Champions League Team of the Week — Group Stage (Week 1)

The best of this past week in the UCL.

GK: Andre Onana (8.3)

Even though Inter Milan suffered a 2–0 defeat to the Bavarian giants, it could have been much worse without Andre Onana’s heroic performance. 10 saves, half of which occurred inside of the box, prevented the Italian club from digging a goal-differential pit that would have been difficult to climb out of.

CB: Dino Perić (8.1)

Dinamo Zagreb were under extreme fire throughout their outing versus Chelsea, but Dino Perić’s steady control ensured that none of the Blues’ 15 shots were converted. Perić blocked a third of the London squad’s total shots, coinciding with his 9 clearances. Zagreb only possessed the ball for 32% of the match’s length, but the Croatian center-back did not let that faze him.

CB: Rúben Dias (8)

Man City dealt with Sevilla quite handily in their 4–0 dismantling of the Spanish side. Aside from the inherent clean sheet, Dias’ efficient passing left Sevilla little opportunity to leverage any mistakes, as depicted by his 97% passing completion percentage. Dias also completed a dribble twice, emphasizing his consistent comfort with the ball at his feet.

LB: Raphäel Guerreiro (8.6)

Raphäel Guerreiro’s heavy pressure served Dortmund well in their bout against Køberhavn, as he converted a single goal, in addition to his efficient distribution. Guerreiro was also sturdy in possession, winning 6 of 7 ground duels and 3 of 4 aerial duels. Impressive achievements for a man of his stature.

RB: Dani Carvajal (8.3)

Even though Dani Carvajal assisted one of Real Madrid’s three goals versus Celtic this week, he was also a dominant presence while defending the right flank. The Spanish right-back won most of his battles for possession and provided 4 of Madrid’s 10 tackles against the Scottish opposition.

CM: André Zambo Anguissa (8.6)

André Zambo Anguissa was a giant in the midfield this week versus Liverpool in their surprising 4–1 thrashing of the English club. Even if you diminish Anguissa’s goal as a lapse in defensive judgment for their opposition, his stability contributed to the fact that Napoli was dispossessed considerably less than the Reds. Winning 10 out of his 14 ground duels, Anguissa also provided 5 interceptions and 6 tackles, running circles around Jurgen Klopp’s men.

CM: Alejandro Grimaldo (8.6)

A goal and an assist culminated from Alejandro Grimaldo running wild along the flanks versus Maccabi Haifa. Even though Spanish left-back was a key factor in Benfica’s offensive production, he managed to get back in time to provide extra assurance for their defense, as depicted by tying for the most tackles on his team, as well as winning half of his ground duels.

CM: Steven Berghuis (8.9)

Ajax toyed around with Rangers in their 4–0 stomping of the Scottish side. The Dutch squad held their opposition to a pitiful 25% possession throughout the entirety of the match, and Steven Berghuis made sure that their time with the ball did not go to waste. With a single shot on target, Berghuis converted it, in addition to his fantastic ratio of distribution in relativity to his total passes. Berghuis certainly did not come close to leading his lineup in total ball distribution, but his 7 crosses and 2 key passes were more integral to their victory than how any other teammate performed.

LW: Leroy Sané (8.3)

Leroy Sané accounted for 1 of Bayern Munich’s 2 goals against Inter Milan, but his drop-back defense was just as critical to their success as his high-pressure offense. Much of Bayern’s formation funneled through the right flank, forcing Sané to occupy a more central role, allowing him to be a primary focus in their playmaking. The German winger also completed 2 out of his 3 dribbling attempts, further emphasizing his efficiency.

RW: Ousmane Dembélé (9.7)

Barcelona’s match against Viktoria Plzen may as well have been an exhibition outing, as they ran rampant against the Czech side. Barcelona dwarfed Plzen’s shot total 20 to 8, an abundance of which were created by Ousmane Dembélé’s 6 key passes and 2 assists. Dembélé also completed an absurd 6 of 9 dribble attempts. To call the French winger lethal is an understatement.

ST: Robert Lewandowski (10)

Robert Lewandowski continues to hold off father time, as he never seems to lose even an ounce of consistently clinical form. What else is there to say besides the fact that he once again produced a trio of goals? It is nothing special at this point for the Polish striker.