Juventus’ Giorgio Chiellini (pictured right) was able to hold on to the top spot in the FTBL world ranking of defenders after yesterday’s series of Champions League games. But how long can he do that under the incredible pressure he is experiencing at the top?

Chiellini rose to the top thanks to the losses incurred by Chelsea’s and Barcelona’s defenders and his own newfound ability to find the opposite net: he has scored two goals in the past month. Now that he is there at the top, he has to defend his positions and fend off the relentless attacks of rivals. His next test will come no later than in the next Serie A game against Atalanta, with a plank of 23.3 rating points to beat. He set that plank in the Champions League game against Maccabi Haifa, in which he scored the only goal for Juventus (1:0).

Most probably Chiellini will lose the leadership this coming weekend to Chelsea skipper John Terry, whose plank to beat in the Premier League clash with Manchester United will amount to just 1 rating point. Even if the Blues go down, Terry will still retain a better chance of rising to the top than Chillini has of remaining there.