Champions League Team of the Week: Bellingham continues his stunning form for Real Madrid
The Top XI of Matchweek 2 of the UEFA Champions League 2023/24:
Goalkeeper:
Marc-André ter Stegen - FC Barcelona
A stable defence was the big trump card for Barcelona in their difficult away match in Porto. Marc-André ter Stegen kept a clean sheet in their 1-0 win and impressed with five great saves. Apart from Milan, Barca are the only team in the competition who have yet to concede a goal.
Defence:
Davinson Sanchez - Galatasaray
Galatasaray's 3-2 win at Manchester United was led by Davinson Sanchez, who was one of the standout performers on Tuesday night. The Colombian impressed with two blocked shots, an assist on goal and 46 completed passes.
Fabian Schär - Newcastle
Fabian Schär scored a dream goal to make the final score 4-1 and seal a supreme victory for Newcastle United against PSG. Even before that, the Swiss was extremely resolute and won all the duels he dared to enter.
Sikou Niakate - Braga
In only his second Champions League game, Braga's Sikou Niakate put in a stupendous performance against Union Berlin. 91.7 per cent of his passes were completed, which speaks for itself. Braga came from 2-0 down to win 3-2 - Niakate sparking the Portuguese side's comeback with a goal to make it 1-2.
Midfield:
Matias Vecino - Lazio
Matias Vecino moved from Inter to Lazio in 2022. Since then, the Uruguayan has not always had an easy time in Rome, often languishing on the substitutes' bench. But in Lazio's 2-1 win at Celtic Park, the 32-year-old was arguably the best player on the pitch. A goal, a pass rate of 94.4%, two intercepted passes - that's something to be proud of.
Bruma - Braga
Bruma was once hailed as a prodigy, now we know why. He shocked Union Berlin with a magical shot into the far corner from long range. With his dribbling and passing skills, he also posed a great challenge to Union's compact defence.
Jude Bellingham - Real Madrid
We are running out of superlatives for this man. Who would have thought that Jude Bellingham would explode like this at Real? The Englishman scored a stunning solo goal in their 3-2 win in Naples, setting up Real's first goal with a clever pass to Vini Jr. The 20-year-old is already a world star.
Phil Foden - Manchester City
Manchester City's squad depth remains daunting. Erling Haaland is still without a goal in his second CL game this season, but in stepped his no less talented teammates to help City win 3-1 at RB Leipzig. Phil Foden scored the important goal to make it 1-0 and set up three chances for his teammates.
Brais Mendez - Real Sociedad
Sociedad celebrated their first UEFA Champions League win in 20 years. Brais Mendez played a leading role in the 2-0 win at RB Salzburg, with a goal and a assist. The Austrians could not get a grip on Mendez at all on Tuesday.
Attack:
Alvaro Morata - Atletico
Alvaro Morata has had many spells in world football and not every club has allowed him to reach his full potential. However, the strong-headed centre-forward is a perfect fit for Atletico Madrid's demanding style of play. In eight competitive games this season, Morata has already scored seven goals, and scored a brace in the 3-2 win over Feyenoord. Historically, not many Spaniards have been as prolific as the 30-year-old.
Mikel Oyarzabal - Real Sociedad
The third Spaniard in the group is Mikel Oyarzabal. As captain, he led his team to a historic triumph in Salzburg. The 26-year-old led from the front with his performance; scoring a goal, having three shots and creating two key chances.
