Champions League: UEFA unveils its Team of the Week

UEFA has published its Champions League Team of the Week, rewarding eleven players who made their mark on Matchday 2.

Matchday 2 of the Champions League delivered its share of standout performances, and UEFA has now unveiled its official Team of the Week. The notable feature of this selection is that the eleven players chosen represent eleven different clubs, underlining just how open the matchday was.

The selection, compiled by UEFA’s technical observer group, rewards decisive goalscorers as well as defenders and a goalkeeper who played major roles in their teams’ results.

Pokatilov imperious, a defense drawn from four clubs

In goal, Stas Pokatilov was decisive in Sabah’s 2-0 victory over Slavia Prague. The goalkeeper made six saves, including a crucial point-blank stop to deny Lukáš Provod when the score was still 1-0.

In front of him, Fredrik Sjøvold scored Bodø/Glimt’s only goal against Borussia Dortmund (1-0), while also delivering a solid performance in the duels. Jeff Chabot was one of the main architects of Stuttgart’s clean sheet in Bratislava (3-0), recording 11 clearances, three blocked shots and winning all his duels.

Henrik Falchener also made a strong impression despite Viking’s draw with Bayern (3-3). The defender blocked six shots, the highest total of the matchday. Finally, Maxi Araújo was instrumental in Sporting CP’s victory at Lens (2-0), making four clearances and ten ball recoveries.

Vitinha and Manzambi at the heart of midfield

In midfield, Vitinha once again dominated the center of the park for PSG. The Portuguese midfielder scored a superb goal in the 4-2 victory away to Manchester City and played a major role in Paris’s first-half dominance.

Alongside him, Johan Manzambi celebrated his 21st birthday in the best possible way. The Aston Villa midfielder opened the scoring in the emphatic 6-0 win over Fenerbahçe, scoring his first Champions League goal in the process, while also standing out with several line-breaking passes.

Yamal dazzles, while Barcola and Tresoldi hit hat-tricks

On the right wing, Lamine Yamal once again showcased his talent for Barcelona. Against Galatasaray (4-1), the Spaniard provided two assists after half-time, first with a perfectly weighted cross and then following a superb individual move.

On the left, Bradley Barcola enjoyed an evening he will not soon forget. The French winger scored his first career hat-trick in Liverpool’s spectacular 6-3 victory away to LASK, also opening his account for the Reds in the process.

The other hat-trick of the week came from Nicolò Tresoldi. The Club Brugge striker scored three times at San Siro in the 4-3 win over Inter, putting in a complete performance with his movement and back-to-goal play.

Finally, Harry Kane completes the Team of the Week. The Englishman scored a brace against Viking and also delivered a remarkable assist in the build-up to Bayern’s third goal. He has now found the net in nine consecutive Champions League matches, despite Bayern Munich’s 3-3 draw.

With hat-tricks, braces, assists and high-level defensive performances, UEFA has therefore selected a particularly well-balanced XI for Matchday 2 of the league phase.

Read also: Barça: Raphinha makes his long-awaited return

Mahdi Zakaria LAZRI |

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Football web writer creating digital sports content with a focus on news, analysis and stories that reflect passion, accuracy and objectivity.

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