Champions League power rankings: PSG remain top – but at what cost? Man United tumble

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Champions League power rankings: PSG remain top – but at what cost? Man United tumble

Jamie Braidwood · The Independent

Thu, Oct 22, 2026 ·

9 min read

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Matchday three of the Champions League brought two battles of the heavyweights, but what did we learn from the early meetings between title contenders?

Paris Saint-Germain delivered a statement of their ambitions of winning a third consecutive European crown by inflicting a first defeat of the season on in-form Barcelona , but could be without Khvicha Kvaratskhelia for the remainder of their campaign after the star winger ruptured his ACL.

Arsenal rescued a 2-2 draw against Bayern Munich in an entertaining meeting of the champions of England and Germany, suggesting both could be bound for the latter stages of the competition once again, while Real Madrid , Liverpool , Aston Villa and Real Betis joined PSG in making it three wins from three.

Things got a whole lot worse for Manchester United , though, as Michael Carrick's side stumbled to a 4-1 hammering at Champions League debutants Como in one of their heaviest-ever European defeats.

We compiled our 36-team power rankings by combining team's previous performance in the Champions League, their results in the competition so far, and the likelihood of them going all the way this season.

Agree or disagree with our standings? Let us know and have your say in the comments below.

↔️ 1. Paris Saint-Germain

Results: 6-1 vs Slovan Bratislava, 4-2 v Man City, 4-2 v Barcelona
Fixtures: Villarreal (a), Roma (h), Aston Villa (a), Como (a), Galatasaray (h)

Still the team to beat in the Champions League, but at what cost? PSG's win over Barcelona came with the huge blow of losing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to a ruptured ACL . The Georgian winger was named the Champions League player of the season last campaign as PSG defended their crown but he faces a significant lay-off and may not play again this season, while Ousmane Dembele and captain Marquinhos are likely to miss the next several weeks due to thigh injuries suffered in the same match. Kvaratskhelia scored 10 goals and assisted six in last season's Champions League and Luis Enrique's back-to-back champions will not carry the same threat without him. PSG's summer recruits Ferran Torres , Maghnes Akliouche and Mika Godts are now set to play an even greater role this season following the sale of Bradley Barcola to Liverpool .

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's ACL injury took the shine off PSG's win over Barcelona (Getty)

↔️ 2. Barcelona

Results: 5-1 v Feyenoord, 4-1 v Galatasaray, 2-4 v PSG
Fixtures: Aston Villa (h), Sabah (a), Manchester City (h), Sporting (a), Como (h)

Barcelona's 11-match winning streak to start the season came to a halt at the Parc des Princes and raised the question that could well define their season in the Champions League. We know about their goalscoring – Hansi Flick's side reached 50 in just 12 games this season – and the quality of their forward line led by Lamine Yamal and Raphinha . But whether the defence holds up come the knockout stages is another question. Conceding four against PSG, despite going into the 80th minute level with the hosts in Paris, suggests there is work to do against the very elite before Barcelona can think about winning a first Champions League crown since 2015.

Lamine Yamal scored a stunning individual goal in the Parc des Princes as Barcelona lost 4-2 (AP)

↔️ 3. Arsenal

Results: 1-0 vs Napoli , 3-0 v Lille , 2-2 v Bayern Munich
Fixtures: Slavia Prague (a), Borussia Dortmund (h), Real Madrid (h), Real Betis (a), Sabah (h)

An entertaining draw at Bayern Munich, who have such a strong home record, gave a good account of whether Mikel Arteta's side can take the next step against a heavyweight side in the business end of the Champions League. This has been a typically assured start from last season's runners-up, who are determined to go one better after their heartbreaking defeat on penalties to PSG. Arsenal's squad depth means the Gunners have a very good chance of finishing one of the top two spots in this season's group phase but if there's one area where Arteta's side are short it's attack, so Bukayo Saka's injury is a further worry.

Declan Rice grabbed Arsenal's late equaliser at the Allianz (AP)

⬆️ 🟢 4. Bayern Munich

Results: 5-0 v Bodo/Glimt, 3-3 v Viking, 2-2 v Arsenal
Fixtures: Atletico Madrid (a), Lille (a), Slavia Prague (h), Manchester United (a), Real Betis (h)

WIthout Michael Olise , Jamal Musiala and Luis Dias from the start against Arsenal, Harry Kane gave a timely reminder of his Ballon d'Or credentials as he produced a sublime all-round attacking display in the 2-2 draw at the Allianz. Certainly, if Kane continues his astonishing rate of goalscoring then Bayern will be there or thereabouts.

Harry Kane has now scored in 10 consecutive Champions League matches (Getty)

⬇️ 🔴 5. Man City (-1 from 4)

Results: 2-0 v Porto, 2-4 v PSG, 5-1 v AEK Athens
Fixtures: Leipzig (a), Napoli (h), Barcelona (a), Lens (a), Sporting (a)

No one knows what Manchester City's season from here is going to look like. Could the Champions League become their top target if they are ruled out of the Premier League title race, for instance? No one knows. Still, there is quality and spirit throughout the team – as shown in a strong start domestically and in the second half of their 4-2 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.

Phil Foden scored a hat-trick in the 5-1 win over AEK Athens (AP)

↔️ 6. Real Madrid

Results: 2-1 v Inter Milan , 4-3 v Roma, 4-1 v RB Leipzig
Fixtures: AEK Athens (a), PSV (h), Arsenal (a), LASK (h), Shakhtar (a)

Performances remain unconvincing but Real Madrid continue to find a way in the Champions League, with a couple of belting goals from Kylian Mbappe and Yann Diomande lighting up the 4-1 win over RB Leipzig. Somehow with maximum points, despite trailing Roma 3-1 at the Stadio Olimpico, and Inter and Leipzig spurning chances to take the lead at the Bernabeu, the 15-time Champions League winners still carry an aura in this competition and have so far offered a bit of a throwback to the days of Carlo Ancelotti.

Real Madrid are one of five teams with three wins from three (Reuters)

↔️ 7. Liverpool

Results: 2-1 v Atletico Madrid, 6-3 v LASK, 4-3 v Villarreal
Fixtures: Fenerbahce (a), Club Brugge (a), Porto (h), Inter (a), Lens (h)

Still sitting outside the top tier of contenders, you'd have to say it would be a surprise for Liverpool (or any of the teams below the Reds in these rankings) to win the Champions League in their first season under Andoni Iraola . But it has been a fine start in Europe for the Basque, with three consecutive wins to start the Champions League while managing to rotate his squad successfully. Alexis Mac Allister has been the star with key interventions against Atletico and Villarreal , but the likes of Rio Ngumoha, Trey Nyoni and Lewis Koumas have also benefited from Iraola's rotation. The knockout rounds, where Liverpool have been knocked out by PSG in the last two seasons, already beckons.

Rio Ngumoha starred in Liverpool's 4-3 win over Villarreal (PA)

↔️ 8. Atletico Madrid

Results: 1-2 v Liverpool, 2-0 v Manchester United, 1-1 v Stuttgart
Fixtures: Bayern Munich (h), Viking (h), PSV (a), Bodo/Glimt (a), Fenerbahce (h)

Last season's semi-finalists have the added motivation of hosting this season's Champions League final at the Metropolitano in Madrid. Following the opening defeat at Anfield, Diego Simeone's side clicked into form with six consecutive victories in all competitions until they were held to a 1-1 draw at Stuttgart. While it would be another colossal overachievement from Simeone to get Atleti into a third Champions League final of his 16-year reign, his side were impressive in beating Manchester United. You know what you're going to get from a Simeone side in the Champions League but Alex Baena and Pablo Barrios have also added a touch of class into midfield, too.

Julian Alvarez was back among the goals in 10-man Atletico's 1-1 draw at Stuttgart (AP)

⬆️ 🟢 9. Aston Villa (+1 from 10)

Results: 3-2 v Club Brugge, 6-0 v Fenerbahce, 3-1 v Viking
Fixtures: Barcelona (a), Galatasaray (a), PSG (h), Borussia Dortmund (h), Slavia Prague (a)

Unai Emery's new-look Aston Villa side are finding their home and may have secured their qualification for the knockout stages already, ahead of a tough fixture list and games against Barcelona and PSG. Bright showings from the refreshed attacking line-up of Nicolas Jackson, Johan Manzambi, Ibrahim Mbaye and Alysson led to convincing Villa Park wins over Fenerbahce and Viking, with the Europa League winners retaining their identity under Emery despite the huge squad turnover in the summer.

Alysson scored an excellent third as Aston Villa swept Viking aside (AP)

⬇️ 🔴 10. Inter Milan (-1 from 9)

Results: 1-2 v Real Madrid, 3-4 v Club Brugge, 1-0 v Shakhtar
Fixtures: Feyenoord (a), Stuttgart (h), Borussia Dortmund (a), Liverpool (h), Slovan Bratislava (a)

After starting with back-to-back defeats, how badly Inter needed their late win over Shakhtar, which came after Alessandro Bastoni's daft red card. Still top of Serie A, but missing talisman Lautaro Martinez for the next few weeks due to a hamstring injury, Inter's group-phase fixtures were rated as the easiest of the 36 teams in this season's competition but the Italian champions have made an unconvincing start of it.

Carlos Augusto earned Inter a much-needed win over Shakhtar (AP)

⬆️ 🟢 11.Real Betis (+4)

⬆️ 🟢 12.Roma (+1)

⬆️ 🟢 13.Borussia Dortmund (+1)

⬆️ 🟢 14.Stuttgart (+4)

⬆️ 🟢 15.Como (+7)

⬇️ 🔴 16.Manchester United (-5)

↔️ 17.Napoli

⬇️ 🔴 18.Sporting (-6)

⬇️ 🔴 19.Villarreal (-3)

↔️ 20.RB Leipzig

⬆️ 🟢 21.Club Brugge (+3)

⬆️ 🟢 22.Bodo/Glimt (+1)

⬇️ 🔴 23.Galatasaray (-2)

⬆️ 🟢 24.PSV Eindhoven (+5)

⬆️ 🟢 25.Shakhtar Donetsk (+2)

↔️ 26.Feyenoord

⬇️ 🔴 27.Fenerbahce (-2)

⬇️ 🔴 28.Porto (-9)

⬆️ 🟢 29.LASK (+5)

↔️ 30.Lens

↔️ 31.Viking

⬇️ 🔴 32.Lille (-3)

⬆️ 🟢 33.Sabah (+1)

⬇️ 🔴 34.AEK Athens (-2)

↔️ 35.Slavia Prague

↔️ 36.Slovan Bratislava

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