Champions League 2023-24 Power Rankings: Arsenal and PSG on the rise, Real Madrid and Man Utd fall after dramatic opening group games

Antwerp came out on top in arguably the most dramatic title race the game has ever seen, with Toby Alderweireld’s stunning 94th-minute strike against Genk clinching the club’s first Belgian championship since 1957 on an incredible final day that saw top spot change hands several times.

However, it will be difficult for Mark van Bommel’s team to top those heroics in the Champions League, as illustrated by their 5-0 drubbing in Barcelona.

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Celtic failed to win a game in last season’s group stage and you wouldn’t bet against them suffering the same fate this season. The Bhoys battled bravely in Rotterdam but conceded two goals and had two men sent off against Feyenoord. Nothing less than victory over Lazio in Glasgow on matchday two will suffice if they are to have any hope of getting through.

Young Boys stunned Manchester United during their last Champions League campaign in 2021, but such a shock looks beyond a side that was beaten 3-1 at home by RB Leipzig in their opening game in this season’s competition. A Europa League spot is not beyond the Swiss, but only if they get something in Belgrade against Red Star on matchday two.

Red Star dared to dream for around 15 minutes after taking the lead just before the break at the Etihad, but the gulf in class to Manchester City was made painfully clear during the second half, as the reigning champions ran out easy 3-1 winners. Still, picking up three points at home to Young Boys would make their double-header with RB Leipzig something of a second-placed decider.

A seventh successive appearance in the group stages for Shakhtar Donetsk, which is just remarkable when one considers they’ve not been able to play in their regular home at the Donbas Arena because of the Russo-Ukrainian war.

But there appears little hope of them qualifying for the knockout stage after a 3-1 ‘home’ loss to Porto in Hamburg.

Heartbreak for Braga, who looked to have secured a crucial point at home to Napoli, only for Sikou Niakate to put through his own net with just two minutes to go. The Portuguese now face an uphill challenge to get out of the group – but a win in Berlin over Union would obviously boost their chances of making the Europa League.

A draw at Galatasaray is a great result for Copenhagen, but it could, and indeed should, have been so much better. FCK were two goals to the good in Istanbul, but Elias Jelert’s 73rd-minute dismissal gifted their opponents a route back into the game – which was taken. Next up is a daunting visit from Bayern, but the Danes did go through last season’s group stage undefeated at home…

A solid point – and a strong showing – at Sevilla surprised everyone, given Lens’ rotten form in Ligue 1. It’s unlikely they’ll get anything out of Arsenal on matchday two, of course, but if they can build on their draw in Andalusia domestically, they can at least approach their back-to-back games against PSV with a modicum of belief.

Champions League

Not the start Galatasaray were hoping for, with the Turkish champions only managing to pick up a point from their home game against Copenhagen. Truth be told, they were lucky to even escape with a draw, as they were heading towards an embarrassing defeat until their opponents were reduced to 10 men. Two late goals saw Gala save face, but it’s made their need to get something at Old Trafford on matchday two even greater.

Union Berlin were denied a famous point at Santiago Bernabeu that their performance merited because of a ricochet in the area that left Jude Bellingham with an injury-time tap-in. However, the German minnows will take great heart out of their display in Madrid and should believe themselves very capable of beating Braga in their next game.

Lazio have not started the Serie A season well and it’s clear that coach Maurizio Sarri is not at all happy with the strength of his squad following a dire transfer window. However, the Biancocelesti will believe anything is now possible for them in Group E after goalkeeper Ivan Provedel earned them a 1-1 draw at home to Atletico Madrid with a last-second equaliser. They simply have to pick up three points at Celtic, though.

Such a shame for Real Sociedad that they couldn’t finish the job on their return to the Champions League after a decade-long absence. The Basques were by far the better side in their meeting with Inter at the Anoeta but allowed last season’s runners-up to nick a draw in the dying minutes. La Real must now win in Salzburg to really put themselves in contention for a top-two finish in Group D.

Sevilla didn’t really strengthen their squad over the summer and that was evident on matchday one, with the Europa League champions held to a 1-1 draw at home by Lens. The pressure is now very much on to get something in Eindhoven against a decent PSV team.

Do not be deceived by the 4-3 scoreline: Manchester United are nowhere near as good as Bayern Munich. Still, it was always likely that Erik ten Hag’s struggling side would be beaten at the Allianz Arena, so, in a way, nothing has really changed for the Red Devils, who simply have to beat Galatasaray at Old Trafford on matchday two.

The Austrian champions’ 2023-24 campaign was thrown into total disarray by the shock exit of highly-rated coach Matthias Jaissle just days before the start of the season, which drew an understandably irate reaction from the club.

However, Salzburg have hit the ground running under new boss Gerhard Struber, taking 19 points from a possible 21 domestically, before stunning Benfica at the Estadio da Luz having named the youngest team in the history of the Champions League. The key now will be following up that shock 2-0 win by beating Real Sociedad at home.

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Milan absolutely battered Newcastle during the first half of their clash at San Siro, but were let down by some dreadful finishing, with Rafael Leao, of all people, the main culprit. The Rossoneri overhauled their squad during the summer but the 0-0 draw with the Magpies, coupled with the 5-1 derby defeat to Inter that preceded it, suggests that another run to the semi-finals might be beyond Stefano Pioli’s side – particularly if they fail to win in Dortmund next time out.

PSV’s perfect start to the season was ruined in north London, where the Dutch Cup winners were hammered 4-0 by Arsenal. The Gunners, though, are a cut above everyone else in Group B, so all is not lost for PSV. A home win over Sevilla on matchday two is now a must, however.

An absolutely disastrous start for Benfica, who now have it all to do after losing what looked like the most ‘winnable’ match in their group. The fact that Antonio Silva was sent off in the 2-0 defeat at home to Salzburg only makes the Eagles’ task even tougher. It now feels absolutely vital that they pick up at least a point at Inter next time out.

Feyenoord’s first Champions League outing in six years couldn’t have gone much better, with the highly-rated Arne Slot leading his side to a 2-0 win over Celtic before a typically raucous crowd in Rotterdam. However, much tougher tests lie in wait, with a trip to Atletico Madrid likely to represent a far more accurate gauge of Feyenoord’s quality.

As Mats Hummels pointed out, some big decisions went against Dortmund at Parc des Princes, but the defender also acknowledged that PSG were deserved winners. BVB, then, need to focus on getting the better of AC Milan, whom they face next, and Newcastle to secure their place in the last 16. What’s already clear, though, is that Jude Bellingham is being badly missed…

Newcastle were understandably proud of themselves after securing a draw at San Siro in their first appearance in the Champions League for two decades. It was hard not to be a little worried by the way in which Eddie Howe’s side were outplayed for long periods – their lack of a prolific goalscorer remains a major issue – but the Magpies will believe that the St James’ Park factor might just be enough to get them out of the ‘Group of Death’. The home game against PSG will certainly tell us a lot about Newcastle’s prospects…

A solid start to the group stage for RB Leipzig, who lost four key players during the summer but have one again managed to pick up some exciting prospects, including Benjamin Sesko, who netted in the 3-1 win at Young Boys. The Germans can now look forward to a free hit against Manchester City before a double-header with Red Star Belgrade that should set them well on their way to qualification.

Holding onto Mehdi Taremi really was such a boost for Porto. The striker had looked certain to join AC Milan before the close of the transfer window, but the deal collapsed and he was on target in the 3-1 win over Shakhtar Donetsk that sets Sergio Conceicao’s side up perfectly for the visit of Barcelona.

Diego Simeone’s side really should have picked up three points on matchday one, but they were forced to settle for a share of the spoils at the Stadio Olimpico after dramatically conceding a last-gasp leveller to Lazio goalkeeper Ivan Provedel. Obviously, a draw away from home in the Champions League is never a bad result, but Atleti will be keen to avoid any more lapses in what is a slightly tricky group.

How Rudi Garcia needed that late own goal in Braga! The Frenchman’s reign has not got off to the most convincing of starts, with Napoli struggling in Serie A, so dropping points in Portugal would have only intensified the scrutiny on the manager. However, a crucial 2-1 win should lift the spirits ahead of a monumental showdown with Real Madrid on matchday two that will go a long way towards determining who tops the group.

Inter couldn’t have gone into their first European fixture in better form – or spirits – after hammering city rivals AC Milan. So, their dire performance in San Sebastian came as a real surprise. Still, Lautaro Martinez’s late goal secured a precious point for last season’s runners-up, who will thus remain confident of reaching the knockout stages.

Jude Bellingham has got off to an even better start than anyone at Santiago Bernabeu would have dreamed of, with the England midfielder already looking like a €103 million bargain. However, even Bellingham has admitted that he’d rather not have to keep bailing Los Blancos out of jail – as he did again in their highly fortuitous 1-0 win over Union Berlin.

Despite some long-term injuries to key men, Madrid should have more than enough to get out of their group, but they could end up paying a heavy price for not signing a Karim Benzema replacement come the knockouts.

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Luis Enrique has lift-off at the Parc des Princes! After a shocking defeat at home to Ligue 1 rivals Nice on Friday, PSG confirmed their status as Champions League contenders with an impressive 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund. The Parisians still have plenty of work to do in the ‘Group of Death’, of course, but the performance against BVB really did suggest that this is the most balanced PSG squad of the QSI era.

Arsenal announced their return to the Champions League in sensational fashion, hammering PSV 4-0 at a joyous Emirates Stadium, with star men Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard all on target. Given the Dutch outfit are arguably the second-strongest side in the group, the Gunners should, as expected, cruise into the last 16.

Barcelona are on the rise again under club legend Xavi, winning La Liga with impressive ease last season, while Ilkay Gundogan, Joao Cancelo and even Joao Felix are already looking like excellent summer additions. There is still a fear that the Blaugrana might be a little light on numbers in key areas, but it certainly shouldn’t prevent them from winning one of the tournament’s softest groups, with the Catalans kicking off their campaign with a predictably facile 5-0 annihilation of Antwerp.

Big summer signing Harry Kane struck again in the win over Manchester United, underlining that Bayern have a striker capable of firing them to Champions League glory. However, conceding three goals at home to such a weak team – in a game that the Bavarians dominated – undoubtedly raises some questions over the strength of the defence at this stage of the season.

Pep Guardiola has lost some key contributors to his success at the Etihad, including Ilkay Gundogan, and the latest injury suffered by creator-in-chief Kevin De Bruyne is an undoubted cause for concern.

However, the claim that Manchester City are ‘in trouble’ is yet another ridiculous flight of fancy from the Catalan coach, as underlined by the way in which the reigning champions cruised past Red Star Belgrade in their tournament-opener – despite conceding the first goal. It would be a huge shock if Abu Dhabi-backed City failed to win a ridiculously easy group even with their B team.