The fightin' five, plus bonus quintet

Alright, we'll admit: We're having some fun -- a lot of fun -- in the second half of the rundown this week. No. 1 through 5 are, in my opinion, fairly unassailable. They have all put in their time and are the legit threats in their respective leagues. But after the top two teams in most of the big Euro leagues, it's a bit of a crapshoot. Clubs have ballooned and shrunk back again like Diego Maradona's waistline.

Consider some of the would-be contenders we've shuffled in and out in this space so far this season: Arsenal, Atlético Madrid, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Juventus, Lazio, Roma, Udinese, Valencia, Villarreal. The list goes on. Some are still in contention despite their struggles, and some now seem laughable. For now, enjoy what we do have: two Rankings debutantes who deserve some recognition, and the kickoff of perhaps my favorite tournament, South America's Copa Libertadores.

Note: All rankings, records and statistics are through Feb. 18.

World Soccer Power Rankings

1 Previously: 1	FC Barcelona Sooner or later, Samuel Eto'o will leave Barça. He's been threatening to do so for three years, and the rumor keeps floating around. But the Cameroonian will leave his mark as one of the all-time Blaugrana greats. His pair against a stubborn Real Betis last weekend kept Barça's unbeaten streak alive at 22 straight league games and with a full head of team heading into next week's Champions League clash with Lyon.
2 Previously: 2	Manchester United A five-point lead and Sir Alex Ferguson has declared the race for the English Premier League crown down to Man. United and Liverpool -- and Chelsea is done, he claims. "I think they have played into our hands and that the title race now is going to be between ourselves and Liverpool," he told Man U's magazine. "However, I shall be keeping a wary eye on Aston Villa, who seem to have picked up the baton from Arsenal."
3 Previously: 4	Inter Milan Alright, we agree: Adriano's goal in Inter's 2-1 win over AC Milan last weekend should have been called back for a handball. But that doesn't detract from a hugely entertaining game, the result of which was pivotal for the Serie A frontrunners. And that sure was a nice moment after the Brazilian conqueror scored: a dash to the sideline and an embrace from José Mourinho. The Special One has stuck with his troubled striker this season, and maybe Adriano will finally be able to conquer his demons with his new manager's trust.
4 Previously: 3	Liverpool Give the 'Pool credit: While Man U rattled off nine straight wins to overtake them atop the EPL, the Reds have hung tight, undefeated in their last 14 games to stay in the title hunt (of course, half of them were costly draws). But they get the mini-drop here for bowing out of the FA Cup in a replay with crosstown rival Everton. The good news is Steven Gerrard may be back from his partially torn hamstring for next week's Champions League showdown with Real Madrid.
5 Previously: 5	Real Madrid Speaking of that little team from the Spanish capital, how frustrating must it be that they've won eight games in a row in La Liga and are still 10 points back of runaway Barcelona? Meanwhile, strap in for a Bernabéu barn-burner next week when Liverpool visits. For one, it'll be a chance for Arjen Robben to exact some revenge on his Champions League arch-nemesis, against whom he suffered two crushing defeats in the semis from back in his Chelsea days.
6 Previously: 7	FC Porto The Dragons are still going strong, on top of the Portuguese league and undefeated in 11 straight. But they just can't shake archrival Benfica, only a point back. And they get a stern test in Madrid next week in the Champions League, where Atlético is looking to salvage a season that has headed south. Porto's defense isn't airtight, which may be a problem when it runs into Sergio Agüero, Diego Forlán and Maxi Rodríguez.
7 Previously: 8	Boca Juniors Clearly looking four days ahead, the defending Argentine champs were laughed off their own pitch 2-0 last weekend by Newell's Old Boys. "Boca will win because they are the best, without any doubt," said manager Carlos Ischia before the match. Oops. But the Libertadores is the aim for los Xeneizes, and they opened their quest for title No. 7 Tuesday with an easier-than-it-looked 1-0 win over Deportivo Cuenca of Ecuador.
8 Previously: --	Aston Villa Heads up, fellow Yanks who are seeking an EPL club to support: Owner Randy Lerner is an American who actually seems to get how a European club should be run, and Northern Irishman Martin O'Neill is a mastermind manager who gets the most out of his men. You want players? Brad Friedel is still one of the top 10 keepers in the world (at age 37) and fellow Yank Brad Guzan is waiting in the wings. Meanwhile, 23-year-old winger Ashley Young may be the most exciting player England has produced in the last 15 years. Look out, Big Four.
9 Previously: --	Hamburger SV Trailing Hertha Berlin by a point and even with upstart darling Hoffenheim for second -- why is Hamburg here? It's the only one of the trio involved in European competition. Martin Jol's men throttled hapless NEC 3-0 away in the first leg of their UEFA Cup round-of-32 matchup Wednesday and could be an outside shot to win the thing. That would be the club's first real European trophy in 26 years. It's nice to see big "Tony Soprano" Jol winning again -- I still feel like he got a raw deal from Tottenham.
10 Previously: --	São Paulo Every once in awhile if you flip on a Libertadores game, you'll see one of those moments of unscripted madness that make Latin American soccer so delectable. The three-time champs were headed toward a shocking home loss Wednesday night to Independiente Medellín, thanks to some amazing goalkeeping by Boca castoff Aldo Bobadilla. But then, four minutes into extra time, São Paulo striker Borges equalized with a bicycle kick off a Dagoberto cross (here at the 45-second mark). Fantastic. A draw to start things off isn't ideal, but that's an emotional finish off which the tournament co-favorites can build.
Honorable mentions: Juventus, Olympique Lyonnais, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, Hertha Berlin, CSKA Moscow, AZ Alkmaar, TSG Hoffenheim, LDU Quito Dropped off: AC Milan, Bayern Munich, Chelsea