Soccer Power Rankings: 1 big question for each team down the stretch

On the first Tuesday of every month during the 2024-25 season, we'll debate which clubs are among Europe's elite in our Soccer Power Rankings. In our April edition, we're identifying one key question that's hanging over each team as they all enter the stretch run of the campaign.

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1. Paris Saint-Germain 🇫🇷

Previous: 1 ⚖️

Will PSG finally win the Champions League? Let's be real: this is the only question that truly matters for any PSG season. They're steamrolling the competition in France and could go unbeaten in Ligue 1. But PSG would happily rest starters and take a domestic loss if it proved beneficial to their pursuit of an elusive Champions League crown. With an exuberant squad and a favorable path to the semifinals, this could finally be their year.

2. Barcelona 🇪🇸

Previous: 3 📈

Can Robert Lewandowski keep up this pace? By his sky-high standards, the Polish veteran had a down season last year, scoring only 19 league goals. It was fair to question whether, at 35, Lewandowski was finally starting to decline after over a decade of elite production. He's responded emphatically to those queries. A year later, the Pichichi leader is flourishing again under Hansi Flick, offering a focal point for Raphinha and Lamine Yamal to combine with.

3. Inter Milan 🇮🇹

Previous: 7 📈

Can Inter continue scoring by committee? Lautaro Martinez is having his least productive scoring year since his first campaign at Inter. But his teammates are picking up the slack - 17 other players have found the net for Simone Inzaghi's team across all competitions in 2024-25. The treble-chasing Nerazzurri, leading Serie A with eight games remaining, need Marcus Thuram and Co. to keep producing.

4. Real Madrid 🇪🇸

Previous: 5 📈

Does Kylian Mbappe have another gear? After much hand-wringing about his fit alongside Vinicius Junior, the Frenchman has put his slow start behind him. Mbappe has now matched his idol, Cristiano Ronaldo, by scoring 33 goals in his first season with Real Madrid, and he'll need to stay hot if Los Blancos are to overtake Barcelona in La Liga and continue their push toward another Champions League title.

5. Bayern Munich 🇩🇪

Previous: 4 📉

How will an injury-ravaged defense hold up? The injury bug is biting Bayern Munich hard at the worst possible time. Trying to keep Bayer Leverkusen at bay in the Bundesliga and preparing for a Champions League quarterfinal tilt with Inter, Bayern have lost defenders Dayot Upamecano, Alphonso Davies, and Hiroki Ito in the last week, and are still waiting for goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to return. It's Eric Dier's time to shine in Bavaria.

6. Liverpool 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Previous: 2 📉

Will Mohamed Salah stick around? After their exits from the FA Cup and Champions League, and a loss in the League Cup final, Liverpool's lone commitment is the Premier League, where they have the title nearly sealed. Much of the focus at Anfield, then, is squarely on Salah, who still hasn't extended his contract. His future is genuinely uncertain. Whatever he decides, it'll have a huge ripple effect throughout English football.

7. Bologna 🇮🇹

Previous: N/A 📈

Can Vincenzo Italiano one-up Thiago Motta? The latter led Bologna on a Cinderella run last season, culminating in an unexpected Champions League berth. When he departed for Juventus, the club was expected to take a step backward. Instead, Italiano has them looking to do even better. Bologna, in a strong position to reach the Coppa Italia final, are sitting fourth in Serie A after five straight wins, including a 5-0 demolition of Lazio.

8. Arsenal 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Previous: 9 📈

How quickly can Bukayo Saka be himself again? Saka is expected to return this week after missing more than three months with a serious hamstring injury; the star winger hasn't played since undergoing surgery in December. Getting him as close to full match sharpness as possible is Mikel Arteta's most important task ahead of an enticing Champions League quarterfinal clash with Real Madrid.

9. Newcastle United 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Previous: 17 📈

Will the League Cup triumph inspire a surge? Newcastle captured their first trophy in 56 years by beating Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final. That guaranteed them at least a place in next season's Conference League. But the Magpies want more. As many as eight Premier League sides are in a scrap for a Champions League berth, and Eddie Howe will be hoping his team can ride the wave of positivity from the cup triumph to overcome the stiff competition.

10. Nottingham Forest 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Previous: N/A 📈

When will this dream become reality? Nottingham Forest haven't fallen off like many expected they would, and they now find themselves in an excellent position to return to Europe's top competition. Nuno Espirito Santo, doing arguably the best coaching job of anyone on the continent this season, also has his team in the semifinals of the FA Cup. This could end up being Forest's greatest campaign since the days of iconic boss Brian Clough.

11. Napoli 🇮🇹

Previous: 10 📉

Can Antonio Conte drag Napoli to the title? Napoli's focus has been entirely singular for months. Since they were knocked out of the Italian Cup in December, it's been Scudetto or bust. Conte has been touted as the team's biggest X-factor all year, and that's only become more true since Napoli sold star winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia during the January transfer window. The fiery bench boss needs to showcase all his nous for Napoli to reel in Inter.

12. Bayer Leverkusen 🇩🇪

Previous: 8 📉

Is there any magic left? It appeared as though Bayer Leverkusen had used up all nine of their lives to fuel last season's historic accomplishments. At various points this year, it looked like the magic had evaporated. But Leverkusen have rediscovered some of the late-game heroics that were so prevalent in 2023-24, and now sit only six points back of Bundesliga leaders Bayern. What else can Xabi Alonso pull from the hat to reduce that gap?

13. Athletic Bilbao 🇪🇸

Previous: 13 ⚖️

Just how powerful is home cooking? Athletic Bilbao are on a mission in Europe. The San Mames, their raucous stadium, will host this season's Europa League final, and Bilbao are determined to take part in that match on May 21. Their intoxicating last-16 win over Roma, in which the home crowd roared them to a decisive second-leg victory, showed how much of a boost the Basque fans can provide for Nico Williams and his teammates.

14. Crystal Palace 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Previous: N/A 📈

Can Eberechi Eze light up Wembley? Crystal Palace have won seven of their eight games since the start of February, conceding just four goals in that spell. Oliver Glasner has built a solid team with a sturdy spine, but for Palace to keep rolling, they need Eze to continue sparkling. The Eagles, seeking their first major trophy, are in the semifinals of the FA Cup and will be counting on their most electrifying player to make the difference on the big stage.

15. Roma 🇮🇹

Previous: N/A 📈

Is this a mirage? Roma were 12th in Serie A, just four points above the relegation zone, when Claudio Ranieri took over. They're now four points off a Champions League place. The turnaround has been remarkable. They've won seven straight league games, but five of those have been 1-0 victories over Serie A's punching bags. Their final eight matches include tilts against Juventus, Lazio, Inter, Fiorentina, Atalanta, and Milan. The real test starts now.

16. Atletico Madrid 🇪🇸

Previous: 5 📉

Is Atletico's season going to fizzle out? An ill-timed run of one "true" win in seven matches has cratered Atletico Madrid's season - they technically beat Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League clash last month, but lost the tie on penalties. Their title push has stalled, and their season now rests on the Copa del Rey semifinal against Barcelona. If they bow out there too, it's going to be a slow, dispiriting march toward the offseason.

17. Sporting CP 🇵🇹

Previous: N/A 📈

Can Viktor Gyokeres go out on a high note? It's been a turbulent year for Sporting CP, who lost their coach midseason and have dealt with distracting transfer stories for months. Through it all, Gyokeres has been unflappable. The Swede has 30 goals in 26 league matches, putting him in the mix for the European Golden Shoe as the continent's most prolific scorer. Widely expected to leave the club in the summer for a monstrous fee, he could lead Sporting to their second consecutive league crown before departing.

18. Ajax 🇳🇱

Previous: N/A 📈

Time for a philosophical shift? Francesco Farioli has transformed Ajax in his first season. The Italian tactician has brought a defense-first approach to the famously forward-thinking club, and it's paying off: Ajax have 11 wins and one draw in their last 12 league games, and lead the Eredivisie by nine points after shutting out second-placed PSV on the weekend. Ajax's first non-Dutch head coach since 1998 could inspire a culture change if he delivers a title.

19. Benfica 🇵🇹

Previous: 11 📉

Any plans for May 10? If so, cancel them. That's when Benfica host Lisbon rivals Sporting in the penultimate round of the Primeira Liga season. There's every chance the two Portuguese giants could be level on points atop the table heading into that contest; Benfica are currently three points back, but have a game in hand. Late-season, one-off title deciders between bitter foes don't come around all that often. Here's hoping the stakes remain high.

20. Manchester City 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Previous: 14 📉

Can Omar Marmoush fill Erling Haaland's shoes? Manchester City remain hopeful that Haaland's ankle injury won't be season-ending. Even if he returns at all, he'll only do so in the final few weeks of the campaign. For a team already in a dogfight for a Champions League spot, that's a massive blow. Marmoush, who has four goals in seven league matches since joining the club in January, now needs to be Pep Guardiola's main man.

Dropped out: Marseille, Atalanta, Lazio, Brighton & Hove Albion, PSV Eindhoven, Fenerbahce
On the cusp: Monaco, Juventus, Mainz