Liverpool star the Mané man in Champions League best XI
Two Liverpool players feature in WhoScored.com’s Champions League team of the first leg fixtures, with Sadio Mane the star man with a perfect 10. The Reds attacker bagged a hat-trick in the 5-0 thumping of FC Porto that effectively seals Liverpool’s place in the next round of the competition.
He isn’t the only player to have earned a perfect 10 in this side, with Ilkay Gundogan gaining the rating in Manchester City’s 4-0 win in FC Basel. The German midfielder bagged a brace in Switzerland, made three tackles, one interception, one key pass and two successful dribbles to help return the fine rating.
Gundogan’s partnered in the middle of the park by Chelsea flavour of the month Willian, who earned his second successive WhoScored man of the match award as the Blues ground out a 1-1 draw with Barcelona. The Brazilian could’ve had a hat-trick having twice struck the woodwork in the opening 45 minutes, all the while completing six dribbles and making four key passes.
Bayern Munich star Thomas Muller completes the midfield after he scored two and assisted one in the 5-0 dismantling of Besiktas to earn a WhoScored rating of 9.72. His teammate Robert Lewandowksi, who was our Champions League player of the week, features in attack having scored two and assisted one on Tuesday night, while an additional four key passes saw him earn a rating of 9.87.
Gonzalo Higuain joins Lewandowski on the frontline having netted twice in Juventus’ 2-2 draw with Tottenham. While the Argentine missed a penalty on the stroke of half time, the striker landed a WhoScored rating of 8.56 having also provided three key passes and completed five dribbles.
Compatriot Nicolas Otamendi is the second of three Manchester City players to make the XI after his resolute showing in their 4-0 win over FC Basel. The centre-back returned a 96.6% pass success rate and made four tackles and two interceptions in the victory. Kyle Walker joins his teammate at the back after the right-back completed eight dribbles and made two interceptions in City’s routine win.
On the opposite flank, Marcelo makes the cut at left-back having scored in Real Madrid’s 3-1 win over PSG. What’s more, the Brazilian remained steadfast having made two tackles and one interception against the French outfit. Virgil van Dijk rounds off the defence after making five clearances, three tackles and three interceptions in a solid Champions League debut for Liverpool to yield a WhoScored.com rating of 8.47.
David De Gea completes the XI after his resolute performance in Manchester United’s drab 0-0 draw with Sevilla. He was on-hand to make a superb point-blank stop to deny Luis Muriel in Spain, that one of eight saves on the night. Indeed, De Gea’s showing at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan saw him gain the WhoScored.com man of the match award with an 8.52 rating.
