Lionel Messi and his Barcelona teammates face elimination in Tuesday's second leg Champions League match against Arsenal. Getty Images/LLUIS GENE.LLUIS GENE/Getty Images
The Spanish champions may not have put Arsenal to the sword in the same manner as they did last season, but they got the all-important result, passing the Gunners off the field in the process to show it will take a gargantuan effort to get by them if anyone else has designs on the Champions League crown.
1 Barcelona
Last time: 1
Likely breathing a huge sigh of relief after seeing Nicklas Bendtner spurn the chance to knock them out of the Champions League, Barcelona's players would do well to heed the warning of their wastefulness in front of goal, with stronger opponents than Arsenal lying in wait. Still, when you're flying high in three competitions at this stage of the season, it's hard to be too critical.
2 Real Madrid
Last time: 2
It's still looking like a fruitless chase, with Jose Mourinho's team still lying seven points back of league leader Barcelona, but a 3-1 away win over Racing Santander still gives Los Blancos hope. However, they would likely be better served pouring their energies into ensuring Lyon doesn't knock them out of the Champions League for the second straight year next week.
3 Borussia Dortmund
Last time: 5
The magic number has now dwindled to five, with that representing the number of wins the club needs to wrap up the Bundesliga title after the 1-0 win over Cologne last Friday, with the 12-point margin over second-placed Bayer Leverkusen effectively killing off any possibility of drama in this year's German top flight.
4 Tottenham Hotspur
Last time: 9
The Champions League rookies continue to astound with their mature performances against Europe's elite. Despite twice failing to hold leads in a 3-3 draw with Wolves at the weekend, Spurs showed far more defensive nous on Wednesday, holding seven-time European champion AC Milan to a 0-0 draw to ensure progress to the quarter-finals. Not a team others will want to face in the next round.
5 Shakhtar Donestk
Last time: Not ranked
The Ukrainian champions have only just recently resumed their league campaign following a winter break, and have shown no signs of rust by picking up the full three points against Sevastopol to maintain their 12-point lead over second-placed Dynamo Kyiv. However, Wednesday's 3-0 rout of Roma, to complete a 6-2 aggregate slaughter, has really set tongues wagging, with the Ukrainians joining Tottenham as dark horses in the Champions League.
6 Manchester City
Last time: 7
It wasn't exactly a masterclass in creativity, but City's 1-0 win over Wigan last Saturday, courtesy of a goalkeeping clanger from Ali Al Habsi, keeps the Blues in with a shout in the English Premier League, especially with Arsenal dropping points at home to Sunderland and Manchester United losing its second straight, this time to Liverpool. Still, the Europa League and F.A. Cup represent better bets for Roberto Mancini's side.
7 Porto
Last time: 8
The Portuguese league leader remains unbeaten after registering its 20th win over the season last Saturday stretching its lead to 11 points after second-placed Benfica's 2-1 loss to Braga. Although it still has to travel to Lisbon to face its great rival, the title seems all but wrapped up, the only question being whether Andre Villas-Boas's club can add the Europa League and Portuguese Cup to another championship.
8 AC Milan
Last time: Not ranked
Champions League elimination at the hands of Tottenham likely wasn't in the script, but Milan can at least take stock in the fact that it's taking care of business domestically. Gennaro Gattuso, who was suspended from the second leg against Spurs, scored the all-important goal as Milan conquered their great Turin rival, Juventus, to remain five-point clear of Inter and on course for a first scudetto since 2004.
9 Arsenal
Last time: 4
The Champions League exit will likely sting for a while - although given Arsenal's complete lack of ambition against Barcelona it probably shouldn't - but at least the Gunners can fall back on their improved position in the Premier League, despite being held by Sunderland last weekend. Manchester United's back-to-back losses have Arsene Wenger's squad poised to strike, just three points back with a game in hand, although it will first have to survive a testing F.A. Cup quarter-final against the Red Devils at Old Trafford this Saturday.
10 Inter Milan
Last time: Not ranked
The club's renaissance under Brazilian coach Leonardo continues at pace last weekend with a 5-2 demolition of Genoa, but remains five points adrift of Milan. Still, Leonardo has his team refusing to lose at present - taking 33 out of a possible 39 points since he took over - and that trait will stand it in good stead as the season progresses.