Europe’s Top Eleven begins with the finalists of the Champions League – Manchester United and Chelsea, who are also running 1-2 in the powerful English Premier League.  Two other English clubs were selected with Arsenal at #7 and Liverpool entering the rankings at #9.   Several league leaders are on the verge of clinching titles.  Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Olympic Lyon will all be league champions this season and are obvious choices.  FC Porto has already clinched in Portugal and wears #11.   AS Roma move up to #4 and Barcelona drop multiple spots following elimination from the CL.

1.  MANCHESTER UNITED

Manchester United are brilliant!  Two wins away from the Premiership title and one win away from the coveted European championship.  Manchester United have won 37, lost 7 and drawn 10 in all competitions this season.  If they can get to 40 wins, they will have a magical double and a place in European lore.  The 1-0 aggregate victory over Barcelona was a captivating encounter, where two giants showed their worth on the big stage.  The stronger side survived and an all-English final awaits on May 21.  Manchester United have not lost in the Champions League in all 12 match days, winning 9 and drawing 3 and will attempt to cap off a virtuoso season with a victory in Moscow.

2. CHELSEA FC

Chelsea Football Club is a championship side, now and for the past half decade.  They have won many English trophies and are a constant in the Champions League knock-out phase.  A European final has never been reached, until this season, when the boys from London solved the puzzle, knew the password and walked through the door to the final.  All eyes will be on the Luzhniki Stadium where the continent’s two best teams will compete for European supremacy.  In league play, Chelsea has not tasted defeat in 19 games, including a well deserved 2-1 victory over Manchester United that levelled the teams on 81 points.   What a season it has been for the Blues and what better time to be fit, healthy and strong.

3. INTER MILAN

Inter Milan are still smarting from another pre-mature Champions league exit, but move up one place with a consistent month of football.  A Serie A presentation ceremony beckons this week or next and Inter can be proud of its 16^th league flag and third in a row.  The Nerazzurri have created a constant stream of drama this season and are gifted in the area of “keeping it interesting”.  A second Italian double in three years remains a possibility, but Inter will have to win away from home against Lazio on May 7 to book a place in the Coppa Italia final. 

4. AS ROMA

AS Roma are second place in Serie A.  Roma are leading 1-0 in its Coppa Italia semi-final with the second leg to be played May 7 versus Catania.  Roma had a successful European campaign, reaching the quarter-finals for the 2^nd straight season.  A confident 4-2 win against Real Madrid was a treat to watch and followed a solid 2^nd place finish in Group F behind a finalist known as Man United.  Returning to the Coppa Italia, Roma are trying to get to its 15^th final and are eager to play for its 9^th Coppa Italia crown.  It would be back to back after last season’s smashing 7-4 drubbing of Inter over the two legged final.

5. BAYERN MUNICH

Bayern Munich were stunned in the UEFA Cup semi-finals, going out amazingly to Zenit St. Petersburg.  The loss is a shock to all of Europe; even Russians could not have dreamed of the 5-1 aggregate scoreline against the favored Germans.  A victory would have lifted Bayern to #4 in these rankings.  Instead, Bayern remain at #5 and will have to watch Zenit take its place in the final against Glasgow Rangers.  Domestically, Bayern won the German Cup, their 3^rd in 4 years with a 2-1 victory over Borussia Dortmund.  In the Bundesliga, Bayern are back on top of Germany after a 4^th place finish last season.  They will soon win the league and have a place in next season’s Champions League proper.  In all competitions, Bayern have played 50 games and have 30 wins, 2 losses and 16 draws.

6.  REAL MADRID

Real Madrid hold its place in Europe’s Top Eleven and with good reason.  The Spanish league holders are poised for a second straight La Liga flag.  Starting May with a 10 point lead, the title will be Madrid’s with games to spare.  The Galacticos will be pleased to have hardware for the second straight year, but know that for a club of this nature, more is required.  Real Madrid have not won a Copa Del Rey since 1993 and would dearly love a good run at it next season.  In addition, with a seemingly stable front office, a call to arms regarding a berth in next season’s Champions League final is in the plans.

7. ARSENAL

Earlier this season, Arsenal flirted with the top of these rankings, but will finish the season in the #7 spot.  Domestically, the league title slithered away from the London side during a string of draws in March.  League losses to Chelsea and Manchester United killed off any stray hopes of a 14^th Premiership title.  In the CL quarter-finals, Arsenal and Liverpool treated fans of the beautiful game with 2 scrumptous encounters, filled with the highest entertainment value.  Arsenal would fall 5-3 on aggregate, but this young team showed plenty of promise for upcoming versions of the planet’s premier club competition.

8.  BARCELONA

Barcelona drop from #2 to #8, partly because they were overranked last month and mostly because they had a horrible April.  At the most important part of the season, the Catalan side stopped scoring goals and for weeks before that, forgot how to win.  Barcelona has only won 3 of its last 15 games in all competitions and have not won in 5 straight La Liga matches.  Barcelona is hanging on to third place and will have to deal with two Champions League qualifying matches at summer’s end.  One thing keeps Barcelona in the top eleven: even amidst the winning freeze and the scoring draught, Barcelona do not change their style.  They remain a joyful build-up team to watch with generous amounts of imagination and patience.  It is true that necessary changes are coming to Camp Nou, but in so many ways, we need Barcelona to always stay the same.

9.  LIVERPOOL

During much of the season, Liverpool were absent from the First Eleven.  A lack of domestic consistency was the main reason as Liverpool kept company with this season’s “middly” clubs rather than playing with the big boys at the summit of English football.  With its European resume, Liverpool was always near by on the bench and not surprizingly pop into the starting eleven in May.  Liverpool will not win a trophy this season, but showed again its immense European presence.  Even with two unfortunate injuries to key members of the back four, the Reds pushed an excellent and healthy Chelsea club to the brink before losing out 4-3 on aggregate after extra time.  The 2^nd leg will go down as one of the games of the season and could get some votes for game of the decade. 

10. OYMPIQUE LYON

Lyon of France is a regular in Europe’s Top Eleven and with good reason.  Lyon plays positive, attractive football that usually results in 3 points.  Entering May, Lyon are top of the Ligue 1 table (where else),  4 points ahead of Bordeaux with 3 games to play.  A 6^th league flag on the trot is imminent.  Lyon have a great chance at the domestic double as they host the Coupe de France final on May 7 versus Ligue 2 side Sedan.  In Europe, Lyon had another solid year, finishing 2^nd in CL Group E (behind Barcelona) and qualified for the knock-out phase yet again.  Losing out to this season’s Man United is nothing to be sad about and another CL run is likely next term.

11. FC PORTO

FC Porto are the class of Portugal and a treat for all connoisseurs of quality football.  Amazingly, the Portuguese champions start the new month 23 points clear of second place Sporting Lisbon and already own its 22^nd league title.  FC Porto have also reached the final of the Taca de Portugal following a 3-0 victory against Vitoria Setubal in the semi-finals.   They play Sporting Lisbon in the final.  These two Portuguese powers have won the Cup 35 times between them.  In Europe, Porto will not soon forget the penalty shoot-out loss to Schalke in the first round of the knock-out phase, but have the personelle to carve out another opportunity for continenal success next season.

Europe’s Top Eleven has 11 paragraphs, counting up the 11 best teams.  6 of the 8 participants in the Champions League quarter-finals are featured, including Manchester United, who are this month’s number 1 and Fenerbahce, who are number 10.  League leaders from Spain, France, Germany and Portugal have also cracked this month’s top eleven.  As the season winds down, it’s game on for many clubs who are searching for domestic and European glory (or both).

1.  MANCHESTER UNITED

Manchester United is the best team in Europe.  As April begins, it is hard to argue this fact.  At the start of the month, United are 5 points clear at the top of the EPL table.  Last month, United won 5 out of 5 league games outscoring opponents 10-0.  On the season, United’s league goal difference of +53 is Europe’s best.  Of course, Man United is featured in the quarter-finals of the Champions League and is poised to make its most earnest run to the winner’s circle in years.  A mouth-watering encounter with Barcelona could be next and a possible final against English opposition could feature in May… but first… 2-90 minute games against AS Roma of Italy.  The Red Devils’ only course of action is victory.

2.  BARCELONA

Barcelona wears this month #2 with some obvious questions.  They continue to spill away the La Liga crown and their shaky form finds them starting April in third behind Villarreal.  Barcelona’s process of play remains, as always, a delight, but remembering how to win games has mysteriously eluded the Catalan side.  Dreams of a Copa Del Rey trophy have also vanished after a semi-final loss to Valencia.  Domestic troubles notwithstanding, Barcelona is this month’s #2, partly because they remain a joy to watch (even in losing) and mainly because they continue to have good chance in the Champions League.  If Barcelona can survive this elite eight, they will earn the title, European champions.

 3. CHELSEA FC

Chelsea moves up to #3 and with good reason.  Chelsea has already played in a final (loss to Tottenham in the Carling Cup) and joins all the big English Cups on the sidelines of this season’s surprising FA Cup.  In the other cup competition (the small matter of the European Cup), Chelsea are very much alive and have a tricky test with Fenerbahce starting this week.  Zico’s side would be wise to take some goals with them to London’s second leg, where the fortress of Stamford Bridge awaits.  By the way, Chelsea has climbed into 2^nd place in the EPL, riding an undefeated run of 15 games.

4. INTER MILAN

Neutrals might drop Inter further down, but the Nerazzurri know being #4 is insult enough considering what was possible several short weeks ago.  Another promising European campaign ended abruptly and sadly, 3-0 to Liverpool.  The possibility of being one of Europe’s best teams faded into the future as this season’s reality set in… the reality of spending precious CL Matchdays at home watching.  The Italian outfit has much to be thankful for however, with back to back league titles and two of the last three Italian Cups in the trophy case.  And this season, Inter are still alive for the domestic double – 4 points clear in Serie A and awaiting a semi-final clash in the Coppa Italia.

 5. BAYERN MUNICH

Who could ask for a more solid #5 than Bayern Munich?  The German giants, conspicuous by its absence from the CL, have taken full control of the UEFA Cup beating Aberdeen 7-3 and Anderlecht 6-2 to advance to this month’s quarter-final against Getafe of Spain.  An appearance in this season’s UEFA Cup Final in Manchester on May 14 is very likely.  Next season, Bayern will be back in the Champions League equation as they have owned the Bundesliga this season.  With 8 games remaining, Bayern has a 7 point lead and a 21^st league flag is on the horizon.  Bayern have also booked a place in the German Cup final and will be favorites to lift this trophy for the 14^th time.

6. ARSENAL

Earlier this season, Arsenal flirted with the top of these rankings, but drops to #6 this month.  Domestically, the league title is slithering away from the London side; points lost in 5 of the past 6 league games have tumbled the Gunners into 3^rd.  Champions League qualification is not in doubt, but Arsenal wanted more.  Continentally, a famous and fantastic victory over AC Milan in the Round of 16 of the CL (including a 2-0 victory at the San Siro) is a certain highlight for Arsene Wenger’s boys.  Full credit for this victory, Arsenal has every right to take the next step into the semi-finals.  A familiar foe – Liverpool FC – stand in the way and a prediction is tough to make. 

7. AS ROMA

AS Roma could have a case for being 6^th, but make a fantastic #7.  Roma play like a #7, buzzing around, running plenty, showing skill, getting forward, defending when needed, and generally being a positive and useful contributor.  AS Roma is Italy’s sole survivor in the CL and face a giant in the form of Manchester United.  Roma can play with them, that’s for sure, but can they beat them… we’ll know in 8 days.  Domestically, the Romans are keeping Inter honest, running a constant 2^nd in the Serie A.  Please remember that Roma are staying ahead of some powerful teams lined up down the table.  And don’t forget that AS Roma remain alive in the Coppa Italia, a trophy they won last year.

8.  REAL MADRID

Real Madrid leads La Liga.  It has not been pretty or convincing, but Madrid is finding a way to stay atop the Spanish table.  It is always something to be top of La Liga and when you are doing it into April, life can never be too bad.  Real Madrid is 6 points ahead of Villarreal and 7 points clear of Barcelona.  If the Galacticos hold on and win the league title, it will be two in a row – a promising sign that this global giant is finally awakening from its five year slumber.  Losing to AS Roma in the Round of 16 in the CL was a tough pill to swallow, but another appearance in the knock out round cannot go unnoticed.  

9. OYMPIQUE LYON

Lyon of France is a regular in Europe’s Top Eleven (which started a few years ago) and with good reason.  Lyon plays positive attractive football that usually results in 3 points.  Entering April, Lyon are top of the Ligue 1 table (where else), 9 points clear of 2^nd place Bordeaux.  In Europe, Lyon had another solid year, finishing 2^nd in Group E (behind Barcelona) and qualifying for the knock-out phase yet again.  Losing out to this season’s Man United is nothing to be sad about and another CL run is in the plans for next season.  In addition to closing in on its 6 league flag on the trot, Lyon is excited to be alive for the French Cup.  They entertain Metz in the semi-final on April 15.

10.  FENERBAHCE

Fenerbahce is this month’s #10, a conscious coincidence to its coach Zico, who was also a pretty fabulous #10 in his day.  The Turkish champions won last year’s Turkish league by 6 points and entering April, sit 2 points clear this season.  A monster game against bitter rivals Galatasary on April 27 will settle this issue.  In the CL’s Round of 16, 210 pulsating minutes with a talented Sevilla club ended 5-5 on aggregate.  Fans of the Istanbul side were thrilled to see their side survive the penalty shoot-out and advance to the quarter-finals.  The Yellow Canaries have an intriguing encounter with Chelsea and the Londoners would be wise not to underestimate this tricky #10.

11. FC PORTO

The last team in this month’s top eleven could have been one of four clubs, including PSV Eindhoven of Holland (top of the Eredivisie, again), Fiorentina of Italy (4^th place in Serie A in line for CL football next season) and Glasgow Rangers (a Scottish double is very possible).  All three clubs are also participating in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup.  These worthy clubs will have to remain on the bench however, as FC Porto claims the #11 spot.  Porto, shoot-out losers in the CL Round of 16, has a 16 point lead in Portugal.  A 22^nd league title is a certainty.  The domestic double is also possible as the Portuguese champions travel to Vitoria Setubal on April 16 for a semi-final encounter in the Taca de Portugal.

Europe’s Top Eleven has 11 paragraphs, counting up the 11 best teams.  Three clubs from England have found the top 5 and are joined by a hot Italian club, who can’t lose and an underrated super club from Portugal.  Italy is well represented with two other teams cracking this month’s eleven.  Europe’s Top Eleven is a hot new narrative about Europe’s top teams, but cold hard facts – scores, standings and streaks – play a prominent role in team selection and rank order.

1. MANCHESTER UNITED

Manchester United is irresistible at the moment, playing super soccer in England’s top flight league.  In January, Manchester United won 6 times in 6 games, scoring 16 goals and conceding only 1.  Over the last 15 games, Man United has 12 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss.  Alex Ferguson’s boys started February with a draw to fall off the pace in an EPL race that is likely to go the distance.  In January, Man United took care of two rounds of the FA cup with victories over Aston Villa 2-0 and Tottenham 3-1.  In Round 5, Manchester United meets Arsenal at Old Trafford in a huge fixture for both great clubs.  In the Champions League (CL), the English Champions will meet Olympic Lyon in the Round of 16.

2. INTER MILAN

After 21 league matches, Inter has 16 wins, 5 draws and 0 defeats.  Solid defending and timely goals have paved the way to an 8 point lead atop Serie A.  Life is sweet for Inter, 12 different men have scored and 2 are in double digits.  Last month, Juventus and Inter hooked up in the Coppa Italia with the Turin club looking to knock Inter from its lofty perch.  An upset seemed likely when Juventus managed a 2-2 draw at the San Siro.  However, Inter proved its worth once again, stealing a 3-2 away victory in the second leg to advance to the semi-finals.  Later this month, Inter Milan travel to England to play Liverpool in a titanic CL match-up, where goals will certainly be at a premium.

3. ARSENAL

Arsenal has 60 league points and leads the EPL.  In all competitions, Arsenal has scored more goals (86) than any club in Europe and shows no signs of letting up.  The squad rallies around their confident manager and backs up its swagger with flowing productive football.  The London side has much in common with the English club above:  both hovering at the top of the table (again), both looking forward to cup games in the FA Cup and Champions League, and both remaining relatively healthy and absolutely hungry.  In the Carling Cup, Arsene Wenger decided to use fringe players, who did well reaching the semi-final before bowing out to a full strength Tottenham side. In the FA Cup, the Gunners continue to blaze a trail with 2 January wins.  In the CL’s Round of 16, Arsenal meet AC Milan, in a mouth watering encounter that will have plenty of watchers.

4. FC PORTO

FC Porto is playing out of their minds right now.  Since qualifying for the knock out phase of the Champions League, Porto has won 6 of its 8 games.  In the process, Porto has a 10 point lead in Portugal’s Super Liga and are streaking toward a 22^nd league title and fifth in six years.   FC Porto has also won both games in the Taca de Portugal, a cup this team won last season.  The quarter-final will be played February 10 away to Sertaneuse.  FC Porto may be a surprise package at #4, but who can argue with its winning percentage, cup success and style of play.  In the CL, FC Porto is favored over Schalke to reach the quarter-finals, where they would be a handful for any team in Europe.

5. CHELSEA

Chelsea is enjoying a great run of form, winning 13 times in its last 17 games.  In January, Chelsea won every game they played, which included wins in all three domestic competitions. In English cup competitions, Chelsea has won 8 out of 8 games and have already booked its place in one cup final (Carling Cup on February 24 vs Tottenham).  When Avram Grant took over from you know who, and the team lost a couple of backbone players, all thought it was curtains for the London side.  But, belief and fortitude run deep in this London side.  To be fair, Chelsea’s football is not always pretty, but these guys sure know how to win games.

6.  REAL MADRID

In La Liga, Real Madrid won 4 of 4 in December and 4 of 4 in January and built a 9 point lead.  A loss in February’s first game has cut the lead to 6 points in the it’s never over ‘til it’s over La Liga title race.  While Real’s league form has been top notch, its cup form leaves much to be desired.  Real Madrid has not won the Copa Del Rey since 1993 and won’t win it this year either, after losing both Round of 16 games to Mallorca.  In CL Match Day 7, they will be at Rome’s Olympic Stadium to face AS Roma in the Round of 16.  A fortnight later, Madrid will play host in Match Day 8.  All of Europe and the world will want to tune in to see which of these talented clubs advances to the elite eight.

7. AS ROMA

AS Roma has finished 2^nd in Serie A four of the past five seasons and has spent most of this season in 2^nd place behind Inter Milan.  AS Roma had a satisfying January with 5 wins and a draw, but started February with a sour 3-0 loss away to Siena.  Roma has not given up the chase for the league, but will surely prioritize its defense of the Coppa Italia.  In early January, Roma overturned a 3-1 first leg deficit with a 4-0 victory over Torino.  In the last week of January, Roma tied and beat Sampdoria to advance to the semi-finals.  In the CL, AS Roma are preparing for 2 games against Real Madrid, where the entertainment value is sure to soar.

8. OLYMPIC LYON

Olympic Lyon has won 6 straight French League One titles and is favorites for #7 this season.  Lyon is currently 4 points clear of second place Bordeaux.  In recent weeks, Lyon crashed out of the Coupe de la Ligue with a loss at racy Le Mans, but was able to secure two wins in the Coupe de France and a place in the last 16.  In the CL, Lyon has reached the knock-out phase for the 5^th straight year, but will be hard pressed to advance after being drawn against Manchester United.  The two legged encounter will be played February 20 at the Stade de Gerland and March 4 at Old Trafford.

9.  BARCELONA

Barcelona FC is a beautiful club and they play beautiful football.  Barcelona’s play is worthy of a place in Earth’s first eleven, not just Europe’s.  Is there a better #9 in the universe than Barcelona?  Barcelona is only 6 points off the La Liga pace with more than enough games remaining.  In the Copa Del Rey, Barcelona used three draws and one win against excellent opposition (Sevilla and Villarreal) to earn a place in the semi-finals.  For what its worth, Celtic pushed Barcelona out of its place in the January rankings.  This month, the Catalan side retrieves its place in Europe’s first eleven and looks forward to confirming their excellence when these two entertaining sides clash in the Champions League.

10. PSV EINDHOVEN

Typically, teams qualified for the Round of 16 in the Champions League are featured in February’s rankings.  This year, PSV Eindhoven is a worthy exception.  The Dutch champions finished 3^rd in CL Group G and have resigned themselves to a place in the UEFA Cup this season, where winning it all is not out of the question.  PSV typically gets better as the season goes along and the club has several match winners.  An administrative blunder disqualified PSV from the Dutch Cup, however an 8 point lead in the Eredivisie keeps its faithful happy.  The holders have won 6 of its last 7 games and are on pace for its 21^st league title and fourth on the trot.

11.  AC MILAN

Last month, AC Milan was #1, based mainly on their supreme accomplishments in 2007.  Unfortunately, AC Milan’s miserable domestic form cannot be overlooked this month and its ranking drops to #11.   To its credit, AC Milan has responded well in 2008 and has clear intentions of finishing in the top 4 and claiming a Champions League berth for next season.  It would take a brave man to bet against it.  Since the winter break, AC Milan has won 5 league games out of 6, moving 4 points out of 4^th place with a game in hand.  In the Coppa Italia, AC Milan could not overturn a 2-1 first leg deficit against Catania and can give its full cup focus to the Champions League.  For the holders, the CL continues February 20 at the Emirates against Arsenal.

This month’s eleven begins with the World Champions and continues with some famous league leaders.  Also to be found are some of this season’s CL favorites.  All the clubs are worthy, but not all worthy clubs are featured.  The rankings are certainly subjective, but the support is based on the stats and stories of football matches, past, present and future.

1. AC MILAN

In the number one spot is AC Milan, current holders of Europe’s top prize, the Champions League and winners of this season’s UEFA Super Cup.  AC Milan’s stay at #1 is going to be brief, but these champions of Europe deserve their moment at the top of these rankings.  In addition to European glory, AC Milan can boast about an even higher distinction.  In a game played in Yokohama, Japan on December 16, Milan beat Boca Juniors of Argentina 4-2 and claimed this season’s Club World Championship.  Combining European and domestic success is essential for a place at the top of these rankings, however this month I look away from AC Milan’s one goal deficit after the first leg of their Coppa Italia quarter-final and from their 12th place standing in Serie A.  Let’s just chalk it up to incredible competition in a first-rate football country.

2. MANCHESTER UNITED

Right now, English football is offering the planet’s best club football.  The EPL, from top to bottom, is fantastic.  The big four are all steamrolling into the Champions League knock-out phase, including league holders Manchester United.  United sliced and diced their Group F opponents to the tune of 5 wins and 1 draw and finished first with a game to spare.  The English champions meet the French champions, Olympic Lyon in the Round of 16 and will be favorites.  In the EPL, Man United is 2 points out of 1^st place after 21 games and searching for its 17th league title.  In the FA Cup, last year’s runner’s up took care of a tricky fixture away to in-form Aston Villa.  Is this team one of the best two clubs in Europe? Time will tell, but it will take a talented team to knock them away from cup finals.

3. INTER MILAN

In Italy, Inter Milan is holding the heavy weight championship belt at the moment.  The records show that Inter Milan has won back to back Serie A titles and two of the past three Coppa Italia trophies.  This season after 17 matches, Inter has not lost, with 13 wins and 4 draws and enjoy an 8 point lead.  Inter are winning with style, scoring 37 goals, many of them brilliant and conceding only 9.  The team’s CL campaign started with a 1-0 defeat away to Fenerbahce, but was followed with 5 straight wins and a 1st place finish in Group G.  Inter Milan begin the knock-out phase on February 19 at Anfield against Liverpool.

4. ARSENAL

For most of the first half of the EPL season, Arsenal has been top of the table, which is where they start 2008.  The London side has been absolutely brilliant at times, playing lovely free-flowing football.  In attack, the Gunners never run out of ideas and can make “it” look so easy.  Arsene Wenger’s side is still alive in both English Cups.  In the Carling Cup, Arsenal took care of Newcastle 2-0, Sheffield United 3-0 and Blackburn 3-2 to reach the semi-final.  In the FA Cup, Arsenal disposed of Burnley in their first match of the FA Cup.  In the CL, Arsenal did not concede a goal in the first 4 matches and qualified easily from Group H.

5. FC SEVILLA

On the topic of best Spanish teams in Europe, Real Madrid and Barcelona own a rightful place in the conversation.  But here, at #5, the first Spanish team arrives in the form of FC Sevilla.  In 2006 and 2007, Sevilla won the UEFA Cup – Europe’s other top-flight continental club competition.  It is a poor-man’s CL, but winning it is certainly no easier.  Winning two in a row is astounding and doing it with Sevilla’s style and certainty is heavenly.  Last year in La Liga, Sevilla finished 3rd and qualified for the CL and is now competing with the richest European clubs and fast becoming one of them.  In this season’s CL, Sevilla lost in Match Day 1, 3-0 to Arsenal and then proceeded to win the remaining 5 and finish top of Group H.

6.  REAL MADRID

Real Madrid is back on top of La Liga once again, after capturing the 2006-2007 title.  It had been four years since the last title, which at the Bernabeu is an eternity.  In all, Real Madrid has won 30 league titles and has played in 36 Coppa Del Rey finals.  The Galacticos, still star-studded are playing as a team now and finding success in all competitions.  In the 07-08 version of La Liga, the second week of January finds Real Madrid 7 points clear at the top.  Real has not lost since November 3 away to Sevilla.  In the CL, the Spanish giants needed a Match Day 6 result to advance and responded with a 3-1 victory over Lazio to top Group C.  In Match Day 7, they will be at Rome’s Olympic Stadium to face AS Roma in the Round of 16.

7. CHELSEA

Chelsea Football Club of England’s Premier League is this month’s #8 club.  The Blues are a worthy selection in anyone’s top eleven.  Despite several injuries to key players and a famous coaching change, the London side are in sight of the frontrunners for the league title and have yet to lose at home.  In 2005-2006, Chelsea won their second straight league title, and last season valiantly chased Manchester United, before fading down the final stretch.  The Blues would not be denied trophies however as they managed to win both the Carling Cup (2-1 against Arsenal) and the FA Cup (1-0 against Manchester United).  Chelsea is in hot pursuit of both cup trophies again this year.  In Europe, Chelsea has reached the CL semi-finals two of the past three seasons and start another assault on the finals on February 19 against Olympiakos.

8. OLYMPIC LYON

Olympic Lyon has won 6 straight French Division league titles.  Given the talent, inspiration and will of French football, six titles in a row is an incredible feat.  Lyon is always a treat to watch, combining solid, necessary defending with fast-paced, dangerous attacking play.  This season, Lyon is again at the top of the table, drifting 4 points clear of second place AS Nancy Lorraine.  In the CL group phase, Lyon started with two 3-0 losses.  Written off by most, Lyon responded with 3 wins and a draw and secured a place in the knock-out round for the fifth straight year.  Lyon will meet Manchester United in the Round of 16.

9. GLASGOW CELTIC

In this decade, Celtic has won 5 league titles (including the last 2) and 4 Scottish Cups.  In the process, Celtic has raised the standard of football in Scotland and across Europe.  This season, Celtic and their Glasgow neighbours Rangers are running neck and neck at the top of the table.  Celtic dropped out of the burdensome League Cup with a loss to Hearts 2-0 on Halloween.  In the more coveted Scottish Cup, Celtic begin defense on January 12 with a home game against Stirling.  For what its worth, Celtic shoved out Barcelona for this place in the eleven and dare us to tune in to their CL fixtures with the Catalan side, where they can proof their worth or fade out trying.

10. FC PORTO

F.C. Porto is reigning and repeating Portuguese Liga champions and earned automatic qualification into this season’s Champions League group phase.  In Group A play, Porto lost only once and topped the group ahead of powerhouse Liverpool, tricky Marseille and hardnosed Besitkas.  Porto has advanced to the knock-out phase of Europe’s top club competition four of the past five seasons and won it all in 2003-2004.  The previous year, Porto won the UEFA Cup and brought much joy to their Lisbon supporters.  FC Porto will give FC Schalke plenty to think about ahead of the teams’ Round of 16 clashes.  In Portugal, FC Porto has won 4 of the last 5 Portuguese league titles and continues to own a healthy appetite for success.  Following a 1-0 win to start 2008, the champions are 9 points clear at the top of the table.  Porto is searching for its 22^nd league title.

11. OLYMPIAKOS

Olympiakos is a regular participant in Champions League during summer qualifying and fall knock-out phase.  This season, the Greek champions have taken it a step further with a 2^nd place finish in Group C and entrance into the lucrative knock-out stage. set to begin this winter.  Olympiakos lost only once (away to Real Madrid) and beat Werder Bremen twice, including an emphatic 3-0 victory in Match Day 6 to ensure qualification.  Olympiakos have a monster task as the draw pits them against a hungry Chelsea Football Club.  Domestically, Olympiakos has dominated Greek football, winning 9 of the last 10 Greek league championships and currently own a 9 point lead in search of their fourth title on the trot.

When ranking teams month to month, Europe’s Top Eleven takes into account a few essential elements.  Winning is the ultimate goal of football and doing it consistently in all competitions makes a definite impression.  Winning streaks are always rewarded and teams holding or chasing trophies feature on a regular basis.  Teams with character, chemistry and class will always receive high marks and overcoming obstacles never hurts.

To make Europe’s Top Eleven, scoring goals and collecting three points is essential, but process also counts, as does putting on a show and fair play.  At the peak of the rankings, style points, dramatic timing and CL survival make all the difference.  This monthly blog offers top of the table reporting of European football and provides many cool surprizes for students of the game.

Europe’s Top Eleven – started January 2008

InnerSport is me, Dan Sankar, a Canadian writer, who writes about football and sports and life.  I have played some good soccer in my lifetime, beginning with youth soccer in Oakville, Ontario.  I played NCAA Division 1 soccer and made the All-America team.  I was actually drafted by a pro team, the North York Rockets of the Canadian Soccer League (CSL), but spent most of my years in top amateur competitions in Ontario and British Columbia.  Now, I play masters soccer with Over 30′s.

As a thinker, I possess three things:  1. Information from Europe’s top leagues.  2. Knowledge of football’s mission, objectives and goals.  3. Understanding of psychological and philosophical realities that pervade our sport and our planet.

As a writer, I offer one thing:  An honest effort to use my possessions to create a solid soccer narrative for students of the game.