Atletico Madrid have overtaken Barcelona and Bayern Munich to move into second place in the UEFA rankings for club competitions.
The latest official list published ahead of the 2017-18 season sees Atletico with a coefficient of 133.799, putting them ahead of third-placed Barca (128.7990), fourth-placed Bayern (122.656) and fifth-placed Juventus (119.049).
Real Madrid, who beat Atletico in the 2014 and 2016 Champions League finals, as well as retaining the trophy by defeating Juve 4-1 in the 2017 decider, top the table with a coefficient of 151.799.
When Diego Simeone took charge of Atletico during the 2011-12 campaign, the club were down in 23rd place in the rankings — between CSKA Moscow and Marseille — but they have climbed steadily each year since due to their success in that season’s Europa League, followed by consistently reaching the latter stages of the Champions League each year since.
“Atletico Madrid has climbed to second place of the ranking of European clubs that UEFA elaborates,” a club statement read. “Our team’s coefficient is of 133,799 points, which has allowed us to surpass FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich in the ranking. Our scores of the last five seasons are: in the campaign 2013/14 we accumulated 37,600, 26,042 in 2014/15, 32,785 in 2015/16 and 33,028 in 2016/17.
“In addition, our team starts next season with 4,342 points since it has qualified for the group stage of the Champions League. We need to remember that in the last four seasons, our team has reached two Champions League finals, a semi-final and a few quarter-finals. In addition, for the first time in our history, Simeone’s squad will play for the fifth consecutive season in the continental showpiece.”
The highest ranked Premier League club in the latest UEFA standings is Manchester City — who sit ninth [94.363], ahead of Arsenal (11th – 84.363), Chelsea (13th – 80.363), Manchester United (16th – 78.363), Tottenham (22nd – 62.363) and Liverpool (35th – 44.363). When Simeone took over Atletico English clubs were much higher — United were then second, Chelsea third, Arsenal sixth and Liverpool 11th.
Other clubs to rise during recent years include current leaders Madrid [who were seventh back in 2011], Juventus (up from 43rd to fifth), Sevilla (up from 11th to sixth) and Paris Saint-Germain (up from 38th to seventh).
Significant fallers have been Inter Milan (ninth, down to 59th), AC Milan (10th to 58th) and Valencia (15th to 30th).
The club coefficient rankings are based on the results of clubs competing in the five previous seasons of the Champions League and Europa League. The rankings determine the seeding of each club in all UEFA competition draws.
COMMENTS