Champions League Power Rankings: Real Madrid rounding into form as the playoffs for the knockout stage begin

The road to the 2025-26 Champions League crown re-opens this week with 16 clubs battling for the eight remaining places in next month’s knockout bracket. While Europe’s heavyweights sharpen their edge for the decisive two-legged playoffs, the latest edition of our power rankings shows familiar giants flexing their muscle and a handful of dark horses hoping to spring surprises.

Arsenal remain the team to catch. Mikel Arteta’s side have opened a healthy Premier League gap over Manchester City, and the sense around London is that domestic momentum is spilling into Europe. With City appearing less imperious than in recent seasons, the Gunners enter the playoffs as the continent’s form outfit.

Bayern Munich sit just behind. Vincent Kompany’s men hold a six-point Bundesliga cushion over Borussia Dortmund and possess the competition’s most prolific marksman in an in-form Harry Kane. A league title push and European glory are twin objectives in Munich, and the squad depth suggests both remain realistic.

Real Madrid, champions of 2024-25, have shaken off an understandably slow autumn and now look every inch the tournament’s standard-bearers again. A playoff date with AS Monaco is unlikely to derail Carlo Ancelotti’s ensemble, and confidence is surging after a solid domestic run.

Barcelona’s trajectory is less certain. A 4-0 thumping of Atlético Madrid showcased their ceiling, yet a shock Copa del Rey exit reminds the squad how thin the margins have become under Hansi Flick. The Catalans still rank among the elite, but consistency is the pressing demand.

Inter Milan rekindled belief with a weekend victory over Juventus, controversial sending-off notwithstanding. Simone Inzaghi’s side now turn their attention to Norwegian upstarts Bodo/Glimt, hoping a playoff surge can accompany a renewed Serie A challenge.

Juventus, despite that San Siro defeat, arrive in respectable shape. Luciano Spalletti has tightened the Bianconeri defensively and sharpened the attack; a tie against Galatasaray offers a winnable path to the last 16.

Manchester City’s aura has dimmed. Pep Guardiola’s squad trail Arsenal domestically and speculation over the Spanish coach’s future has clouded the camp. Talent remains abundant, yet the swagger that once defined the Citizens is missing.

Chelsea, by contrast, feel reborn. Liam Rosenior’s appointment has translated into tactical clarity and only a single point separates the Blues from the Premier League’s top four. A playoff clash with Azerbaijani champions Qarabag gives Stamford Bridge reason for optimism.

Liverpool’s season has been a study in extremes—scintillating one week, subdued the next. Arne Slot’s side must find steadiness if a deep European run is to accompany their domestic aims.

Atlético Madrid epitomize Jekyll-and-Hyde form: a resounding win over Barcelona followed by a limp league loss to Rayo Vallecano. Diego Simeone’s men still possess the defensive spine to trouble anyone, but reliability is the question.

Atalanta, revitalized under Raffaele Palladino, welcome Borussia Dortmund to Bergamo for the second leg of their playoff, while Dortmund themselves cling to faint hopes of reeling in Bayern at home and abroad.

Elsewhere, rising Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen face Olympiacos, Sporting CP tangle with Porto in an all-Portuguese affair, and high-flying Brentford begin life after Thomas Frank under caretaker Igor Tudor. Turkish giants Galatasaray, French powerhouse PSG, and resurgent Benfica—led by the ever-animated José Mourinho—complete the playoff cast, each knowing two fixtures stand between them and a crack at the continent’s grand prize.

With the knockout stage looming, the narrative is clear: Europe’s aristocracy are stirring, yet the playoffs have a habit of producing seismic shocks. Over 180 minutes, reputations can be burnished or broken, and the first heavyweight exits of the season may be only days away.