Champions League matchday three produced goals galore across the continent, as well as standout individual performances and landmark moments.
There were wins for three out of four English sides, but Manchester United slipped to a shock defeat against Champions League debutants Instanbul Basaksehir.
This is 90min’s Team of the Week…
Goalkeepers & Defenders
Ruslan Neshcheret (GK) – 18-year-old Neshcheret was called up to the Dynamo Kyiv first team against Barcelona because both senior goalkeepers had tested positive for coronavirus. His team lost, but he made 12 saves, the most in a Champions League game since 2013.
Reece James (RB) – Chelsea’s right-back continues to impress domestically and in Europe. He played a crucial role as the Blues dismantled Rennes in a 3-0 win and kept a third consecutive Champions League clean sheet in the process.
Alexandru Epureanu (CB) – The veteran Moldova international made nine clearances as Istanbul Basaksehir resolutely defended to hold on for a famous 2-1 win over Manchester United, including off the goal-line to deny an equaliser at the death.
Joe Gomez (CB) – Without Virgil van Dijk, Fabinho or Joel Matip, the 23-year-old was the senior centre-back on duty for Liverpool alongside teenaged rookie Rhys Williams and the Reds kept a clean sheet against an Atalanta side with a reputation for rampant goalscoring.
Lucas Hernandez (LB) – Bayern Munich may have conceded twice in their 6-2 thrashing of Red Bull Salzburg, but most of their attacking came from the left, allowing Hernandez to shine. He even got on the scoresheet himself at the end to make it six.
Midfielders
Joshua Kimmich (CM) – Kimmich got two assists in quick succession with just under 15 minutes to go in Bayern’s win over Salzburg. It was 2-2 at the time and those goals irreversibly turned the game in favour of the reigning champions, who had gone behind at the start.
Kevin De Bruyne (CM) – Manchester City cruised to a 3-0 win over Olympiacos and their Belgian maestro was at his creative best in midfield. He rarely gave the ball away and laid on each of his team’s first two goals.
Lars Stindl (AM) – Almost the same Shakhtar Donetsk team that embarrassed Real Madrid last week was torn a new one by Borussia Monchengladbach, and Stindl was a leading force in that 6-0 annihilation. He both scored and assisted.
Forwards
Erling Haaland (FW) – 20 years of age and Haaland has already scored the same number of Champions League goals as Brazilian icons Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. He got his 13th and 14th goals in Borussia Dortmund’s 3-0 win over Club Brugge.
Alassane Plea (FW) – Gladbach forward Plea scored the first Champions League goal of his career this week, quickly followed by his second and third as the Frenchman bagged a hat-trick against Shakhtar. He had a hand in four of his team’s six goals overall.
Diogo Jota (FW) – Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has yet more proof he can rely on Jota to rest and rotate his established front three. The Portuguese’s hat-trick against Atalanta marked a fourth successive game in all competitions in which he found the net.
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Source : 90min