The final eight teams of the Champions League are set and there is a chance of blockbuster ties all around. The reigning champions Manchester City remain and both Arsenal and Atletico Madrid were able to force extra time to advance to the final eight of the tournament. They are joined by Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona. With the round over, it's time to take a look at the teams left and where they stand.
At this stage of the UCL, it's also of a chance to look at who can win the Champions League versus who will need a fair bit of help to keep their runs going, so without further ado, let's take a look at the rankings:
| RANK | TEAM | ANALYSIS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester CIty | Manchester City may not have had the hardest route to the last eight of the Champions League coasting past Copenhagen but it also doesn't matter. You can only play the teams that are in front of you and City have done a good job doing what they've needed to do. As the reigning champs, they will have to be pulled out of the top spot to repeat and at least at the moment, no one has been able to do that. Even chasing a razor-thin margin for the Premier League title hasn't been enough to slow City down as they have had three players score four or more goals since the group stage began which is the most of any team. |
| 2 | Real Madrid | Yes, Real Madrid were poor in the round of 16 and likely should've fallen at the hands of RB Leipzig, but they didn't. When it comes to this stage, power rankings are just as much about who can win the tournament, and when that's the bar, Real Madrid can't be left out. Jude Bellingham has four goals in Champions League play while Vinicius Junior and Joselu both have three but improvement will need to come soon or one of the teams trailing them will bounce them from the tournament. |
| 3 | Arsenal | The mentality that the Gunners showed at home to grind through the match against Porto was great and David Raya instilled a feeling of invincibility while saving two penalties to get them to the last eight in what could be a turning point for Arsenal. Getting healthier, outside of Inter, Arsenal have the best shot of teams that you wouldn't traditionally expect to lift the trophy. |
| 4 | Paris Saint-Germain | Kylian Mbappe's departure may be the best thing to happen to PSG's Champions League hopes. While Luis Enrique is able to use league play to figure out who the long-term replacements for Mbappe are, he is also able to give the French star additional rest to ensure that he's sharp for Champions League play. With a brace against Real Sociedad, Mbappe is showing that the rest pays off. |
| 5 | Bayern Munich | Bayern did what needed to be done to make it past a poor Lazio side but where their performance differs from Bayern Munich of the past is that they lost the away leg of the tie and have looked vulnerable. Harry Kane has scored at will in Champions League play with six goals so far in the competition but the overall team performance leaves much to be desired. |
| 6 | Atletico Madrid | With Antoine Griezmann in the form of his life, Atletico Madrid were able to overturn a loss in the first leg to roar back knocking out the reigning Champions League runners-up Inter. It wasn't an easy game but when a team has to travel to Spain to face Atleti, nothing comes easy. They won't be among the favorites to lift the Champions League title, a Diego Simeone-coached team can never be dismissed from a potential trophy. |
| 7 | Barcelona | Their performance against Napoli was a strong one but it was also a flawed Napoli side. With nothing to lose, no one remaining in the competition will want to face Barca because they're on house money and powered by youth but it would take a lot going right for them to win the entire tournament. |
| 8 | Borussia Dortmund | The Black and Yellow have seen Jadon Sancho score in back-to-back games for the first time since November of 2021. The Englishman is settling in well in his return to Dortmund and the attack can make teams around the world nervous but there are enough shaky moments in possession and in defense that the best teams in the world can exploit. There will also be a worry for Dortmund as Sancho limped off in the 73rd minute but they were able to survive their tie against PSV. |
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