The first part of the last 16 second legs wasn’t exciting, but there were plenty of excellent individual displays. This selection comes in a 3-4-3 formation.
Goalkeeper: Real Madrid did not have an easy time against RB Leipzig. Not at all. Actually just like the first stage. As has so often been the case over the years in the competition, Madrid’s back line led the way. Andri Lunin continued his breakout season, making save after save, cutting angles and organizing his defenders, as Leipzig attacked in waves. Leipzig’s Benjamin Šeško, who had several chances in Madrid, will probably never forget Lunin, who won their personal duel, including one dominant, suffocating early save that set the tone.
Defender: After missing the Manchester derby, Manuel Akanji, the reliable Swiss defender, showed his versatility by playing in the center and on the right against Copenhagen. While Rico Lewis started on the right and struggled, Akanji showed the adaptability that makes him such a useful option for Pep Guardiola. The £16m City paid for him in 2022 remains a bargain.
Defender: Real Madrid almost swung towards the exit due to RB Leipzig’s energetic attack. In both matches, Carlo Ancelotti’s tactics looked outdated at times against one of the continent’s modern, top-flight, interchangeable teams. However, there will always be a home in football for old-fashioned, gritty defenders Nacho delivered that for Madrid forever. On his 350th Real appearance, his club’s 122nd anniversary, Nacho showed, as he put it, that “we know the demands of this club.”
Defender: If Real Sociedad disappointed against PSG in San Sebastián, much credit should be given to an opponent who showed uncharacteristic organization in defense for a club synonymous with an all-in-one attacking mentality. Do we have a new star? A January arrival from São Paulo and playing in the continued absence of 21-year-old Marquinhos Lucas Beraldo showed why he was recently called up to the Brazilian national team. While he offers the ferocity of the tackle, his passing out of defense also allowed his team to move smoothly into attack.
Defensive midfielder: Speaking of breakout stars. As Bayern Munich prepares to enter a new era, with much talk of clearouts, Thomas Tuchel’s planned departure and a team growing old together, it seems more than likely that the next generation will unite around Aleksandar Pavlovic. The defensive midfielder was Bayern’s most important player against Lazio and dominated the Italians, especially in the first half. The statistics were impressive: 94% of passes completed, with only six turnovers after 97 touches. “(He) wants every ball,” said Joshua Kimmich, who knows a thing or two about playing in midfield.
Midfielder: Fabian Ruiz never really captured the hearts of the Parisian public and is seen as emblematic of his club’s decline. His performance in La Real was one to throw in the critics’ faces. Ruiz made a series of passes to PSG’s attackers as his team took control of the match in the first half. In the second, his distribution was crucial for PSG to maintain their threat on the counter.
Attacking midfielder: Dani Olmo is a unique talent. He also had a strange path: a Catalan who started his career at Dinamo Zagreb before becoming Leipzig’s creative inspiration. He and Xavi Simons alternated at number 10 as Madrid struggled with Leipzig’s movement. The pair created many opportunities for Šeško and Loïs Openda. Olmo’s delicate control and lob almost sent the tie into extra time, but it bounced away. That concluded the last demonstration of a high-class player, sought after throughout Europe.
Attacking midfielder: Guardiola once described it Matheus Nunes as “one of the best players in the world” when he played for Sporting Lisbon, but Nunes has not quite lived up to his expectations since joining Manchester City from Wolves. But when City reshuffled the pack against Copenhagen, Nunes produced one of his most useful performances, making runs from midfield into the opposition defence. He still has a long way to go to displace the likes of Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden, but his performance, curtailed by a finger injury, was a step forward.
after newsletter promotion
Forward: When this Bayern Munich team comes to an end, then Thomas Muller will likely be at the top of the list of departures. But would Bayern be Bayern without Müller? He remains a very useful player, and at 34 years old his ability to fly into space and predict where the ball will land seems almost eternal. Perhaps a player out of time in an era of tough physical demands, but his header for Harry Kane’s opener and his interpretation of Matthijs de Ligt’s scuffed volley to score were Müller’s best. In any case, he would like to add another Champions League title to his name.
Forward: As Bayer Leverkusen runs away with the Bundesliga and rumors of a regime change fill the Bavarian air, there is also the ludicrous idea that Harry Kane It has been a flop in German football. And yet he is co-top scorer in the Champions League and clearly flawless in the Bundesliga in that category. His double against Lazio, the first a header from an excellent centre-forward, the second a goal from a poacher after a rebound, showed the evergreen importance of a top scorer.
Forward: His future lies outside Paris – almost certainly in Madrid – but before moving permanently to Spain, a visit to the Basque Country showed why Kylian Mbappe is at its best the best around. Two goals, both his favorite inner links channel, powered by PSG. His mission in Paris is not completed and he scares La Real. His sheer presence on the counterhis bursts through defenders are reminiscent of top Ronaldo – the Brazilian.