Champions League group of the period ahoy. The group is determined by meet ratings from WhoScored, thus divert any rage towards them and not us.
Surprisingly, there is only one player from league phase winners Liverpool and he is not named Mohamed Salah. The Reds representative is also the only Premier League player, so nobody from ArsenalAston Villa or Manchester City make the cut.
Just people with a minimal five goes are included.
GK: Dmytro Riznyk ( Shakhtar Donetsk )
Rizynk played every minute of Shakhtars league phase campaign, claiming one player of the match award, conceding 16 goals and keeping two clean sheets.
The Ukraine goalkeeper scored an own goal to give Arsenal victory at the Emirates but did save a Leandro Trossard penalty. On another day with an problem leading to a purpose against PSV, he made a ridiculous 15 saves, 11 of which came from pictures inside the container.
Rizynk broke the record for most saves in a Champions League suit, easily surpassing the 12 Fernando Muslera made for Galatasaray in a match against Real Madrid in 2019.
Even Alisson didnt break that record.
RB: Achraf Hakimi ( PSG)
In the 2024/25 Champions League, Hakimi is second for most key passes ( 28 ) behind Bayern Munichs Jamal Musiala, third for progressive passes ( 85 ), joint-first for assists ( 5 ), third for passes into the penalty area ( 23 ), sixth for passes completed ( 814 ), first for short passes completed ( 499 ), second for touches ( 1085 ), joint-first for progressive carries ( 58 ), joint-third for carries into the final third ( 37 ) and top for ball recoveries ( 76 ).
He is a pretty important person at PSG.
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CB: Ryan Flamingo ( PSV)
Talk, fair play.
He might have had a stinker against Arsenal in PSVs last-16 first leg defeatbut it has been a stellar European campaign for Flamingo, who had a clearance off the line in the first leg of the play-off against Juventus and scored the extra-time winner in the second leg to secure the Dutch giants progression.
CB: Nicolas Otamendi ( Benfica )
Joining Flamingo at the back is a player 15 years his senior. Top for clearances ( 66 ), former Manchester City centre-half Otamendi is aging nicely in Portugal, helping Benfica reach the round of 16 after a play-off win over AS Monaco. He also performed a tie-saving clearing off the collection in Benficas second foot.
LB: Alex Grimaldo ( Bayer Leverkusen )
With two goals and one assist in this seasons competition, former Benfica left-back Grimaldo is in.
The Spaniard has played left-back, left-wing-back and left-wing under Xabi De and has been a critical person for the past England, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich playmaker.
DM: Alexis Mac Allister ( Liverpool )
The only Liverpool player in the Champions League team of the season so far, Mac Allister has formed a very nice partnership with Ryan Gravenberch in Arne Slots midfield. Mohamed Salah is a huge reason Liverpool are top of the Premier League but these two have done their bit.
Mac Allister is a danger in the middle of the area and has two goals, six turnovers, 15 interceptions and seven clearances to his title. He is a physically gifted player but evidently glad to do the dirty job, picking up four bright cards as well. Only Alvaro Carreras has more.
CM: Florian Wirtz ( Bayer Leverkusen )
Wirtz and his seven goal involvements is fending off some pretty strong competition in Martin Odegaard, Jamal Musiala and Jude Bellingham.
The German playmaker is one of the best young talents in world football and his form post-ACL injury has been remarkable.
CM: Malik Tillman ( PSV)
Former Rangers loanee Tillman has the second-best average match rating in the Champions League this season, trailing Barcelona forward Raphinha.
Tillman has been named player of the match twice and has three goals and two assists in six appearances.
RW: Raphinha ( Barcelona )
The best player in the Champions League and a contender for the Ballon dOr alongside Mohamed SalahRaphinha has been on fire under Hansi Flick having clearly taken the persistent transfer rumours to heart.
The former Leeds United star has nine goals in as many matches, with four assists to boot. Barcelona look the real deal with him, Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski in attack, with all three combining for 20 goals.
LW: Vinicius Junior ( Real Madrid )
From one Brazilian to another, Ballon dOr dodger Vini Jr has seven goals and two assists in 810 minutes of Champions League action.
ST: Ademola Lookman ( Atalanta )
Hes one of the worst penalty-takers Ive ever seen, said Atalanta head coach Gian Piero Gasperini of Lookman after the Serie A club were knocked out of the Champions League by Club Brugge.
Despite Lookmans spot-kick woes, the former Leicester City and Fulham forward scored five goals in five appearances and has a marginally superior rating to Karim Adeyemi and Antoine Griezmann.
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