Por) (13.5 pts)  (LW NR)

25. West Ham United (Eng) (12 pts) (LW 24)

Also receiving points:   Brentford (Eng) (10), PSV Eindhoven (Ned) (9), Chelsea (Eng) (5), Real Sociedad (Esp) (4), Villarreal (Esp) (3), Feyenoord (Ned) (1).