Taking into consideration recent domestic and continental results, along with underlying stats, we try to figure out which clubs are among Europe's elite.

1. Manchester City (1st in Premier League)

League Record GF GA Shots on Target per Match Shots Conceded per Match 19-2-0 61 12 7.4 6.3

Previous rank: 1st

Pep Guardiola is still commanding the best club in Europe. While Manchester City's winning run came to an end with a scoreless draw at Crystal Palace, the Citizens are marching toward the Premier League title with a godly collection of attacking footballers. They're entering 2018 with just one loss across all competitions this campaign, and supporters can only wonder if the machine will be stopped by season's end.

2. Barcelona (1st in La Liga)

League Record GF GA Shots on Target per Match Shots Conceded per Match 14-3-0 45 7 7.3 10.9

Previous rank: 2nd

As the Guardian's Sid Lowe wrote on Christmas Eve, one day after El Clasico, Barcelona looks "impregnable." The Blaugrana's 3-0 victory over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu gave the Catalan club's supporters an early present, and had them forgetting about Los Blancos' double last season. If Lionel Messi, who boasts 15 goals and six assists in La Liga, can replicate his form from the first half of the season in 2018, the crown will be returning to the Camp Nou.

3. Paris Saint-Germain (1st in Ligue 1)

League Record GF GA Shots on Target per Match Shots Conceded per Match 16-2-1 58 15 6.9 9.2

Previous rank: 3rd

Paris Saint-Germain extended its lead in Ligue 1 to 11 points with a 2-1 victory over SM Caen, and it looks like Les Parisiens finally have a squad capable of reaching the Champions League semi-finals. While they might be a celebration of finance rather than football, there can be no denying they spent wisely. Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, and Edinson Cavani tallied 14 goals in the European group stage, as many as City's entire squad and five more than Barcelona's total.

4. Bayern Munich (1st in Bundesliga)

League Record GF GA Shots on Target per Match Shots Conceded per Match 13-2-2 37 11 7.1 8.8

Previous rank: 4th

Bayern's 2-1 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the DFB-Pokal served as further evidence of the improvement made under Jupp Heynckes, and gave the former club one last hurrah as the Bundesliga shut up shop. The winter break is a time of reflection, and the German manager can spend it thinking about what needs to be done to restore his club as a European superpower. The eventual return of Manuel Neuer will undoubtedly be a boost, but Sven Ulreich is doing a fine job filling the void.

5. Juventus (2nd in Serie A)

League Record GF GA Shots on Target per Match Shots Conceded per Match 15-2-2 48 15 6.6 8.8

Previous rank: 5th

Juventus is maintaining its hegemony over Italian football. While the Old Lady is second in Serie A, she remains the club to beat. Victories over Genoa, AS Roma, and Hellas Verona have her looking younger than ever in the search for a seventh consecutive Scudetto, and Medhi Benatia is establishing himself as central to the club's quest. However, there's work to be done in order to play a third Champions League final in four years.

6. SSC Napoli (1st in Serie A)

League Record GF GA Shots on Target per Match Shots Conceded per Match 15-3-1 42 13 7.4 7.7

Previous rank: 8th

SSC Napoli's elimination from the Champions League ensured Serie A will be the focus of the Partenopei's blueprint for 2018. The club is unbeaten since its exit from European football's most prestigious tournament, and did a superb job of recovering from a slippery start to December. A one-point lead might not mean much in the top flight of Italian football, but there's reason to believe Juventus' monopoly on the Scudetto is in danger.

7. Chelsea (2nd in Premier League)

League Record GF GA Shots on Target per Match Shots Conceded per Match 14-3-4 39 14 6.1 9.3

Previous rank: 9th

It will be interesting to see what - if anything - Chelsea does in the January transfer window. The Blues are quietly unbeaten in five Premier League games and tallied a clean sheet in four of those, including a 5-0 victory over Stoke City. Antonio Conte will reportedly be pushing for significant reinforcements, but, as the Italian manager said in November, he is "very happy to work with these players and try to do our best."

8. Atletico Madrid (2nd in La Liga)

League Record GF GA Shots on Target per Match Shots Conceded per Match 10-6-1 25 8 4.5 12

Previous rank: 7th

Perhaps Barcelona's repeated contact with Antoine Griezmann is beginning to distract Atletico. Three days after it was revealed Los Colchoneros reported the Blaugrana for approaching the French forward, they suffered a 1-0 defeat at RCD Espanyol that opened up a nine-point gap atop La Liga. It feels like something isn't quite right at the Wanda Metropolitano, where there will be no Champions League football come February.

9. Liverpool (4th in Premier League)

League Record GF GA Shots on Target per Match Shots Conceded per Match 11-8-2 48 24 6.6 7.5

Previous rank: 11th

Mohamed Salah is exceeding the high expectations that surrounded him upon arriving at Liverpool. The Egyptian forward tallied a brace in the Reds' 2-1 win versus Leicester City, equalling Roger Hunt's club record of 23 goals scored in all competitions before the new year. Defensive issues remain, but the product of El Mokawloon and his 17 Premier League goals are sweeping the dirt under the rug before new signing Virgil van Dijk debuts at Anfield.

10. Internazionale (3rd in Serie A)

League Record GF GA Shots on Target per Match Shots Conceded per Match 12-5-2 34 14 5.4 12.1

Previous rank: 6th

A defeat at US Sassuolo, a loss in the Derby della Madonnina, and a scoreless draw at SS Lazio mean Inter, now winless in four games in all competitions and without a goal in three, is going through a mid-season crisis. It's hard to believe the Nerazzurri were unbeaten in Serie A less than three weeks ago, and, while the club is still on track to qualify for the Champions League, it appears suggestions of competing for the Scudetto were premature.

11. Valencia CF (3rd in La Liga)

League Record GF GA Shots on Target per Match Shots Conceded per Match 10-4-3 36 17 4.9 13.2

Previous rank: 12th

After slipping up at SD Eibar, Valencia suffered a repeat against Villarreal CF and fell 1-0 to the Yellow Submarine at Mestalla. There's still belief in competing for the La Liga title, but with Barcelona 11 points ahead, the margin for error is smaller than ever and pragmatic supporters would be encouraged to focus on returning to the Champions League.

12. Manchester United (3rd in Premier League)

League Record GF GA Shots on Target per Match Shots Conceded per Match 13-5-3 43 16 4.9 11.6

Previous rank: 10th

What started as a slump for Manchester United is now an emergency. A scoreless draw versus Southampton at Old Trafford left the Red Devils winless in four games in all competitions, out of the Carabao Cup by virtue of a humiliating defeat to Bristol City, and 15 points behind their crosstown rival. They can't seem to beat anyone, and, while Jose Mourinho believes they're "unlucky," supporters don't appear to agree, evidenced by the jeers that followed their last result.

13. PSV Eindhoven (1st in Eredivisie)

League Record GF GA Shots on Target per Match Shots Conceded per Match 15-1-2 49 21 7.4 11.6

Previous rank: N/A

Outside of European football's top five leagues, PSV Eindhoven is looking like the strongest club in Europe, and eyeing the Eredivisie title. The club ended the calendar year by going unbeaten in four games in all competitions, and is atop the league, five points ahead of Ajax. Mexican winger Hirving Lozano boasts 11 goals and four assists in 16 appearances, and is leading a resurgence that deserves the attention of supporters everywhere.

14. Real Madrid (4th in La Liga)

League Record GF GA Shots on Target per Match Shots Conceded per Match 9-4-3 30 14 6.9 9.5

Previous rank: 13th

The most successful year in Real's history ended in disappointment, as Los Blancos were stripped bare in El Clasico, a game supporters believe handed the La Liga title to Barcelona. In order to have any chance of retaining the crown, they need the Blaugrana to lose at least four times before season's end. It doesn't seem likely, and, if Cristiano Ronaldo continues to miss the ball entirely when an opportunity presents itself, it will be impossible.

15. Tottenham Hotspur (6th in Premier League)

League Record GF GA Shots on Target per Match Shots Conceded per Match 11-4-5 39 20 5.7 9.2

Previous rank: N/A

Calm was restored at Tottenham Hotspur before 2018 arrived, as Spurs ended 2017 with a 3-0 victory at Burnley and a 5-2 demolition of Southampton. There was cause for concern in the aftermath of their defeat to City, but Harry Kane's back-to-back hat-tricks reminded supporters they possess English football's hottest property, and that there's no shame in losing to the Citizens. There may not be a title race at Wembley Stadium this season, but the battle for second in the Premier League is very much alive.

On the cusp: Roma, Lokomotiv Moscow, Olympique Lyonnais