Two fascinating days of Champions League football just ended with plenty of dramas and surprises. Some players have proven themselves among the best of the bests with some clutch performances for their respective teams. Let’s look at OUR Team of the Week (3-4-3 formation):
GK: Diogo Costa (FC Porto)
Diogo Costa was everywhere between the goalposts for the Portuguese side. He made six total saves, with his best highlight being a Patrik Schick penalty save, helping Porto get their first win in the UCL this season.
Fantom Sports’ Team of The Week spot: Earned!
DF: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
Yes, yes, we know, we know that Trent Alexander-Arnold cannot play in a back 3. But since it’s a line-up to honor the best performances, it’s hard to leave out the Liverpool maestro. These are the type of plays we expected from Alexander-Arnold: chances creation, rock-solid defense (or, at least, decent defense). And did you know he scored a stunning free-kick as well? Overall, what a game! He’s back!
Fantom Sports’ Team of The Week spot: Earned!
DF: Reece James (Chelsea)
He is easily Chelsea’s best player this UCL season, consistently delivering masterpiece after masterpiece. Facing Milan’s inexperienced Ballo-Toure, he took advantage down the flank, assisting Aubameyang’s first Champions League goal since 2017 before smashing in a banger from a tight angle to seal his Man of the Match award.
Fantom Sports’ Team of The Week spot: Earned!
DF: Leonardo Balerdi (Olympique Marseille)
Olympique Marseille’s dominant win owes a lot to their defenders’ performance. Admittedly, they got a massive advantage after Sporting CP was down to 10 men, but we cannot deny Leonardo Balerdi’s solid game. Great defense down low and even grabbed himself a goal off Amine Harit’s assist. He was the life of Les Phocéens’s left-hand side that match.
Fantom Sports’ Team of The Week spot: Earned!
MF: Adrien Rabiot (Juventus)
SofaScore rated him a deserving match week’s best 9.6. Rabiot bossed the midfield against Maccabi Haifa. It almost seems like everything he touched in that game turned to gold, winning nearly every possible duel and bagging two goals. We would love to see this version of the Frenchman more often.
Fantom Sports’ Team of The Week spot: Earned!
MF: Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich)
The absence of Joshua Kimmich means the loads on Leon Goretzka’s shoulders multiply. But he managed to link up harmoniously with Ryan Gravenberch, relieving pressure for the back line and creating goal-scoring opportunities for the front line. The two assists were just the cherry on top of a marvelous performance.
Fantom Sports’ Team of The Week spot: Earned!
MF: Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund)
Taking over Marco Reus’s captain armband, Jude Bellingham was an even better version of himself. He set up Raphael Guerreiro’s opener, then scored another en route to Dortmund’s 4-1 victory against host Sevilla. Bellingham has now scored three in three matches, making him the only English teenager to do so.
Fantom Sports’ Team of The Week spot: Earned!
MF: Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City)
Riyad Mahrez was one of the few core players Pep Guardiola allowed to play the whole 90 minutes, deservedly. He was Manchester City’s everything on the right, contributing to Julian Alvarez’s goal after putting it past the goalkeeper a couple of minutes earlier. Brilliant performance from the Algerian.
Fantom Sports’ Team of The Week spot: Earned!
FW: Angel Di Maria (Juventus)
After seeing Angel Di Maria’s three-assists game versus Maccabi Haifa, you know he should show up on everyone’s best XI for the game week. He was everywhere! His heat map showed a wide-roaming over all positions in the Old Lady’s attack in every battle zone possible. It seems he hasn’t lost a beat. Not too bad for a 34-year-old.
Fantom Sports’ Team of The Week spot: Earned!
FW: Sadio Mané (Bayern Munich)
Mané had found his true self since Julian Nagelsmann converted him from a center-forward to his favorite left-wing. With the help of Leroy Sané and Serge Gnabry free roaming up front, the Senegal international got plenty of room down the flank. That first UEFA Champions League goal for Bayern eased both himself and the fans, and that assist to Leroy Sané was world-class. A great preparation for weekend’s Der Klassiker.
Fantom Sports’ Team of The Week spot: Earned!
FW: Giacomo Raspadori (SSC Napoli)
A commanding win in Ajax Amsterdam’s own backyard was made possible by Giacomo Raspadori. In his 64 minutes of appearance, Napoli put five goals in the back of Ajax’s net, with three of the five made possible via Raspadori (two goals and an assist). A city-silencing performance from number 81 from Naples.
Fantom Sports’ Team of The Week spot: Earned!
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