Footy Power Rankings: Guardiola's imprint dominates Europe's best

Taking into consideration recent domestic and continental results, along with underlying stats, we try to figure out which clubs are among Europe's elite.

1. Manchester City (1st in Premier League)

Previous rank: 1st

With Manchester City set for a Monday trek to Stoke City, Pep Guardiola's side boasts a 13-point lead atop the league and a spot in the Champions League quarter-finals. City has also captured a first trophy under its spirited manager in outclassing a lifeless Arsenal in the League Cup final so everything is peachy despite an injury to Raheem Sterling and Sergio Aguero's recent ankle worry.

2. Barcelona (1st in La Liga)

Previous rank: 2nd

No Messi, no problem as Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele continued their Barcelona acclimation in a win over 10-man Malaga whilst the Argentine talisman was welcoming his third son. Yet to lose in La Liga or on the continent, Ernesto Valverde and Co. host Chelsea midweek with the Catalan lot looking to reach the quarters for the 11th time on the trot.

3. Bayern Munich (1st in Bundesliga)

Previous rank: 3rd

Since the last rankings, Bayern Munich has steamrolled foes by a 10-0 margin in outclassing Freiburg and Hamburg, and with a five-goal advantage over Besiktas ahead of Wednesday's second leg in Istanbul, Jupp Heynckes' charges have one boot in the Champions League quarter-finals. It's all a bit too easy at the moment for the Bavarian behemoth.

4. Real Madrid (3rd in La Liga)

Previous rank: 6th

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes of an underwhelming season, Real Madrid has won eight of nine in all competitions, including the 2-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain that booked Los Blancos a 20th consecutive spot in the Champions League last-eight. For those keeping score, that's now a dozen European goals for Cristiano Ronaldo this season. Decent that.

5. Paris Saint-Germain (1st in Ligue 1)

Previous rank: 4th

PSG had one goal this season, and it was to win a first Champions League title. After slumping to a lifeless defeat over two legs against continental savant Real Madrid, that dream is done. There are also rumblings that injured Neymar wants out, Unai Emery is a virtual certainty for the sack, and a fifth Ligue 1 title in six years will do little to paper over the cracks of a lost season.

6. Atletico Madrid (2nd in La Liga)

Previous rank: 5th

The bookmaker's favourite for a third Europa League title in nine years, Atletico Madrid is destined for the last-eight after a first-leg drubbing of Lokomotiv Moscow and has a leg up on La Liga bridesmaid's status despite losing to Barcelona at the Camp Nou. Sunday's 3-0 win over Celta Vigo at the Wanda Metropolitan maintains a seven-point gap on rival Real for second.

7. Juventus (1st in Serie A)

Previous rank: 7th

With its continental hopes hanging by a thread against Tottenham at Wembley, Juventus gaffer Max Allegri made a tactical switch on the hour mark, and the results were stunning. Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala crushed Spurs' European hopes in a three-minute window to progress to the quarters, while Sunday's win over Udinese marked an eighth Serie A clean sheet in a row.

8. Manchester United (2nd in Premier League)

Previous rank: 10th

Manchester United vaults Liverpool by virtue of the crucial 2-1 victory over the Reds that gives Jose Mourinho's charges the upper hand in the quest for second place. The Red Devils also enter Tuesday's Champions League second leg with Sevilla as the favourite to advance to the last-eight. Not too shabby for a side supposedly hamstrung by ennui-plagued football.

9. Napoli (2nd in Serie A)

Previous rank: 9th

Napoli's exit from the Europa League at the hands of RB Leipzig was supposed to permit Maurizio Sarri's charges to focus solely on ending the Scudetto wait, an opportunity now at risk following defeat at home to Roma and Sunday's scoreless draw with Inter. I Ciucciarelli now sit a point adrift of Juventus, with the six-time defending Italian champ holding a match in hand.

10. Liverpool (4th in Premier League)

Previous rank: 8th

Liverpool is off to the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time since 2008-09 after seeing off Porto, though the mood on Mersey was slightly plundered with the defeat to United that stuck Jurgen Klopp's lot with a five-point margin from second. Next up: a visit from a Watford side that hasn't won away from the Vitality Stadium since November.

11. Tottenham Hotspur (3rd in Premier League)

Previous rank: 11

A mixed fortnight for Tottenham as the continental dismissal to Juventus was sandwiched by comprehensive league wins over Bournemouth and Huddersfield to go with FA Cup progression on the heels of the Rochdale replay. Spurs will now worry about the results of Harry Kane's scan after he limped off against the Cherries with an ankle concern.

13. AS Monaco (2nd in Ligue 1)

Previous rank: 14

Sans European football and hampered by a 14-point gap behind league leader PSG, Monaco has little to play for with a spot in next season's Champions League group stage a near certainty. Even so, Les Monegasques have been tidy of late with victories over Bordeaux and Strasbourg, and highly coveted duo Thomas Lemar and Fabinho have found form.

13. Chelsea (5th in Premier League)

Previous rank: 13

One of Europe's more mercurial sides, Chelsea continues to pair decent results with ones that leave Antonio Conte scratching his spurious strands. A defeat at Manchester City was followed by a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace in which the Blues inexplicably welcomed a last-ditch equaliser only for the Eagles to disappoint. Barcelona's next. Oof.

14. Valencia (4th in La Liga)

Previous rank: N/R

Just when Los Che's bounce-back campaign on the heels of consecutive 12th-placed finishes seemed cooked with four losses on the bounce in February, Marcelino's men are back. Five wins in six including two successive clean sheets see Valencia sit fourth in La Liga with an 11-point gap on Sevilla and a Champions League spot within reach.

15. Shakhtar Donetsk (1st in Ukranian Premier League)

Previous rank: 15th

Shakhtar Donetsk heads to Italy for a midweek soiree with Roma holding a one-goal advantage over the Serie A lot in hopes of reaching the quarter-final stage for the first time since 2010-11. Domestically, matters are faring just as well for Paulo Fonseca's troops. Three league wins on the bounce for the table topper by a 11-0 margin speaks to that.

On the cusp: FC Porto, Schalke, PSV Eindhoven, Galatasaray, Marseille

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)