I don't know about you, I'm a little MLS-ed out. And I say that only as the overwhelmed editor of the SI.com soccer section; the fan side of me is still Major League Stoked. I honestly have never been this excited about our own American league. But then again, look at how much drama there's been around the world over the past month. We've got one of the most exciting races anywhere going down in perhaps the biggest league on earth, and it might extend into the European final. We've got some of the best parity we've ever seen in South America's major club tournament. And our own region's confederational final got of to a rousing start Wednesday night as Pachuca rallied to draw Chivas 2-2 at the Estadio Jalisco in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup final. So after nearly a month out of action, the Rankings are back in a big way. We've got English clubs ruling the roost, a mini-Maradona and the triumphant return of a superpower that's been languishing in purgatory all season. Tomorrow we can go back to wildly speculating which of 10 MLS teams are going to roll out the red carpet for Zinedine Zidane.
| World Soccer Power Rankings |
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Manchester United
I don't care if you hate Man Utd or hate Chelsea, if you're not completely ecstatic with the battle between the two best clubs in the world right now, you should give up on soccer altogether. It's going down to the wire in three separate races, much as we had hoped earlier this season when United was threatening to pull away in the Premiership standings. If Man U can finish the season with even two trophies with a back line more banged up than Don Imus' public image, Sir Alex Ferguson may have pulled off the greatest achievement of his coaching career.
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Chelsea
Doesn't it seem like Chelsea constantly pulls out last-minute win after last-minute win? Here's some food for thought: Since Oct. 31, the Blues have either won by one or drawn 12 times (in all competitions) based on goals scored in the 74th minute or later. Seven of those goals have been after the 85th minute. And five of those dozen goals have come courtesy of Didier Drogba. Say it with me: "No lead is safe." Rinse. Lather. Repeat.
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Inter Milan
Leave to Inter to drop its first match of the Serie A season where a win would have clinched the title. The Nerazzurri still have six games to do it, though, and have looked strong over the past few weeks. A third straight Coppa Italia is within their grasp, too, if they can get some revenge on No. 8 Roma. Interesting gossip on Luís Figo: A source tells me the Red Bulls offered our boy $2 million a year to come to MLS; Al-Ittihad offered him $8 million. That's why the Portuguese legend is on his way to Saudi Arabia in a couple months.
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Liverpool
Because we took a break last time around, we denied J.P. of Manchester, England, a true joy: "You had the opportunity to put forward the first-ever single-league 1-2-3, and you have missed it!" he writes. "Terribly frustrating!" Sorry for crushing your dreams, J.P. Good thing you've got the hottest team in the world to fall back on. With a guaranteed three or four finish in the Premiership sewed up, the Reds have one objective left to focus on: playing European spoilers yet again.
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Sevilla
That 2-0 pasting at the hands of Valencia last Sunday was ugly for the Sevillistas, but they're still in our rankings while Los Che are out for one reason: Sevilla's in the hunt for three trophies. Valencia's hardware possibilities are all but gone this season. Similar to in England, it looks as if Sevilla and Barcelona will go down to the wire in multiple competitions: the Spanish Liga race and the Copa del Rey. And Sevilla is the headliner of three Spanish clubs in the UEFA Cup semifinals. That sounds weirdly familiar, too.
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8 |
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FC Barcelona
Where have you been, Leo Messi? Oh right, you've been injured. As have Samuel Eto'o, Deco, Ronaldinho, Juliano Belletti, Thiago Motta, Edmílson and what seems like nearly half the Barcelona roster during this season. Not saying that injury problems are to blame for Barça's weak defense of its European crown -- this isn't the same team it was during last year's dominating run. But all the dings, tears, pulls and breaks haven't exactly helped, either. If nothing else, we still get more highlight reels per man than any other club in the world. How about Messi's Maradona-esque wonder-goal against Getafe in Wednesday's Copa del Rey semi? Check out this amazing comparison.
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AC Milan
We coughed nervously about the UEFA gods being on Silvio Berlusconi's side when scandal-embroiled Milan drew AEK, Lille and Anderlecht in the group stage. Then we sat back and watched the chaos unfold as the Rossoneri suffered through a horrible stretch to open the Serie A season. Now, they're in full rebound mode. Not only are they back in fourth place (this despite an eight-point penalty), they're back in the Champions League semis, a place they've been three times in the past four years. And how about Ronaldo as perhaps the most necessary shot in the arm for Milan? Who would have thought we'd be writing that?
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AS Roma
Yeah, the memories of that 7-1 lambasting by Man Utd are going to sting the Roma tifosi for a long time. But in a way, the club's whole season has been somewhat of a gift. If Juventus doesn't get relegated, the Giallorossi don't get an automatic ticket to the Champions League group phase in the first place and don't collect the UEFA revenue. The club is a lock to return next year, thanks to -- again -- a missing Juve and a penalized Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio. And sending Inter to perhaps its only Serie A loss of the year? Almost worth it alone.
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Club América
Top to bottom, América is the most accomplished first-place Mexican powerhouse right now. Pachuca has been busy against inferior competition in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, and archrival Chivas has been limp of late. Meanwhile, las Águilas are beating off bigger clubs in the Copa Libertadores, clinching their spot in the knockout rounds Wednesday and looking like a serious threat for a deep run in South America's regional competition. How about Salvador Cabañas as the new king of the big stage? In eight Libertadores matches, the Paraguayan striker has scored nine goals.
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9 |
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São Paulo
Let's be clear: The class of Latin America is taking its sweet time to get in gear. Like many of the power clubs in the Libertadores, the Tricolor Paulista are waiting until their final group-stage match to clinch a spot in the next round. And they could only manage a draw at home to São Caetano in their Paulista state championship semifinal first leg. Still, Rogério Ceni & Co. are firmly in it in both competitions and look as though they can turn it on when they need to.
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Honorable mentions: Olympique Lyon, Colo-Colo, Werder Bremen, Valencia, Santos, FC Porto, Celtic, Schalke 04, Pachuca
Dropped off: Valencia, Olympique Lyon
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