This week, in the remaining first leg matches of the Round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League, eight teams locked horns, and ten goals were scored in total. Benfica vs Ajax ended in a 2-2 draw where Sebastian Haller extended his scoring. He now has 11 goals in seven matches for Ajax in UCL. Manchester United held Atletico for 1-1 at Wanda Metropolitano. Chelsea had a comfortable win of two against LOSC Lille. Villareal vs Juventus ended in a 1-1 draw in Spain.
Let’s have a look at the players who have been in the team of the week with their outstanding performance. Six Chelsea players have been included after their dominant performance against Lille.
Formation: 4-3-3
Goalkeeper: Edouard Mendy
This week, Edouard Mendy was the only goalkeeper who kept a clean sheet in the Champions League. He made two vital saves and completed 32 passes with an accuracy of 81%.
Right-back: Noussair Mazraoui
The Moroccon right back was one of the best players for Ajax in the game against Benfica. He had a perfect match when looking at his defensive and offensive performance. He made three tackles in the game and recovered the ball seven times.
Centre-backs: Thiago Silva
Thiago Silva again proved that he has still got it at the age of 37. He made 14 ball recoveries against Lille, the most by a player. He also made one crucial tackle. He attempted 83 passes with an accuracy of 94%.
Antonio Rudiger
Another solid defensive performance from the German defender. With Thiago Silva, they made a wall for Chelsea, and Lille’s attack was broken when it began. He had seven ball recoveries and made one tackle.
Left-back: Renan Lodi
Renan Lodi assisted Joao Felix’s early goal in the game against Manchester United. He was a regular threat for the Red Devils on the left wing. He had one ball recovery inside their box and made two tackles.
Midfielders: Daniel Parejo
Daniel Parejo scored the equaliser for Villareal in the 66th minute. He was one of the best players on the pitch for the Spanish club. He attempted 81 passes with an accuracy of 93%.
Kai Havertz
Kai Havertz proved why he deserved to start the game ahead of Lukaku. The German midfielder scored the opening goal for Chelsea in the 8th minute was made continuous attacks in the game.
N’Golo Kante
Kante was Chelsea’s midfield engine as usual. He controlled the game throughout and made one assist. He made three tackles in the game and attempted 53 passes.
Attackers: Christian Pulisic
The American forward had a great game against Lille. He played 81 minutes and ended the game with positive signs for Thomas Tuchel. He had 96% passing accuracy in the game.
Dusan Tadic
The captain of Ajax was one of the top players on the field. He scored the opening goal for the Dutch club in the 18th minute.
Joao Felix
The Portuguese youngster proved that he could be crucial for Atletico Madrid in big games. He scored a brilliant header in the 7th minute for the Spanish club and had a total of five attempts.
Team of the Week: Edouard Mendy – Noussair Mazraoui, Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger, Renan Lodi – Daniel Parejo, Kai Havertz, N’Golo Kante – Christian Pulisic, Dusan Tadic, Joao Felix
