90min's definitive European power rankings - Week 6

Bayern Munich are in destructive form
Bayern Munich are in destructive form / Nicolò Campo/GettyImages
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Another week goes by, meaning we're one step closer to the best time of the year for sports - the World Darts Championship and WWE Survivor Series.

There's a World Cup or something, too, apparently.

We'll spare you the boring details about fixture congestion and the excruciating impact it's going to have on players and teams in the second half of the season, because that's not very World Cup fever of us, is it?

Anyway, in and among the chaos that precedes the tournament, there's been plenty of goings on around the European football sphere, with European group stages coming to a boil and what not. So what better way to sum everything up with a dose of 90min's definitive European power rankings?

Let's get stuck in.


10. Union Berlin (down 2)

1. FC Union Berlin v Borussia Mönchengladbach - Bundesliga
Union are clinging on / Maja Hitij/GettyImages

Please, Union, for the love of us football hipsters whose personality hinges on cool sides like yourselves defying the odds, please keep going.

You're down two in the rankings and Bayern Munich are inevitably gaining ground in the Bundesliga, but you can still keep afloat.

Do it for the two-striker system enthusiasts.


9. Manchester United (up 1)

Real Sociedad v Manchester United: Group E - UEFA Europa League
A great week for Garnacho / MB Media/GettyImages

They couldn't get the job done in San Sebastian with a 1-0 win not enough to secure top spot in the Europa League, but they're doing alright, are United.

That's now nine games unbeaten, another clean sheet and a first senior goal for Alejandro Garnacho. Slow progress.


8. AC Milan (up 1)

Olivier Giroud
This man is timeless / Marco Luzzani/GettyImages

Having failed to reach the knockout stages last season, Milan booked their spot in the last 16 this season with a comfortable win against FC Salzburg/Red Bull Salzburg/whichever you prefer.

Lost against Torino in Serie A, though. Not good. They don't even have Andrea Belotti anymore, guys. Buck your ideas up.


7. Manchester City (down 3)

Pep Guardiola
No dramas for Pep's side / Quality Sport Images/GettyImages

No Haaland, no party.

City eked out a 1-0 win at the King Power Stadium thanks to some Kevin De Bruyne brilliance - textbook - and came from behind to comfortably see off Sevilla in midweek.

Boring. Entertain us, Pep. Stick Scotty Carson up front. Then see how free flowing and insatiable your attack is.


6. Benfica (re-entry)

FBL-EUR-C1-MACCABI HAIFA-BENFICA
Unbelievable scenes in group H / AHMAD GHARABLI/GettyImages

The award for sh*thouse club of the week goes to Benfica.

Sensationally beat Maccabi Haifa 6-1 in the midweek to draw level on goal difference with Paris Saint-Germain and finish top of their Champions League group via H2H record as a result. The absolute cheek of it.

Real award, that, by the way. They'll be presenting it at the Ballon d'Or soon enough.


5. Newcastle United (up 1)

Bruno Guimarães
Yep, this way for Champions League football / Visionhaus/GettyImages

Eddie Howe's Champions League Mags. Sounds insane, doesn't it?

In the space of around 18 months, Newcastle have gone from the grips of Steve Bruce ball to absolutely decimating teams for fun in the Premier League and strolling into the top four race.

Please keep it up.


4. Arsenal (down 1)

Kieran Tierney
Tierney's scorcher was the difference / Craig Mercer/MB Media/GettyImages

Congratulations Mikel Arteta. You and your very well put together football team put five goals past Nottingham Forest. Hope you're proud.

The Gunners took six points from a handful of games they should've taken six points from. Didn't look all that convincing against Zurich in the Europa League, though, so they drop down one.


3. Real Madrid (down 1)

Karim Benzema
Benzema returned to action / Quality Sport Images/GettyImages

In a similar vein to Arsenal demolishing Forest, Real Madrid bludgeoned Celtic in the Champions League to round off their group stage campaign.

Two penalties. Peal Padrid.

There were also some lovely performances and goals in there, though, so we'll give them that.


2. Napoli (down 1)

Victor Osimhen
Osimhen fired a blank at Anfield / Marc Atkins/GettyImages

All hope is not lost in the name of football being fun, thankfully, as Napoli keep a place on the power rankings podium.

A 2-0 defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League has soured that fun somewhat, though. Here's hoping they can bounce back in a huge clash against Atalanta.


1. Bayern Munich (up 6)

Bayern Munich line up before their Champions League clash with Inter
Can anybody stop Bayern Munich? / Jonathan Moscrop/GettyImages

Yeah, you read it right. It's that time of year.

At some point in the season, Bayern Munich seem to just switch on after a rough patch and then decide to start demolishing everything and everyone in their path.

They've just beaten Barcelona and Inter, and now sit a point off the top spot in the Bundesliga. Annoyingly excellent.