Champions League round-up: Messi lands perfect 10 as Barcelona triumph

 

There were goals galore scored on the opening night of the 2018/19 Champions League group stages. Here, we run through the top rated players from the eight matches. 

 

Barcelona 4-0 PSV: Lionel Messi - 10.0 rating 

 

Well that was some start to the Champions League season by Lionel Messi. Barcelona romped to a 4-0 win over PSV at Camp Nou to extend their home Champions League unbeaten run to 27 matches, with Messi the star of the show. The Argentine sensation bagged a hat-trick, the 48th of his career and his 8th of Europe’s elite club competition, while three key passes saw the 31-year-old return a perfect WhoScored 10 rating. 

 

Inter 2-1 Tottenham: Christian Eriksen - 8.41 rating 

 

Christian Eriksen is yet to score from 15 shots in the Premier League this season, but netted with his third of the Champions League this term to put Tottenham ahead in Milan on Tuesday night. Wayward finishing from his teammates meant Eriksen didn’t add an assist either, with the Dane creating four goalscoring chances in the eventual loss to the Serie A side, and ultimately it cost Tottenham. With an additional two tackles and two interceptions, the Spurs creator earned the WhoScored man of the match award with a 8.41 rating. 

 

Club Bruges 0-1 Borussia Dortmund: Marcel Schmelzer - 7.50 rating 

 

It took until the 85th minute for Borussia Dortmund to break the Club Bruges resolve as Christian Pulisic netted his 13th goal for the club on his 100th BVB appearance. The youngster was the man of the hour for Dortmund, yet it was experienced left-back Marcel Schmelzer that landed the man of the match award here. The defender was defensively sound, making one tackle, one interception and three clearances, and attacked well as returns of one key pass and one successful dribble suggests, those contributing to a WhoScored rating of 7.50. 

 

Monaco 1-2 Atletico Madrid: Antoine Griezmann - 8.01 rating 

 

Atletico Madrid had to come from behind to secure an opening day win over Monaco at the Stade Louis II, with Diego Costa setting the La Liga side on their way to victory. World Cup winner Antoine Griezmann provided the assist for Costa’s opener, that coming from one of four key passes. One tackle and one interception helped cap off a solid display from Griezmann, whose WhoScored rating of 8.01 was enough to land the man of the match award. 

 

Liverpool 3-2 PSG: Daniel Sturridge - 7.86 rating 

 

Arguably the game of the night, Roberto Firmino’s late goal secured Liverpool a 3-2 win over PSG after the Reds had thrown away a two-goal lead. Daniel Sturridge set Liverpool on their way to all three points in group C with his first half header and churned out a solid display that helped him to a WhoScored rating of 7.86. With two key passes and two successful dribbles to his name, it was a solid offensive outing for Sturridge, whose performance landed him the man of the match award. 

 

 

FK Crvena Zvezda 0-0 Napoli: Milan Borjan - 8.05 rating 

 

Napoli would have landed all three points at FK Crvena Zvezda’s expense had it not been for the impressive Milan Borjan between the sticks. The Serie A side mustered 20 shots in total over 90 minutes, eight of which hit the target, but Borjan remained unfazed to make seven saves and in fact win one aerial duel to help return a WhoScored rating of 8.05. 

 

Galatasaray 3-0 Lokomotiv Moscow: Fernando - 8.58 rating 

 

Galatasaray made the defending Russian champions look like rank amateurs on Tuesday night as they romped to a 3-0 win over Lokomotiv Moscow in Istanbul. However, it required a defensively diligent display from Fernando to ensure a clean sheet and all three points, with the midfielder on hand to make three tackles, five interceptions and two clearances. He could’ve had an assist, too, having made two key passes, with the midfielder doing enough to land the WhoScored man of the match award with an 8.58 rating. 

 

Schalke 1-1 Porto: Felipe - 8.27 rating 

 

Schalke secured their first positive result of the season in their 1-1 draw with Porto in Germany, yet it took a resilient performance from centre-back Felipe to ensure the Portuguese outfit weren’t on the receiving end of a defeat. The Brazilian won an impressive nine aerial duels in the stalemate, while nine clearances, six interceptions and two tackles capped off a solid display from the centre-back, who was good value for a WhoScored rating of 8.27, that enough to land the man of the match gong.

Champions League round-up: Messi lands perfect 10 as Barcelona triumph