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The Footy Power Rankings - March 16: Barcelona, Bayern miles ahead of chasing pack

Reuters

No time to waste. Let's get to it.

Note: Goal difference includes domestic and European competition only.

1. Barcelona (1st in La Liga)

League Record European Record Goals Scored Goals Against
21-2-4 6-0-1 95 22

Previous Rank: 1st

This is the best team in the world, powered by the best player in the world at the moment – who may also be a magician. (Sorry, Cristiano).

PERFECT RUN. Dedicated to all my good friends [Names down below] #LioMessiVines

They're so good, even Neymar's recent struggles can't stop them.

2. Bayern Munich (1st in Bundesliga)

League Record European Record Goals Scored Goals Against
20-4-1 6-1-1 93 15

Previous Rank: 2nd

I know they played with a man advantage for 87 minutes, but waxing Shakhtar Donetsk 7-0 in a Champions League knockout match is just absurd. 

They followed that up with a disappointing 4-0 win over Werder BremenBayern Munich is all kinds of scary.

3. Real Madrid (2nd in La Liga)

League Record European Record Goals Scored Goals Against
21-1-5 7-0-1 98 30

Previous Rank: 3rd

There may as well be a chasm between Real Madrid and the two clubs ahead of them at the moment. It's similar to the massive gorge that exists between their attacking trio and midfield of late – one of the major reasons for their recent struggles.

Getting Luka Modric back will go a long, long way to rectifying that problem – as demonstrated in the 2-0 win over Levante on Sunday – but it's hard to believe this was the same team that ran roughshod over Barcelona earlier in the season.

On the plus side, Gareth Bale remembers how to score. So, that's good.

4. Chelsea (1st in Premier League)

League Record European Record Goals Scored Goals Against
19-7-2 4-3-1 78 29

Previous Rank: 4th

The only reason Real Madrid stays at No. 3 is because Chelsea doesn't seem to have any desire to take the spot from them. Their ousting from the Champions League at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain was horrid when you consider the circumstances, and while they should still cruise to the Premier League title, there's no doubting Jose Mourinho's unwillingness to rotate his squad is taking a toll.

The surefire sign things aren't going smoothly for the Blues at the moment came in Sunday's draw with Southampton:

End of days.

5. Juventus (1st in Serie A)

League Record European Record Goals Scored Goals Against
19-7-1 4-1-2 63 19

Previous Rank: 5th

Could they have moved up this week? Two consecutive league wins and a 14-point lead in Serie A – having played one more match than Roma – are enticing, but the fact that they needed spectacular goals to narrowly defeat both Sassuolo and Palermo take some sheen off the results.

Nothing can take the shine away from Paul Pogba, though.

Esos golpeos que dan gusto dar. 1-0 #Pogba #Juventus #Sassuolo

Wednesday's match against Borussia Dortmund will have a massive impact on how the remainder of their season is viewed.

6. Wolfsburg (2nd in Bundesliga)

League Record European Record Goals Scored Goals Against
16-5-4 5-2-2 75 39

Previous Rank: 8th

Kevin De Bruyne is the only redhead on Earth with a soul. That's how great he is. He defies the laws of humanity.

7. Arsenal (3rd in Premier League)

League Record European Record Goals Scored Goals Against
17-6-6 4-2-1 72 41

Previous Rank: 10th

Led by Olivier GiroudArsenal is bringing sexy (football) back. Taking the admittedly terrible performance against Monaco out of the equation, the Gunners have been lights out of late, winning their last seven matches in all competitions.

Mesut Ozil is doing his thing, much to the chagrin of noted hater Gary Neville, I'm sure, and Arsene Wenger has his side looking at the possibility of an automatic Champions League berth for next season. What a concept!

8. Manchester City (2nd in Premier League)

League Record European Record Goals Scored Goals Against
17-7-5 2-2-3 69 38

Previous Rank: 7th

Manuel Pellegrini looked like he was deprived of sleep prior to the match against Burnley. The result of that contest certainly didn't help his situation.

You're looking into the bloodshot eyes of a dead man walking.

9. FC Porto (2nd in Primeira Liga)

League Record European Record Goals Scored Goals Against
19-4-2 5-3-0 78 15

Previous Rank: 9th

No Jackson Martinez, no problem. There was some concern they would struggle to find the net against Basel without their star striker.

Porto's response? A hearty LOL to the world. Four goals, all of the spectacular variety, helped the Portuguese side waltz into the quarterfinals of the Champions League. They've also closed the gap on Benfica to just four points at the top of the domestic table.

10. Atletico Madrid (4th in La Liga)

League Record European Record Goals Scored Goals Against
17-5-5 4-1-2 65 27

Previous Rank: 6th

Atletico Madrid hasn't won since February and have scored once in their last four matches in all competitions, dropping behind Valencia and into fourth in La Liga. 

Remember when the Spanish top flight was a three-team race?

11. Paris Saint-Germain (2nd in Ligue 1)

League Record European Record Goals Scored Goals Against
15-11-3 4-3-1 65 37

Previous Rank: 12th

Still the most aggravating team in Europe. The performance at Stamford Bridge was, and this isn't being hyperbolic, heroic. Playing with 10 men for 90 minutes, having lost their star striker and going up against the best team the Premier League has to offer, PSG were fully deserving of reaching the quarterfinals. They were that good.

They proceeded, perhaps not surprisingly, to follow that up with a 3-2 loss to Bordeaux that spawned an almighty post-match rant from Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Basically, he hates France.*

*Not actually. But maybe.

12. Benfica (1st in Primeira Liga)

League Record European Record Goals Scored Goals Against
21-2-2 1-2-3 64 17

Previous Rank: 11th

There's a very real chance that Benfica will not lose another league match this season. The mouthwatering contest with Porto, set for April 29, looks like the only obstacle standing between Jorge Jesus's men and a 15-match winning streak to close out the Portuguese campaign.

13. Liverpool (5th in Premier League)

League Record European Record Goals Scored Goals Against
15-6-7 1-2-3 47 39

Previous Rank: 13th

Liverpool. Manchester United. Anfield. March 22. It's going to be glorious. Even Dobby will be there.

Raheem Sterling is Dobby.

14. Bayer Leverkusen (4th in Bundesliga)

League Record European Record Goals Scored Goals Against
11-9-5 4-1-2 52 33

Previous Rank: 15th

Paderborn and Stuttgart aren't exactly heavyweights, but beating them by a combined score of 7-0 is still nice.

If Bayer can complete the job against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday, they'll make a big jump in the next edition of these rankings.

15. Manchester United (4th in Premier League)

League Record European Record Goals Scored Goals Against
16-8-5 -- 50 26

Previous Rank: NA

The Red Devils picked the perfect time to put in their best performance of the season, knocking out Tottenham with three punches in the opening half of Sunday's victory and taking a big step towards the Champions League.

Also, if you didn't love Wayne Rooney's celebration mocking his now famous boxing incident, you don't like fun.

Dropped Out: Borussia Dortmund

On the Cusp: Lyon, Valencia, Napoli, Southampton

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