The Spanish takeover of European football is happening, if World Soccer Reader’s Club Top Ten is any indication.

The rumored shift of power from England and Italy to Spain deserves more discussion (and data points), but the early season returns from the league’s top three clubs provide plenty of evidence for those arguing Spanish primacy. Those three clubs are all in the top-half of this week’s list.

Elsewhere, we see the Bundesliga regain its representation while Italy loses theirs, with mediocre-to-bad results from Juventus and Internzaionale seeing those European titans dropped from our lists. Where Italy is on the verge of losing it’s top-three spot in Europe to Germany (based on UEFA coefficients), another discussion is how the Serie A compares to France’s Ligue 1. In Champions League, the results have been mixed, but on this list, France is respresented. Twice.

As always, the WSR World Club Top Ten is a collaborative effort from the entire writing staff. Over the last two days, the staff has debated and discusses, with snippets of the discourse listed, below.

Without further ado, here is this week’s list:

#10	Estudiantes de la Plata (Argentina)
1st place, Argentine Primera División. Eleven match unbeated streak in league. Won at home against Boca Juniors, 2-1, on Saturday. At Argentinos Juniors on Saturday. Last Ranking: 9th.
Estudiantes beat Boca Juniors on Saturday, a win that always turns heads, though this year’s iteration of Boca Juniors players is about three years past their expiration dates. Regardless, Estudiantes continues rolling past through the Primera, now stands alone in first place, begging the following question to and from our panel: What can/could Estudiantes do to climb in this listing? Since they are not in the Copa Sudamericana, they will have to keep winning until they get a crack at Barcelona at the World Club Cup.

#9	Hamburger SV (Germany)
Tied, 1st, German Bundesliga. Eight match unbeated streak in league. Won versus Bayern Munich, 1-0, on Saturday in league. Won verus Hapoel Tel-Aviv, 4-2, in Europa League. Travels to Berlin to face Hertha on Sunday Last Ranking: Unranked.
World Soccer Reader’s DC United correspondent Ed Morgans makes his Top Ten debut, working in a plug along the way: “Better football in Bundesliga than many give it credit for, as I discussed with Ray Hudson on our Fighting Talker podcast earlier this week.” That’s the Fighting Talker podcast, featuring our own Ed Morgans, everybody!

#8	Manchester City F.C. (England)
Tied, 3rd, English Premier League. Won versus West Ham United, 3-1, on Monday. Travels to Birmingham to face Hertha on Sunday Last Ranking: Unranked.
Manchester City’s only loss this season is the controversial defeat at Old Trafford to Manchester United. Despite their otherwise perfect record, not everybody is impressed. Take, for instance, our Manchester United correspondent, Seena Vali: “Maybe United were lucky to win the derby at the death, but let’s face it, City were lucky that it was 3-3 by the end of 94 minutes. It was all one-way traffic barring some short spells of City attacking, and all three of City’s goals came against the run of play … The only team they’ve beaten so far that hasn’t been absolutely awful is Arsenal, and the scoreline puts a gloss on a dominating Arsenal performance that only lacked the finishing touch. City have to prove they deserve to be in amongst Chelsea, United, Arsenal, and Liverpool in terms of quality, and the truth is they have only beaten one quality team this season.”

#7	Olympique Lyonnais (France)
2nd place, French Ligue 1. Eleven match unbeated streak in league. Fifteen match unbeated streak in all competitions. Won at home against Toulouse on Saturday, 2-1, in league play. Won at Debrecen 4-0 in Champions League play. At Lens in league play on Saturday. Last Ranking: 7th.
“Lyon are top of their Champions League group and are second in Lique 1.  After the 4-0 drubbing of Debrecen, Lyon look poised to advance into the CL knock-out round.  They may have sold Benzema, but Lisandro Lopez and Bafetimbi Gomiz have filled the void and returned OL to its rightful place of glory.”– Jordan Wise

#6	F.C. Girondins de Bordeaux (France)
1st place, French Ligue 1. Twenty match unbeaten streak in league. Beat Stade Rennes, 1-0, on Sunday in league play. Beat Maccabi Haifa, 1-0, on Wednesday in Champions League play. At St. Etienne on Saturday in league play. Last Ranking: 5th.
“The French won’t be ignored any longer!  Bordeaux are top of the Ligue 1 and are second in their Champions League group, forcing Juventus to challenge for second place.  They may not be destroying opponents like Real Madrid, but Bordeaux are winning games that count.”– Jordan Wise

#5	Sevilla F.C. (Spain)
3rd place, Spain’s La Liga. Six match winning streak, all competitions. Won at Athletic Bilbao, 4-0, on Saturday in league play. Won at Ibrox against Rangers, 4-1, on Tuesday in Champions League play. Hosts #2 Real Madrid on Sunday in league play. Last Ranking: 10th.
“With so many Spanish teams in the top 10, it may seem like bias, but our hands are forced here. The teams at the top in La Liga aren’t there by chance, they’re there because they’ve been embarrassing the rest of the table. Sevilla put up 4 away goals against both Athletic Bilbao and Rangers in their two matches this week, which means the top three in Spain have now put in 44 goals while only shipping 8 at the back. It makes England’s ‘Big 4′ ashamed of their nickname. However, it appears someone’s headed for a fall this weekend as Sevilla play host to Real Madrid on Sunday.”– Lee Radke

#4	Chelsea F.C. (England)
Tied, first place, English Premier League. Lost 3-1 in league play on Saturday, at Wigan Athletic. Won 1-0 in Cyprus against APOEL in Champions League play. Hosts Liverpool on Saturday in league play. Last Ranking: 2nd.
“What was it that was said about the fleeting nature of a team’s form last week? Didier Drogba described the defeat at Wigan as the single worst Chelsea performance during his tenure at the club – and he was part of the team that was laughed off the Old Trafford pitch after a 3-0 reverse last season left them in fourth. Suddenly cast in a new light, their 1-0 victory midweek over APOEL gave off a cagey and unconvincing feeling, where previously the perception was that a good team finds a way to grind out results once in a while. Don’t be mistaken, this could be an anomaly, but with the power of hindsight it could be said this downturn was on the cards for a while.”– Lee Radke

#3	Manchester United F.C. (England)
Tied, first place, English Premier League. Won at Stoke City 2-0 on Saturday in league play Won at home against Wolfsburg VfL, 2-1, in Champions League play. Hosting Sunderland on Saturday in league play. Last Ranking: 4th.
“I’m pretty sure Ryan Giggs has a fountain of youth in his back yard.  That, or he feasts on the stem cells of babies and drinks the blood of virgins to stay so prevalent.  Giggs may be the single reason Manchester United are playing as well as they are, but he couldn’t do it without his battering ram, Wayne Rooney, or the maestro at the top, Dimitar Berbatov.  The back line needs to tighten up and Sir Alex has to be ready for Edwin Van Der Sar to return, but once all those pieces fall into place, this team could be unstoppable yet again.”– Jordan Wise

#2	Real Madrid C.F. (Spain)
Tied, 1st, Spain’s La Liga. One hundred percent record in five league matches. Won 3-0 at home to Tenerife on Saturday in league play. Win versus Marseille 3-0 on Wednesday in Champions League play. At #5 Sevilla on Sunday in league play. Last Ranking: 3rd.
“I can finally give them props as deserving to be on this list. A 3-nil thrashing of Marseille was impressive in midweek, and for me Cristiano Ronaldo is the best player on the planet right now, and there’s nothing any defender can do to stop him from scoring. Their defense is still weak, but so far they’ve outscored their opposition so it hasn’t been an issue. Whether that continues to be the case over the course of the season is another questions altogether, but for now Madrid are taking no prisoners up front.”– Seena Vali

#1	F.C. Barcelona (Spain)
Tied, 1st, Spain’s La Liga. One hundred percent record in five league matches. Won 2-0 at Málaga in league play. Won 2-0 at the Nou Camp in Champions League play over Dynamo Kiev. Hosting Almeria in league play on Saturday. Last Ranking: 1st.
“Messi has been on fire and Ibrahimovic’a current run of form appears to erase any doubts about getting rid of [Samuel] Eto’o.  The Spanish and European champions better watch their backs though, Real Madrid are pushing hard to overtake the Catalans as the best team in the world.  The only question I have about this club is ‘Who chooses those dreadful kit colors?’”– Jordan Wise

Dropped out: Juventus (6th), Internazionale (8th)

Also Considered: Fiorentina, Arsenal, Juventus, Tottenham, Palmeiras, Sampdoria, Bayer Leverkusen, Braga

Last week we noted the ranking’s lack of diversity, and although there are no more or less leagues represented in the list (still five), dropping the Italian teams and adding a German club gives the list less of a “Big Three” feel. England and Spain do occupy six spots on this list (and the entire top five), but the French clubs are very close to breaking that hold (and Bordeaux was fifth last week).

The greatest debated behind the scenes centered around Sevilla, Manchester City, and Estudiantes.

The discent on Manchester City is noted by Seena Vali, above. For Estudiantes, the criticism comes down to a lack of competition.

For Sevilla, the detractors have changed their tune. After an impressive week that saw them put up an 8-1 aggregated in two matches, the questions center less on the club and more on the league. Sevilla was very close to rising to number four in the rankings, a phenomenon that raised the following question: Is La Liga so much better then other leagues that they have three of the four top teams in the world?

Whether the excellence of three of the league’s twenty teams should speak that loudly for the entire league is another debate. The way that the discussion was broached should inform this Sunday’s match between Sevilla and Real Madrid. For at least one week, our panel sees the two teams at similar levels. In that light, the match will be this season’s first battle of titans.

Now, to our contributors. You may have noticed a name absent from this week’s quotes. Our resident Russia-phobe and hater of all (my) attempts to keep Estudiantes in this poll, Jared Dubois, is out of commission this week. While everybody at World Soccer Reader wishes him our best, he did send along the following message:

“Apparently, upon semi-waking from my sedative induced slumber at the dentitst today, spoke Spanish and then proceeded to try and talk the assistant into a three way with my wife… None of which I remember.”

Funny, heart-warming, and daring, but worth no points in our rankings:

15 – Jared DuBois, LA Galaxy/MLS correspondent
11 – Jordan Wise, Houston Dynamo/EPL correspondent
9 – Seena Vali, Manchester United/EPL correspondent
5 – Lee Radke, EPL Correspondent
1 – Mark Goodman, La Liga correspondent
1 – Ed Morgans, DC United correspondent

If the list came out before Inter Milan’s most impressive result of the season – Wednesday’s 3-1 win over Napoli in which they scored two goals in the first five minutes – City would be ranked, but after finally playing a good match, you have to give Mourinho’s team credit. They are at the top of Serie A, yet to lose a match this season. That’s enough to get them a spot in the rankings.

The only other movement saw a good win lift Manchester United, lackluster play cost Juventus, and incredulity undermine a strong Sevilla side.

Here are your rankings, results, and upcoming fixtures:

#10	Sevilla F.C. (Spain)
Tied, 3rd, Spain’s La Liga. Four match winning streak, all competitions. Won at the Reyno de Navarra against Osasuna, 2-0, on Saturday in league play. Won at home against Mallorca, 2-0, on Tuesday in league play. Visits Athletic Bilbao on Saturday in league play. Visits Rangers on Tuesday in Champions League play. Last Ranking: 8th.
There is no team about whom there is more disagreement amongst our writers than Sevilla. A majority of people think they do not deserve to be in the Top 10. A number think they deserve an obligatory ranking because on their standing in La Liga. One author thinks the team deserves to be multiple places higher than tenth. Such descent leads to Sevilla dropping two spots this week despite wins in Champions League and La Liga.

#9	Estudiantes de la Plata (Argentina)
Tied, 1st, Argentine Primera División. Ten match unbeated streak in league. Won at Huracán, 4-1, on Friday. Hosts Boca Juniors on Saturday in La Plata Last Ranking: 9th.
Estudiantes is the beneficiary of a number of European powers (i.e., Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Milan) getting off to lack luster starts. Even if those clubs were performing to expectations, Estudiantes would be in this discussion, with Mauro Boselli continuing his Libertadores form, making him good for a goal-a-game in league.

#8	F.C. Interzanionale Milano (Italy)
Tied, 1st, Italy’s Serie A. Seven match unbeaten streak, all competitions. Won at Cagliari, 2-1, on Sunday in league play. Won at home against Napoli, 3-1, on Wednesday in league play. Visits Sampdoria on Saturday in league play. Visits Rubin Kazan on Tuesday in Champions League play. Last Ranking: Unranked.
“Inter Milan have been less than convincing thus far this season. They may have drawn with Barcelona at home, but did so with ugly football. Mourinho may be good for soundbites, but the Inter fans are counting on him to bring in another scudetto.”– Jordan Wise

#7	Olympique Lyonnais (France)
Tied, 2nd, French Ligue 1. Ten match unbeated streak in league. Drew in Paris against Saint-Germain on Sunday, 1-1. Hosting Toulouse in league play on Saturday. At Debrecen on Tuesday in Champions League. Last Ranking: 7th.
It wasn’t pretty, but Lyon got a point at Paris St.-Germain, and while the result dropped them out of a first place tie with Bordeaux, Lyonnais was still able to get a result on the road against a strong club. Sidney Govou’s health has improved enough to play again, though that comes at the same time Michel Bastos has developed his own injury concerns.

#6	Juventus F.C. (Italy)
Tied, 1st, Italy’s Serie A. Twelve match al competitions unbeaten streak. Won 2-0 hosting Livorno on Saturday in league play. Drew at Genoa, 2-2, on Thursday in league play. Host Bologna on Sunday in league play. At Bayern Munich on Wednesday in Champions League play. Last Ranking: 4th.
“They play football in Italy? I had no idea, because no one is watching anymore.”– Jared DuBois

#5	F.C. Girondins de Bordeaux (France)
1st place, French Ligue 1. Nineteen match unbeaten streak in league. Won at Boulogne, 2-0, on Saturday in league play. Hosts Stade Rennes on Sunday in league play. Hosts Maccabi Haifa on Wednesday in Champions League play. Last Ranking: 5th.
“Bordeaux have been absolutely flying so far. I realize the French league gets overshadowed a bit, but they’ve got a great case for a high ranking.”– Lee Radke

#4	Manchester United F.C. (England)
2nd place, English Premier League. Won at home against #10 Manchester City, 4-3, on Sunday in league play. Won at home against Wolverhampton Wanderers, 1-0, on Wednesday in the Carling Cup. At Stoke City on Saturday in league play. Hosting VfL Wolfsburg on Wednesday in Champions League play. Last Ranking: 6th.
“No one may do spectacle better than the red team in Manchester. And the derby match against City was nothing short of spectacular. Man U may have lost some class, but they are learning to fight for results. As an American, I like that.”– Jared DuBois

#3	Real Madrid C.F. (Spain)
Tied, 1st, Spain’s La Liga. One hundred percent record in four league matches. Won 5-0 at home to Xerez on Sunday in league play. Win at Villareal 2-0 on Wednesday in league play. Hosting Tenerife on Saturday in league play. Hosting Marseille on Wednesday in Champions League play. Last Ranking: 3rd.
“Four wins in 4 games is good. Record breaking signings are good. Having the Most Expensive Player in the World break a record by scoring 5 goals in the first 4 games; that’s great. But, Madrid’s offensive triumphs can’t cloak their defensive struggles and gaps for much longer. This team needs to tighten up the back, or they really are going to have to believe that offense is the best defense. “– Jordan Wise

#2	Chelsea F.C. (England)
First place, English Premier League. One hundred percent record in sic league matches. Won 3-0 in league play on Sunday, hosting Tottenham Hotspur. Won 1-0 at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday against Queen’s Park Rangers in the Carling Cup. At Wigan Athletic on Saturday in league play. At APOEL on Wednesday in Champions League play. Last Ranking: 2nd.
“They’ve started the season flying, winning even when allowing goals at the other end, and there’s no reason not to highly rate them. It certainly doesn’t hurt that the world’s most in-form striker, Didier Drogba, is leading their lines. He’s got size, pace and power in abundance, already grabbing as many league goals in his first 6 matches as he did in the entirety of last season. This form may be temporary – for Drogba and for Chelsea – but they’re riding high for now.”– Lee Radke

#1	F.C. Barcelona (Spain)
Tied, 1st, Spain’s La Liga. One hundred percent record in two league matches. Won 5-2 at Nou Camp against Atlético Madrid on Saturday on league play. Won 4-1 at Racing Santander in league play on Tuesday. At Málaga on Saturday in league play. Hosting Dynamo Kiev on Tuesday in Champions League. Last Ranking: 1st.
“Despite a goalless draw away to Inter, has to be top of the list. In La Liga they’re not just winning games, they’re embarrassing opponents. Three first half goals against Racing Santander in one of the most powerful displays yet this season. Most notably, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has emerged as a great addition to the team that seemed to have it all. While Samuel Eto’o was a great goalscorer, Ibrahimovic holds the ball and cuts through defenses with his passing in a way that works perfectly with his Barca teammates.”– Lee Radke

Dropped out: Manchester City (10th)

Also Considered: Benfica, Dynamo Kiev, Bayern Munich, Palmeiras

The most notable phenomenon in these rankings is the lack of diversity between leagues. Four leagues make up nine of these spots, with the tenth (or ninth) seen as a gift from the editor. It is not.

As for our contributors, here’s where they stand.

15 – Jared DuBois, LA Galaxy/MLS correspondent
7 – Seena Vali, Manchester United/EPL correspondent
7 – Jordan Wise, Houston Dynamo/EPL correspondent
3 – Lee Radke, EPL Correspondent
1 – Mark Goodman, La Liga correspondent

As always, this is a collaborative effort from our entire writing staff. I may be at the wheel, but the whole team has the map (and is fighting over it).

#10	Manchester City F.C. (England)
Tied, 2nd, English Premier League. One hundred percent record through four matches in league. Won at home against Arsenal, 4-2, on Saturday. At Old Trafford on Sunday to play Manchester United. Last Ranking: Unranked.
“The other team from Manchester looks to be seriously threatening the Top 4 (something I must remind you I said would happen in an episode of Inside the Six).  But, this weekend’s derby could be a good predictor of where this team may end up in May.”– Jordan Wise

#9	Estudiantes de la Plata (Argentina)
Tied, 2nd, Argentine Primera División. Nine match unbeated streak in league. Won at home against Independiente, 2-1, on Sunday. Visits Hurácan on Friday. Last Ranking: 9th.
Estudiantes had their first “stumble” of the season the match after our last ranking, drawing 2-2 at San Lorenzo. If that’s a the depths of their stumbles, Estudiantes will be uncontested in their claim as the best club in South America. Not playing in the Cope Sudamericana, they can concentrate on the Apertura, which is bad news for their Primera División competition.

#8	Sevilla F.C. (Spain)
Tied, 9th, Spain’s La Liga. Won at home against Real Zaragoza, 4-1, on Saturday in league play. Won at home against Unirea, 2-0, on Wednesday in Champions League play. Visits Osasuna on Saturday. Last Ranking: Unranked.
Sevilla got off to an unfortunate start to their league season when Frederic Kanouté was red-carded half-way through their opener at Valencia. Valencia took advantage with two goals and a 2-0 victory. After the international break, last year’s third place finishers came back with a 4-1 win over Zaragoza before taking care of business in Champions League.

#7	Olympique Lyonnais (France)
Tied, 1st, French Ligue 1. Nine match unbeated streak in league. Won at home against Lorient, 1-0, on Saturday in legaue play. Won at home against Fiorentina, 1-0, on Wednesday in Champions League play. In Paris to play St. Germain on Sunday. Last Ranking: Unranked.
Is it possible for a club to lose their best player and a better side in the following season? If you’re a Manchester United supporters, you’d probably say “no,” but if you support Lyonnais, your burgeoning love of Lisandro Lopez gives us a “hell, yeah.”

#6	Manchester United F.C. (England)
Tied, 2nd, English Premier League. Won at White Hart Lane against Tottenham Hotspur, 3-1, on Saturday in league play. Won in Turkey against Besiktas, 1-0, on Tuesday in Champions League play. At Old Trafford on Sunday to play Manchester City. Last Ranking: 8th.
“OK color me impressed.  Tottenham looked to be the little engine that could finally bust into the Big Four Club.  That was until Man U decided they had brought one more man than they needed for the job in London.”– Jared DuBois

#5	F.C. Girondins de Bordeaux (France)
Tied, 1st, French Ligue 1. Eighteen match unbeaten streak in league. Won at home against Grenoble, 1-0, on Saturday in league play. Drew in Turin against Juventus, 1-1, on Tuesday in Champions League play. At Boulogne on Saturday. Last Ranking: 6th.
“Great result in Torino this week. They could be the dark horse of the Champions League.”– newcomer Mark Goodman, WSR’s new La Liga correspondent

#4	Juventus F.C. (Italy)
Tied, 1st, Italy’s Serie A. One hundred percent record in three Serie A matches. Nine match league unbeaten streak. Won 2-0 at Lazio on Saturday in league play. Drew in Turin against Bordeaux, 1-1, on Tuesday in Champions League play. Host Livorno on Saturday. Last Ranking: 5th.
“The giants from Turin are tearing up Serie A, and it seems like they are doing it without paying off the arbitros.  If the results continue, these guys may be the real deal.”– Jordan Wise

#3	Real Madrid C.F. (Spain)
Tied, 1st, Spain’s La Liga. One hundred percent record in two league matches. Won 3-0 at Espanyol on Saturday in league play. Win at FC Zurich 5-2 on Tuesday in Champions League play. Host Xerez on Saturday. Last Ranking: 4th.
“As shaky as they can look at the back, what’s the problem if they can score more than their opposition? That method of winning is a bit like playing with fire, though, because if Madrid’s attack stalls, they’re going to get burned.”– Seena Vali

#2	Chelsea F.C. (England)
First place, English Premier League. One hundred percent record in five league matches. Won 2-1 at Stoke City on Saturday in league play. Won 1-0 at Stamford Bridge against FC Porto on Tuesday in Champions League play. Host Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. Last Ranking: 2nd.
“This team epitomizes the term “Winning Ugly”, but at least they win.  Ancelloti’s diamond is still shining.”– Jordan Wise

#1	F.C. Barcelona (Spain)
Tied, 1st, Spain’s La Liga. One hundred percent record in two league matches. Won 2-0 at Getafe on Saturday in league play. Drew 0-0 at the San Siro against Internazionale Milano on Wednesday in Champions League play. Host Atlético Madrid on Saturday. Last Ranking: 1st.
“Definitely missing their shine.  And by that I mean the sparkle of the Nou Camp lights off the five-head of Iniesta.  This midfield is not the same without Xavi’s hetero life partner.”– Jared DuBois

Dropped out: Arsenal (3rd), Tottenham (7th), Rubin Kazan (9th)

Also Considered: Inter, Tottenham, Arsenal, Benfica, Porto, Fiorentina, Sao Paulo, Dynamo Kiev, Hamburg, Rubin Kazan, Bayern Munchen, Liverpool, Velez Sarsfield, Palmeiras, Marseille, Club America, Bayer Leverkusen

To answer some questions:

What about the Bundesliga? No German teams in your top ten but TWO teams from France?

I seriously doubt we’ll be here in May without any German teams in the top ten. Right now, the teams we thought were going to be strong from Germany (Wolfsburg, Bayern) are not top ten caliber, and the teams at the top of the league (Hamburg, Bayer) still have a bit to prove. But that will come, whether it be the two current leaders or the clubs we suspected all along.

Neither of the Milan teams? You seriously think Estudiantes beats Inter Milan? And what about what Milan did in Marseille?

Well, not all of us. There were multiple people that wanted Inter moved up (and they were moved up a little on the honorable mentiones list), but both of those teams have been very inconsistent, and it’s very difficult to justify knocking one of the top ten out of the list until either Milan side has a run of form.

Those quotes are fun. I wish there was some way of measuring who’s been the better contributor. I hope it’s not Jared DuBois.

Ask, Mr. Made Up Person, and you shall receive, though you should be careful for what you ask:

13 – Jared DuBios, La Galaxy/MLS correspondent
7 – Seena Vali, Manchester United/EPL correspondent
5 – Jordan Wise, Houston Dynamo/EPL correspondent
1 – Mark Goodman, La Liga correspondent

You clearly need more input.

Agreed! That’s why you should leave your comments below and email your lists to RIchard Farley at richardfarley aht gmail doht com so that you feedback can be considered for next week’s edition.

Would that be something you would be interesting in?

Football fans in London, La Plata, and Kazan might not care about antiquated Entourage references, but they certainly care that their clubs are amongst the best in the world. That World Soccer Reader and its writing staff confirm this might be irrelevant. All that matters is that their clubs keep performing on the pitch.

As long as they do, the clubs will keep climbing in our ranking, leaving the fallen stars of Liverpool, Wolfsburg, and Internazionale in their wake. All three teams posted disappointing results at home, and while in the long run they may affirm their place on this list, their stumbles make this the week of the debutant.

Expect more movement next week with the debut of La Liga, the last of the major leagues to star play. When it does, we will see if Barcelona and Real Madrid can maintain their spots on this list. To this point, they are getting the benefit of the doubt, but our writers are getting anxious, with one astutely observing the Real Madrid has proved nothing.

Do you agree? Let us know in the comments, below, and next week you could see your feedback amongst our club rankings.

But for now, here is your WSR World Club Top 10:

#10	Estudiantes de La Plata (Argentina)
Tied, 1st, Argentine Primera Division. Six match unbeaten streak in all competitions. Won at Arsenal de Sarandí, 2-0. At home to play Gimnasia de al Plata (Sunday). Last Week: Unranked.
“‘La Brujita’ Veron living his second youth, showing class, and leading the Libertadores champions to a good start in La Primera.”– Juan Carlos Valladares

#9	F.C. Rubin Kazan (Russia)
1st, Russian Premier League. Four match winning streak in RPL. Five match unbeaten streak in RPL. Won at Dinamo Moscow, 3-0 (Sunday). Away to play Spartak Moscow (Sunday). Last Week: Unranked.
This was one ranking where I had to pull rank. In response, Jared Dubois couldn’t resist: “I have better things to do than watch a dirty internet feed of 20 dudes in flat tops look like they are competing in 19 Entertainment’s new show “So you think you have a hairy neck?”– Jared Dubois

#8	Manchester United F.C. (England)
Tied, 3rd, English Premier League. Lost at Burnley, 0-1 (Wednesday). Won at Wigan, 5-0 (Saturday). Hosts Arsenal (Sunday). Last Week: #3.
For a chance of pace, let’s get feedback from a writer who felt a five spot drop was harsh. “… United annihilated Wigan, had a bad match against Burnley (fair enough), but they came back against Wigan who beat (Aston) Villa just a week ago (a team who beat Liverpool at Anfield [Monday]).”– Seena Vali

#7	Tottenham Hotspur F.C. (England)
Tied, 1st, English Premier League. Won at Hull City, 5-1 (Wednesday). Won at West Ham United, 2-1 (Sunday). Hosts Birmingham City (Saturday). Last Week: Unranked.
“Wilson Palacios is the best defensive midfielder not named Essien in the Premier. This team could be bound for glory this year.”– Juan Carlos Valladares

#6	FC Girondins de Bordeaux (France)
1st place, French Ligue 1. Fifteen match winning streak in Ligue 1. Seventeen match unbeaten streak in Ligue 1. Won 4-0 versus Nice (Sunday). Goes to Marseille (Sunday). Last week: #9.
“DuBois, it’s French and awesome just like Bordeaux. I love that they are so good that this doesn’t look like a Ligue 1 consolation ranking.”– Jared Dubois

#5	Juventus F.C. (Italy)
Tied, 1st, Italian Serie A. Seven match Serie A unbeaten streak. Won versus Chievo Verona, 1-0 (Sunday). Visits Roma (Sunday). Last Week: #7.
“Made sure to win, did not look impressive, but Serie A has the strongest teams midtable down from any league.”– Juan Carlos Valladares

#4	Real Madrid C.F. (Spain)
2nd place, last season, Spanish Primera Liga. Hosts Deportivo La Coruña (Sunday). Last Week: #5.
This was one of our most discussed placings. “I still also don’t quite get why Real Radrid is even near the top of the list – names don’t guarantee success, I don’t think it makes sense to rank them so highly when they haven’t had the opportunity to prove themselves (good or bad). Friendlies against Toronto don’t quite convince me that they’ll do any better in the Champions League than they have done the last few years.”– Seena Vali

#3	Arsenal F.C. (England)
Tied, 1st place, English Premier League. Five match unbeaten streak in all competitions. Won 2-0 at Celtic in Champions League qualifying (Tuesday). Won 4-1 versus Portsmouth (Saturday). Host Celtic in Champions League qualifying (Wednesday). Visit Manchester United (Saturday). Last Week: #4.
“Why is everyone hating on (Abu) Diaby? Dude bags a brace and all anyone wants to say is that you can’t count on that production. But that is Arsenal, dangerous at all 10 outfield positions.”– Jared Dubois

#2	Chelsea F.C. (England)
Tied, 1st place, English Premier League. Eleven match league unbeaten streak. Won 3-1 at Sunderland (Tuesday). Won 2-0 at Fulham (Sunday). Hosts Burnley (Sunday). Last Week: #2.
“The Blues are flying, controlled the game at Craven Cottage, will win Premier League this season.”– Juan Carlos Valladares

#1	F.C. Barcelona (Spain)
1st place, last season, Spanish Primera Liga. Winner, last season, UEFA Champions League. Winner, last season, Spain’s Copa del Rey. Plays Shakhtar Donetsk in UEFA Super Cup (Friday). Hosts Sporting Gijón (Monday). Last Week: #1.
“What does it say about the rest of the world that three weeks into the season across most of Europe and no one even comes close to threatening the top spot?”– Jared Dubois

Others receiving consideration: Milan (Italy), Lyon (France), Spartak Moscow (Russia), Hamburg (Germany), Palmeiras (Brazil), Wolfsburg (Germany), Internazionale (Italy), Bayer Leverkusen (Germnay)

The competition amongst the clubs is not the only battle covered by this column. We’re keeping track of which writers and readers are making the biggest contributions to this column. With their quotes tallying points, here is how our staff rank this week in the World Club Top 10’s contributor rankings:

11 – Jared Dubois
8 – Juan Carlos Valladares
6 – Seena Vali
2 – Jordan Wise

And from our readers?

1 – “Ryan,” “Chuey”

OK, have at it. Tell us where we’re wrong and get it all out of your system, because on Thursday the WSR World XI is coming.

Richard Farley is a U.S.-based contributor to World Soccer Reader. He also hosts Inside the Six, the site’s regular podcast. He can be reached at richardfarley at gmail dot com and followed on Twitter, username “richardfarley.”

You know him from his contributions Goal.com, Examiner.com, and his site Mad About Fútbol, and for Episode #10 of Inside the Six, Juan Arango is also “podcast guest” as he joins host Richard Farley to talk about all things Argentine football: domestic league and national team. Juan’s also asked about another passion of his, Barcelona football, as he weighs in on one of Richard’s favorite topics: Zlatan Ibrahimovic versus Samuel Eto’o.

Direct download of the podcast is available here.

The episode also features WSR’s men’s national team correspondent Dave Topp who, in what will be a reoccurring segment, goes down his men’s national team depth card, giving us his views on where the contenders for South Africa lie in the wake of the Confederations and Gold Cups.

Also, updates on South American football, the European transfer season, and Major League Soccer.

The first leg’s lack of goals, control, or a win from Estudiantes has spawned a trepidatious furor in Argentina. While it’s become accepted that a 0-0 opener favors the result’s road team, Estudiantes could be in a far worse situation. If they after behind at all, it’s not by much.

We’re accustomed to a 0-0 draw at home being a setback in a two-legged tie, but Copa Libertadores sets that paradigm on its ear by ditching the away goal rules in its final. At every other level of the knockout stage, away goals is used. Moving away from it at the final brings a confusion that might be influencing this paranoia, a confusion from which I am not immuned. Even though I’ve been avidly following this tournament, I forgot about this change during the Libertadores segment of this weekend’s podcast.

Because there is no away goals rule, the circumstances of Estudiantes and Cruzeiro barely changed from last week’s match. Estudiantes may have to make-up a slight deficit in circumstances, but that was the case before last week’s kickoff. Cruzeiro won the group the clubs shared, was the higher seed in the knockout phase, and has performed more convincingly against better competition over the last two months. Cruzeiro should have always been favored, if only slightly.

Argentina’s coverage of Estudiantes’ perceived deficit has gone from perplexed disappointment (in the days after the match) to a seeming bolstering of egos in the days before today’s fixture. An article widely distributed in the Argentine media last Wednesday night noted that Estudiantes, without control of the match or goals, was now full of doubts, seeming hyperbole given the match ended in a draw. In recent days, the same media has been quick to pick up and amplify seemingly innocuous quotes from Cruzeiro personnel describing Estudiantes as a dangerous and capable opponent – the type of quotes that are practically obligatory in these situations.

These reactions are disproportionate but understandable, for a number of reasons:

History

Estudiantes has not been to the final of the Copa Lib since 1971. Back then they lost to Uruguay’s Nacíonal in their effort to retain the tournament’s title for a fourth straight season. That loss ended an era and caused a relative drought that extended for thirty-five years. In that time, they won Argentina’s national tournament, a competition staged twice per annum, only twice times.

That span of relative futility has ended with the return of Juan Sebastián Verón, whose return to Argentina and Estudiantes in 2006 led to an Apertura title, the clubs first tournament title in 23 seasons. Estudiantes has two other top three finishes since the title, further wetting the appetites of supporters for more titles.

High Expectations

Beyond history and the recent turn in fortunes, the talent on the squad has lead to high expectations. Juan Sebastián Verón is considered by many to be the second best player on the continent (behind Riquelme). Attacking midfielder Leandro Benitez arrived with Verón and has been has attacking counterpart in midfielder during this period of resurgence. They support Mauro Boselli, a 24-year-old striker who came from Boca last season and has come into own through this tournament. At the back, Leandro Desabato maintains a strong back line in front of Mariano Andújar, who has all the tools to be a world-class keeper.

Impending Exodus

Andújar is already signed to move to Catania after the tournament, where he will ply his trade in the Serie A. He won’t be the only pincha to leave. Both Benitez and Boselli have been linked with jumps to Europe. Combined with Verón’s climbing age (he turned 34 in March), this may be Estudiantes best chance to regain the Copa before having to reload.

Previous Result

Estudiantes routed Cruzeiro in La Plata during group play, and while they were similarly routed in Belo Horizonte in the preceding, reverse fixture, getting only a 0-0 draw last Wednesday is caused worry. You can’t help but wonder if the other team has your number when they can flip a switch and get their desired result. Question Cruzeiro’s desire for a draw, but don’t question their ability to get it. Estudiantes should be concerned that they were not able to accomplish their goal while Cruzeiro accomplished theirs.

Argentina versus Brazil

Do not forget that Estudiantes and Cruzeiro represent the continent’s two dominant national powers, between whom there is a volatile dynamic. Argentina is home for possibly the best active player (Lionel Messi), the game’s best player of all-time (Maradona) and has won eight more Copa Libertadores than Brazil, yet Argentina still rests in the relative international shadow of Brazil. Such is the power of World Cup success and good marketing. Pele overshadows Maradona, Kaka’s image may still be more commercially viable than Messi’s, and Estudiantes just ceded the advantage in Copa Lib to some Brazilians.

You can’t blame Argentines for being a bit tired of this storyline, especially with a critical World Cup qualifier against the Selecão coming next month.

For all the reasons why Estudiantes and their supporters are particularly anxious about tonight’s match, there is an assumption that bears further examination. That assumption: Estudiantes, in a 0-0 tie going into tonight’s match, is in a relatively bad position. The history of this competition disagrees with that assumption.

There have been eleven instances in Copa Libertadores finals where the first leg ended 0-0. In five of those instances, the team that played the first match at home won the title. That’s just below fifty percent, and keeping in mind that nature of the competition gives the home pitch advantage to the team that performed better throughout the tournament, it’s an explicable result.

That sample of eleven matches is small, but if you look at the last five competitions and examine all knock-out stage ties (not just the finals), there are four times the second leg’s away side “overcame” a 0-0 opening draw to win the tie on the road. Again, that’s just under half the time.

Perhaps there is some 0-0, away team bogey there, but a more likely explanation is that the better team is winning these ties, and the home team happens to be the better team half (or a little more than half) the time. If Estudiantes is the better team, they can overcome this setback. If they are not, they don’t deserve to.

The best way Estudiantes can go about proving their superiority is by maintaining their shape at the back. Estudiantes has allowed only one goal in their last seven Libertadores matches thanks to the back line’s a high degree of organization. This was evident last week as Leandro Desabato and Rolando Schiavi could not be drawn out of the back by Kléber’s dropping back or Ramires coming in from the wing. If Cruzeiro does not provide more pressure, Estudiantes will be able to maintain this organization indefinitely.

Based on Cruzeiro’s approach to last week’s match, we can assume they will be more ambitious tonight. The Brazilians exhibited a lack of urgency endemic to the first leg’s road team. Returning home to the Belo Horizonte, Cruzeiro will give Estudiantes’ defense their staunchest test since February, when the pinchas lost 3-0 at Minierão. Tactically, Cruzeiro may need to bring Wagner back to the middle and rely on Ramires for their width, but even if their tactics are unchanged, Raposa change of attitude is likely to test Estudiantes.

Cruzeiro had scored two or more goals in five of their six knockout stage matches before last week. Although shutting them out in a second consecutive match is possible, Estudiantes has to anticipate needing a goal. This will make Juan Sebastian Verón, their most renown player, also their most important. Verón, the club’s captain, will not only need to be a strong presence in front of the center backs (along with Rodrigo Braña), his distribution to Benitez, Enzo Perez and Gaston Fernandez will determine how capable Estudiantes will be in taking advantage of Cruzeiro’s ambition.

Their is little from last week’s match in La Plata that leads us to think Estudiantes’ attack will be more successful than they were last week. Fabio did have a good match in net for Cruzeiro, but Estudiantes does not have Raposa’s skill in the finish. That may be augmented by tactics, as Cruzeiro is likely to open up their approach. That could lead to more opportunities for Estudiantes off the counter, the type of opportunities they did not have to generate a week ago. With their defense, Estudiantes may need only one goal, so if they can take advantage of Cruzeiro’s backs pushing forward, they could generate opportunities up the wing (through Benitez) a get the critical opening goal what will allow them to bunker down.

That path to the title is a lot thinner than Cruzeiro’s, who need only play to their capabilities. If the home side uses the creativity of Kléber and Wagner to distribute wide from the middle, they can stretch Estudiantes’ form at the back and generate opportunities. It’s not an approach that’s likely to have a high success rate, but it will pin Estudiantes deep as midfielders are forced into reinforcing the middle against crosses. That will prevent Estudiantes from breaking out, give Cruzeiro more possession, and increase the likelihood of one of their attacks eventually getting through Andújar.

Given Cruzeiro were able to accomplish their goals last week, they should be considered favorites to do the same tonight, where their goal will be to win, not draw.

Richard Farley is a U.S.-based contributor to World Soccer Reader, focusing on the English Premier League and Spain’s La Liga. He also hosts WSR Radio, the site’s regular podcast. He can be reached at richardfarley at gmail dot com and followed on Twitter, username “richardfarley.” Richard also hosts a regular (if informal) podcast at pointoneohradio.com.

Unfortunately, the biggest news leading up to this tie has been another H1N1 threat. Argentina has recently been hit by an H1N1 outbreak that has claimed 44 lives. This caused Cruzeiro to express reservations about traveling to La Plata for tonight’s opening leg. The Brazilian side requested a postponement or relocation. On Monday, it was announced Cruzeiro’s request had been rejected. The first leg goes on as scheduled, but the match has been overshadowed by the reservations of Cruzeiro’s player about traveling to Argentina during the outbreak. Whether the concerns are warranted, they have unfortunately but only temporarily distracted from the culmination of a great tournament.

Last season’s final featured Brazilian’s Fluminense against Ecuador’s LDU Quito. At the time the stories of Fluminense’s Thiago Neves and Ecaudor possibly winning the country’s first continental club title helped inject the necessary majesty into the tournament. In hindsight, however, last year’s competition seems anti-climactic. LDU eventually won on penalty kicks and took the Copa back to Quito while Flu would struggle in form all year, helping hindsight revise our view of the final.

This year features a traditional Brazil-Argentina match-up. An Argentine club has won this competition nineteen times. Brazilian clubs have thirteen championships to their credit. As would be expected, these countries are the dominant presences in the continent’s club football. This year’s final has that rivalry’s added drama augmenting a match already rife with stories.

Unlike Copa Libertadores’ analog competition in Europe, this final’s to be settled over two legs. Tonight’s match in La Plata sees Estudiantes de la Plata host Brazil’s Cruzeiro. Estudiantes got here by defeating Urugayan champions Nacíonal 3-1 in one semifinal. Cruziero eliminated fellow Brazilian-side Grêmio, going up 5-1 before ultimately registering a 5-3 aggregate victory.

The match features teams who were drawn together in the competition’s group stage. After next week’s second leg in Belo Horizonte, Estudiantes and Cruzeiro will have played four times in the Copa. Cruzeiro hosted Estudiantes to open the the club’s group stage, winning 3-0 at the Estádio Uníco in February thanks to two goals from star forward Kléber. April’s second leg in La Plata saw Estudiantes one-up their guest with a 4-0 victory. Matías Sánchez scored twice, with captain and figurehead Juan Sebástian Verón also posting a goal.

Because Estudiantes stumbled within group play to Deportivo Quito (who finished third the group), Cruziero would go on to win Group 5 and gain the higher seed in the 16-team knockout phase. For Estudiantes, a team that barely qualified for the tournament, advancing was enough. They were the last of five teams to qualify from Argentina, getting the counrty’s last birth based on their average performance in the three preceding Argentine seasons. That birth did not get them into the tournament proper. To advance, they would have to defeat Peru’s Sporting Cristal in a two-legged preliminary tie. Estudiantes lost the first leg 2-1 in Lima but went through on away goals after winning 1-0 in La Plata.

Close calls in the preliminary round and group stage were offset by an easy knockout stage draw. There are exceptions to this rule, but if you can avoid being drawn against the Brazilian and Argentine clubs, you have half of your tournament’s plan for success. Thanks to their strong goal differential in Group 5, Estudiantes were seeded a tenth out of the sixteen teams that advanced from group play (teams were seeded by group finish, points, then goal differential).

That seed matched Estudiantes with Libertad of Paraguay in the Round of 16. Estudiantes took the steam out of that tie with a 3-0 win in the first leg. A scoreless second leg sent them through to the quarters, where they matched-up against Uruguay’s Defensor. Defensor was coming off the upset of the tournament, having eliminated Argentine powerhouse and Boca Juniors in the previous round. Two 1-0 wins over the fifteenth seed put Estudiantes into the semis.

Cruzeiro earned the bracket’s fifth seed out of group stage yet had the tougher knockout route. Grêmio was the tournament’s top seed and had not lost in ten Copa matches before facing Cruzeiro. In the quarters, Cruzeiro similarly dominated São Paulo, the three-time defending Serie A champions from Brazil. In the round of 16, Cruzeiro beat Universidad de Chile, who were this week crowned Chilean Apertura champions. As impressive as the route Cruzeiro took to get to the final is the way in which they traveled. Only once in their six knockout stage matches have they been held under two goals (the second leg against Universidad).

Though he has only two of those knockout stage goals (which number 12 in all), Cruzeiro’s most dangerous player is Kléber. The former Dynamo Kiev star returned to Brazil last year on a season long loan to Palmeiras. He made a permanent move to Cruzeiro before this season and has been central to the uptick in Raposa’s form that has seen them build a seven match win streak within Copa. Kléber is ostensibly the second striker to Wellington Paulista’s more traditional number nine but is often found coming deep into midfield to help link between Paulista and Cruzeiro’s other star, midfielder Wagner.

Matching up with that attack, Estudiantes’ strength lies in defense. They limited Nacíonal to only one solid chance over the 180 minute semifinal. The goal, a consolation tally conceded after Estudiantes had a 2-0 aggregate lead (and a road goals advantage) in the second half of the final leg, was the first the Argentine club had allowed in the knockout stage. For the tournament, they have allowed only five goals in twelve matches.

Leandro Desábato, who took Verón’s armband when the captain could not play the semifinals’ second leg in Montevideo, leads the defense from his center back spot. Verón’s role distributing from deep, helping to link from a defensive zone from which Cruzeiro will likely control the match, will be critical, but although the former Manchester United and Chelsea midfielder will gets more press, his role in this tie is less important than Desábato’s. For an Estudiantes defense that has remained remarkably organized throughout the tournament, Desábato is the leader. The thirty-year-old veteran (in his second tour of duty and eighth year with Estudiantes) provides a physical presence to a back line that will again be tested by the Brazilians. Of the five goals they have allowed in the tournament, Cruzeiro scored three in one match.

The biggest star at the back for Estudiantes is Mariano Andújar. The 25-year-old goaltender was recently recalled to the Argentine national team, starting the last two World Cup qualifiers, performing admirably for an uninspiring squad. After this tournament, Andújar will be moving to Italy’s Serie A, where he has signed a four-year deal for Catania. At 6′ 4″ but with the wingspan or a man three inches taller, Andújar can cover goal at a world-class level. In his decisions you see somebody who lacks the finishing top-level experience provides. To this point in the tournament, Andújar has been more than capable of overcoming that deficiency. In his World Cup qualifying experience and in this final, he will start gathering the experience he’s been lacking.

If Desábato can maintain Estudiantes’ organization, he will limit the need for Andújar to dominate. However, it may be too great a task to ask Estudiantes’ back line to completely shut down the potent Cruzeiro attack. It is also reasonable to expect Andújar to steal the show (although it could happen). Estudiantes shut out Cruzeiro the last time the Brazilians came to La Plata, but with Cruzeiro playing better football now than they did months ago, Estudiantes must plan on getting two, three goals over these two legs if they are to win. Regardless, look for Estudiantes to play conservative and look for Verón to break them out into attack.

That is where Mauro Boselli comes in. Boselli is the lead striker for Estudiantes and the tournament’s leading goal scorer. With his two goals in Montevideo to close out Nacíonal, Boselli is up to six goals in the competition. Resourceful and efficient, he is more than capable of getting two goals during the final; however, it is key that Estudiantes find him rather than settling for half-changes through supporting attackers. Second striker Gastón Fernández was wasteful in many opportunities against Nacíonal and was the reason why that tie was in a small amount of doubt midway through the second leg’s second half. Estudiantes staying organized at the back and getting strong distribution from Verón to Boselli and attacking midfielder Leandro Benítez could overcome such wastefulness.

That scenario and the group stage results not withstanding, Cruzeiro is the favorite. The addition of Kléber to the attack has provided a perfect complement to Wagner. Each do a great job of both distributing the ball wide and creating through the middle while playing at distinct levels of the attack. This ability to distribute and the various depths from which they can build their attacks, could force Estudiantes to break their line, creating space for Wellington.

If that happens, it is difficult to imagine Estudiantes winning the final; however, if Desábato leads a strong back line and Verón is resourceful at converting turnovers into opportunities, Estudiantes could make the most of their first finals appearance since 1971.

Richard Farley is a U.S.-based contributor to World Soccer Reader, focusing on the English Premier League and Spain’s La Liga. He also hosts WSR Radio, the site’s regular podcast. He can be reached at richardfarley at gmail dot com and followed on Twitter, username “richardfarley.” Richard also hosts a regular (if informal) podcast at pointoneohradio.com.