HOW IT WORKS

This season we will use the Hypercube Infostrada Euro Club Index, which scientifically analyses hundreds of thousands of matches from the top divisions in all European nations as well as Europa League and Champions League games.

The Index takes into account all matches played over an eight-year period but with recent results carrying more weight than older ones. The most recent result has 20 times more impact than a result of three years ago.

The performance of a league's teams in the Champions League and Europa League reflects the rise or fall of the sporting level in that league. So, for example, if English teams perform well in Europe, all Premier League teams receive a small bonus in their ECI score. The ranking and its predictive power are thus made even more accurate.

- - -

The top 10 stay stable this week, but there is movement further down the table.

Liverpool's FA Cup final defeat capped off their second miserable domestic season in a row, and a mark of their decline was seen in the Euro Club Index as they slipped outside the top 30 and fell behind neighbours Everton.

The importance of sustained success (or failure) is seen in a couple of apparent anomalies in the latest rankings. Recently-crowned national champions Juventus and Borussia Dortmund are not the highest-ranked clubs in their respective countries.

Italian giants Milan remain five places ahead of Juventus, while Bayern Munich stay fourth, four places ahead of Bundesliga rivals Dortmund.

Juventus are paying the price for their poor recent seasons prior to this one, while Dortmund's two consecutive German titles are outweighed by Bayern's Champions League success.

On the other hand, the likes of Porto, Ajax and Zenit St Petersburg have won their domestic leagues and also top their national Euro Club Index score.

- - -

Top 20

1 (1) Barcelona – 4372 points

2 (2) Real Madrid - 4365

3 (3) Manchester United - 3682

4 (4) Bayern Munich - 3513

5 (5) Manchester City – 3505

6 (6) Chelsea - 3430

7 (7) Porto - 3376

8 (9) Borussia Dortmund - 3287

9 (8) Arsenal - 3233

10 (10) AC Milan - 3200

11 (15) Valencia – 3134

12 (12) Benfica - 3130

13 (11) Atletico Madrid – 3128

14 (14) Shakhtar Donetsk - 3124

15 (16) Juventus – 3092

16 (17) Ajax – 3083

17 (18) Lille - 3083

18 (13) Zenit St Petersburg - 3061

19 (20) Tottenham Hotspur - 3038

20 (19) PSV - 3031

Other British clubs in top 100

28 (26) Everton - 2893

31 (24) Liverpool - 2871

40 (42) Newcastle United - 2737

49 (58) Fulham – 2669

66 (62) Celtic - 2547

69 (70) Aston Villa – 2494

70 (72) Stoke City - 2460

87 (88) West Bromwich Albion – 2408

96 (91) Sunderland – 2368

98 (96) Rangers – 2353