Each month during the 2025-26 season, we debate which clubs are among Europe’s elite. In the first edition of the new campaign, we’re overreacting to early-season results and trends.
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ARS | ATH | BAR | BOU | BVB | CHE | FCB | FEY | GS | INT | JUV | LIL | LIV | MCI | NAP | POR | PSG | RMA | SLB | TOT
1. Paris Saint-Germain ??
There’s a conspiracy against PSG. Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue were injured on international duty with France, and the team then lost Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Lee Kang-in, and Lucas Beraldo ahead of its Champions League opener. The football gods don’t want PSG to retain their European crown.
2. Liverpool ???????
Liverpool’s performance at Burnley on Sunday was unimpressive, but it felt inevitable that Arne Slot’s side would eventually win. And that’s how it turned out: Mohamed Salah scored a 95th-minute penalty to take all three points. The fact that Liverpool are already winning while playing ugly is a clear sign they’ll easily defend their Premier League title.
3. Real Madrid ??
Is Dean Huijsen overrated? The 20-year-old defender has been heralded by basically everybody as the second coming of Franz Beckenbauer, but he’s now received two red cards in just nine official Real Madrid games. Thankfully for Madrid, Kylian Mbappe is ready to put the team on his back this season.
4. Bayern Munich ??
Vincent Kompany expressed satisfaction with Bayern Munich’s team chemistry after Saturday’s 5-0 thumping of Hamburg. The players have a better understanding of their roles and one another’s strengths, resulting in more rhythmic and incisive football. Bayern could have an unbeaten league season just two years after Bayer Leverkusen completed that feat for the first time in Bundesliga history.
5. Arsenal ???????
Viktor Gyokeres will lead the Premier League in scoring after acclimating quickly to his new club. At the other end of the pitch, Mikel Arteta’s insistence on fielding at least four center-backs at all times will see Arsenal establish a new league record for the fewest goals allowed in a single season.
6. Barcelona ??
Barcelona can withstand Lamine Yamal’s absence. The Catalan giants were winless in three league matches without the teen phenom last season, but their 6-0 destruction of Valencia showed they aren’t as reliant on the Ballon d’Or contender this term thanks to some shrewd summer additions.
7. Napoli ??
Rasmus Hojlund is going to flourish in Naples. With a reinvigorated Kevin De Bruyne providing exquisite service, the Dane will quickly put his Manchester United struggles behind him. Even when he returns from injury, Romelu Lukaku will have a tough time displacing Hojlund in Antonio Conte’s lineup.
8. Chelsea ???????
Joao Pedro is the summer’s most overrated transfer. The former Brighton & Hove Albion forward earned rave reviews for his Club World Cup performances, but he only scored five non-penalty goals in the Premier League last season, and he’s never been a prolific finisher. Chelsea have accumulated so many attackers but still lack an elite striker.
9. Juventus ??
Igor Tudor is a genius. The Juventus manager has the respect of his players on a human level, but he’s proving to be a more astute tactical mind than anyone previously gave him credit for. His substitutions decided the Derby d’Italia, and his team is the only one capable of challenging Napoli for the title.
10. Tottenham Hotspur ???????
The early days of Thomas Frank’s Tottenham reign are extremely promising after last season’s 17th-placed finish. The Danish coach simply sees things that his contemporaries don’t: Mohammed Kudus rarely hit a cross at West Ham United, but his deliveries are already a valuable weapon for Spurs. Frank can win the Premier League Manager of the Season award.
11. Manchester City ???????
The recent scrutiny of Gianluigi Donnarumma’s ball-playing skills was an overreaction in itself. He’s fine with his feet, connecting with six long passes and confidently moving the ball around with his defenders during Sunday’s Manchester derby win, and he makes saves no other goalkeeper could dream of. At just £26 million, he’s the best signing of the summer by far.
12. FC Porto ??
There are flashier names in Porto’s squad, like striker Samu Aghehowa and goalkeeper Diogo Costa, but Alberto Costa will soon be pursued by Europe’s leading clubs. The right-back recorded four assists in the opening four matches of the Primeira Liga campaign. He pairs confident and slick dribbling with strong and stubborn defending. Juve were wrong to let him go.
13. Borussia Dortmund ??
After finishing behind Harry Kane in each of the last two seasons, Serhou Guirassy will finally upstage the Bayern Munich striker and take home the Torjagerkanone as the Bundesliga’s top scorer this year. The continued development of Maximilian Beier will help free up more space and scoring chances for Guirassy, who’ll push for the European Golden Shoe.
14. Galatasaray ??
Galatasaray have some tricky fixtures in the Champions League’s opening phase, but this squad can cause upsets and make a deep run in the competition. Most European clubs dream of selecting Victor Osimhen and Leroy Sane in attack, while Mauro Icardi, Ilkay Gundogan, and Turkish stars Baris Alper Yilmaz and Yunus Akgun ratchet up the fear factor even more.
15. Benfica ??
Benfica’s incredible run of finding hidden gems and flipping them for massive profits is coming to an end. Sporting director Rui Pedro Braz is reportedly leaving the club, which will force a huge philosophical shift within the scouting department and could change the landscape of the Primeira Liga.
16. Bournemouth ???????
Andoni Iraola is one of the best managers in the world, full stop. While other coaches require huge investment in the transfer market to succeed, the Basque tactician works with what he has. Bournemouth lost nearly their entire backline in the summer, but Iraola still has them rolling right along.
17. Feyenoord ??
Quinten is the superior Timber twin. The emerging Feyenoord star, whose twin brother Jurrien plays for Arsenal, is a complete midfielder. He’ll get his big-money move to one of Europe’s top leagues after leading Feyenoord to the Eredivisie title and shining at the 2026 World Cup with the Netherlands.
18. Lille ??
Not only have Lille not missed a beat this season after several marquee summer departures, they may actually be even better. Despite losing Jonathan David, Edon Zhegrova, and Angel Gomes – among others – Les Dogues are the top scorers in Ligue 1 right now. Olivier Giroud, 38, has plenty left in the tank.
19. Athletic Bilbao ??
Athletic Club will be one of the most pleasant surprises of this season’s Champions League, and they’ll push Atletico Madrid all year for the “best of the rest” title in Spain behind Real Madrid and Barcelona. Aymeric Laporte’s return will be one of the most astute pieces of business anywhere this season.
20. Inter Milan ??
Cristian Chivu needs to go. The inexperienced manager is a massive downgrade from Simone Inzaghi. Inter only lost five league games all of last season, but they’ve already dropped two of their opening three fixtures under Chivu’s leadership, and the once-vaunted defense is suddenly full of holes. A title push already seems unlikely.
On the cusp: Lyon, PSV, Cremonese
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