ESPN's World Club Top 25: May 18, 2003
Club Country Points Last Week Comment
1. Juventus Italy 325.58 1 In Champions Lg final for first time since 1998
2. Manchester United England 294.18 3 Season complete
3. AC Milan Italy 291.33 4 In Champions Lg final for first time since 1995
4. Real Madrid Spain 291.25 2 European champions eliminated by Juve
5. Boca Juniors Argentina 273.41 7 Rally for victory over Paysandu in Copa Libertadores
6. Inter Milan Italy 271.48 5 Eliminated in Europe by city rivals AC Milan
7. FC Porto Portugal 261.14 6 UEFA Cup final vs. Celtic this week
8. River Plate Argentina 259.90 12 Advanced to Copa Libertadores semifinals
9. Bayern Munich Germany 254.15 8 Will play Kaiserslautern in the Cup final
10. Santos Brazil 249.25 9 Meet Cruz Azul in Copa Libertadores quarterfinals
11. Arsenal England 249.03 11 Back-to-back FA Cup champions
12. Deportivo La Coruna Spain 240.24 10 Lose top spot in Spain after loss to Valencia
13. Ajax Netherlands 230.58 13 Feyenoord's win over PSV opens door for Ajax
14. Celtic Scotland 227.59 15 SPL title to be decided on final weekend
15. Valencia Spain 226.47 16 Fabio Aurelio scores both goals in win vs. Deportivo
16. Corinthians Brazil 220.00 14 Eliminated from Libertadores by River Plate
17. Newcastle United England 216.29 17 Season complete
18. Besiktas Turkey 215.96 18 Can wrap up Turkish league title next week
19. Lazio Italy 215.37 19 Clinched Champions Lg berth for next season
20. Borussia Dortmund Germany 208.84 20 Season finale next week
21. Liverpool England 208.03 23 Season complete
22. Cobreloa Chile 207.83 24 Chilean league leader to meet Boca in Libertadores
23. Gremio Brazil 206.63 21 2-1 loss at Ponte Preta
24. PSV Netherlands 203.87 22 Suffered just second loss of the season vs. Feyenoord
25. Real Sociedad Spain 202.79 NR Back on top in La Liga
Dropped out:
No. 25 Barcelona (Spain)
Joining Juventus in the May 28 European Cup final at Old Trafford in Manchester will be AC Milan, which eliminated city rivals Inter on the away goals rule after the two clubs played to a 1-1 aggregate.
Action was hot this week in South America as the Copa Libertadores quarterfinal field was completed. It was a good week for the Argentine giants against their Brazilian counterparts. River Plate eliminated Corinthians 4-2 on aggregate while Boca Juniors rallied for a 4-2 win over Paysandu in the second leg to advance to the quarterfinals 4-3 on aggregate.
In Spain, league leaders Deportivo dropped a 2-1 decision to Valencia and allowed its main competitors, Real Sociedad and Real Madrid to jump ahead in the Liga Primera table with just four matches remaining.
The Dutch league championship is still in doubt as league leaders PSV dropped a 3-1 decision to Feyenoord in Rotterdam. Ajax cruised to a 7-1 win to move within three points of PSV for the league lead with two games remaining.
Porto and Celtic will meet in the UEFA Cup final in Seville this week. Celtic is involved in a dogfight for the SPL title against Glasgow rivals Rangers. The championship will likely be decided on goal differential on the final day of the season.
Lazio wrapped up the final Champions League berth in Italy with a 3-1 win over Brescia on Saturday.
Turkish league leaders Besiktas is set to clinch the league title next weekend.
Club Country Points Last Week Comment
1. Juventus Italy 325.58 1 In Champions Lg final for first time since 1998
2. Manchester United England 294.18 3 Season complete
3. AC Milan Italy 291.33 4 In Champions Lg final for first time since 1995
4. Real Madrid Spain 291.25 2 European champions eliminated by Juve
5. Boca Juniors Argentina 273.41 7 Rally for victory over Paysandu in Copa Libertadores
6. Inter Milan Italy 271.48 5 Eliminated in Europe by city rivals AC Milan
7. FC Porto Portugal 261.14 6 UEFA Cup final vs. Celtic this week
8. River Plate Argentina 259.90 12 Advanced to Copa Libertadores semifinals
9. Bayern Munich Germany 254.15 8 Will play Kaiserslautern in the Cup final
10. Santos Brazil 249.25 9 Meet Cruz Azul in Copa Libertadores quarterfinals
11. Arsenal England 249.03 11 Back-to-back FA Cup champions
12. Deportivo La Coruna Spain 240.24 10 Lose top spot in Spain after loss to Valencia
13. Ajax Netherlands 230.58 13 Feyenoord's win over PSV opens door for Ajax
14. Celtic Scotland 227.59 15 SPL title to be decided on final weekend
15. Valencia Spain 226.47 16 Fabio Aurelio scores both goals in win vs. Deportivo
16. Corinthians Brazil 220.00 14 Eliminated from Libertadores by River Plate
17. Newcastle United England 216.29 17 Season complete
18. Besiktas Turkey 215.96 18 Can wrap up Turkish league title next week
19. Lazio Italy 215.37 19 Clinched Champions Lg berth for next season
20. Borussia Dortmund Germany 208.84 20 Season finale next week
21. Liverpool England 208.03 23 Season complete
22. Cobreloa Chile 207.83 24 Chilean league leader to meet Boca in Libertadores
23. Gremio Brazil 206.63 21 2-1 loss at Ponte Preta
24. PSV Netherlands 203.87 22 Suffered just second loss of the season vs. Feyenoord
25. Real Sociedad Spain 202.79 NR Back on top in La Liga
Dropped out:
No. 25 Barcelona (Spain)
Joining Juventus in the May 28 European Cup final at Old Trafford in Manchester will be AC Milan, which eliminated city rivals Inter on the away goals rule after the two clubs played to a 1-1 aggregate.
Action was hot this week in South America as the Copa Libertadores quarterfinal field was completed. It was a good week for the Argentine giants against their Brazilian counterparts. River Plate eliminated Corinthians 4-2 on aggregate while Boca Juniors rallied for a 4-2 win over Paysandu in the second leg to advance to the quarterfinals 4-3 on aggregate.
In Spain, league leaders Deportivo dropped a 2-1 decision to Valencia and allowed its main competitors, Real Sociedad and Real Madrid to jump ahead in the Liga Primera table with just four matches remaining.
The Dutch league championship is still in doubt as league leaders PSV dropped a 3-1 decision to Feyenoord in Rotterdam. Ajax cruised to a 7-1 win to move within three points of PSV for the league lead with two games remaining.
Porto and Celtic will meet in the UEFA Cup final in Seville this week. Celtic is involved in a dogfight for the SPL title against Glasgow rivals Rangers. The championship will likely be decided on goal differential on the final day of the season.
Lazio wrapped up the final Champions League berth in Italy with a 3-1 win over Brescia on Saturday.
Turkish league leaders Besiktas is set to clinch the league title next weekend.
