After what felt like a unending three-week hiatus, the UEFA Champions League sprung again to life with 18 action-packed encounters on Matchdays 3 throughout October 22 and 23. The conflict between final season’s finalists, Actual Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, and the renewal of hostilities between two acquainted foes, Barcelona and Bayern Munich, headlined the Gameweek. Each video games lived as much as expectations, no less than for followers of the Spanish golf equipment, as Madrid and Barca took their German opponents to the cleaners. Los Blancos got here away with an exhilarating 5-2 comeback victory over Dortmund whereas the Blaugrana humbled Bayern 4-1 at dwelling, ending a nine-year shedding streak towards the Bavarians.
Actual Madrid and Barcelona weren’t the one groups that stood out on Matchday 3. Premier League duo Aston Villa and Liverpool maintained their 100% report within the competitors by selecting up wins over Bologna (2-0) and RB Leipzig (1-0), respectively. Manchester Metropolis claimed a commanding 5-0 win over Sparta Prague whereas AS Monaco hammered Pink Star Belgrade 5-1. Scottish giants Celtic additionally produced a superb efficiency, holding Atalanta to a goalless draw away from dwelling.
Within the record beneath, we’ll tip our hat to the week’s most impactful performers. Proceed studying to try the 5 standout gamers from Champions League Matchday 3.
#5 Mattia Perin – Juventus
In contrast to the opposite 4 gamers on the record, Juventus goalkeeper Mattia Perin didn’t find yourself on the successful facet. However his efficiency was simply top-of-the-line of the Gameweek. The 31-year-old goalkeeper nearly single-handedly stored Juventus within the recreation towards VfB Stuttgart, making one spectacular save after one other. He additionally denied Enzo Millot from the penalty spot within the 86th minute, pushing his strike huge of the submit and behind for a nook. Sadly, he was let down by his protection proper on the finish, who have been simply fooled by Millot’s intelligent motion. The proper-winger then proceeded to arrange El Bilal Toure for a easy tap-in.
Over the course of the sport, Perin made seven saves, dealing with an xGOT of three.06. He additionally made 10 recoveries and accomplished 23 passes with 85% accuracy.
#4 Matheus Nunes – Manchester Metropolis
One of many favorites for the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League, Manchester Metropolis prolonged their unbeaten run within the competitors on Matchday 3, claiming a commanding 5-0 victory over Sparta Prague. Erling Haaland grabbed headlines along with his brace, however we really feel midfielder Matheus Nunes was the standout performer within the midweek conflict on the Etihad Stadium.
The Portugal worldwide had a good first half, however he actually got here alive within the second 45, scoring a purpose and bagging two assists. Within the sixty fourth minute, the 26-year-old floated a superb cross from the left facet, permitting John Stones to move it in from shut vary. 4 minutes later, Nunes performed an inch-perfect via ball to Haaland, sending him one-on-one with the goalkeeper. The Norwegian unsurprisingly utilized a superb end to ship the ball into the bottom-right nook.
Within the 86th minute, Nunes drew a foul from Angelo Preciado inside the world, successful a penalty. Though he isn’t the designated penalty taker, Metropolis let him take it. The central midfielder didn’t disappoint, slotting the ball into the bottom-left nook. Over the course of the sport, Nunes additionally created three possibilities, received 9 duels, pulled off 4 dribbles, and delivered three correct crosses.
#3 Takumi Minamino – AS Monaco
Former Liverpool attacking midfielder Takumi Minamino is on a dream run at AS Monaco, scoring targets and creating possibilities for enjoyable. He introduced his A-game to the Champions League conflict with Pink Star Belgrade, immediately contributing to a few targets and serving to his workforce to a 5-1 victory.
Minamino drew first blood for AS Monaco within the twentieth minute, benefitting from Pink Star’s hesitation and sending Wilfried Singo’s supply into the again of the online. The Serbian facet stopped enjoying considering Minamino was offside, however a VAR examine confirmed that Silas Mvumpa had performed him on. Mimanino doubled his cash within the seventieth minute, making use of a cool end from inside the world. The 29-year-old turned supplier for Monaco’s fifth purpose within the sixth minute of stoppage time, organising Maghnes Akliouche with a wonderfully weighted cross.
On Champions League Matchday 3, Minamino additionally created two possibilities, made 5 recoveries, and received three duels.
#2 Raphinha – Barcelona
Barcelona beat Bayern Munich for the primary time in 9 years on October 23, and Raphinha was the principle catalyst behind it. The in-form winger was at his elegant finest, scoring a surprising hat-trick within the Blaugrana’s 4-1 win.
Raphinha fired Barcelona into the lead within the first minute, cleverly beating the offside entice to latch on to Fermin Lopez’s supply earlier than rounding off Manuel Neuer and sending the ball into the again of the online. Raphinha added one other simply earlier than half-time, slicing in from the left facet and curling the ball into the bottom-right nook. Raphinha accomplished his first Champions League hat-trick within the 56th minute, and it was one other second of magic from the Brazilian. He beautifully managed Lamine Yamal’s supply along with his chest earlier than beating Min-Jae Kim and Dayot Upamecano in a foot race and catching Neuer off guard with a low end. His world-class efficiency deservedly noticed him take dwelling the Man of the Match award on the finish of the sport.
Earlier than Hansi Flick took him off within the seventy fifth minute, Raphinha created two possibilities, tried two dribbles, and received three floor duels.
#1 Vinicius Jr. – Actual Madrid
A day earlier than Raphinha surprised Bayern Munich, his compatriot Vinicius Jr. left Borussia Dortmund dumbfounded with an equally breathtaking efficiency. Granted Vinicius Jr. didn’t precisely come to life within the first half, however his second 45 was simply top-of-the-line we now have ever seen within the UEFA Champions League. Down by two targets, Actual Madrid wanted somebody to steer by instance. And Vinicius Jr. answered the decision louder than any of his friends.
After Antonio Rudiger gave Actual Madrid a lifeline along with his header within the sixtieth minute, it was Vinicius Jr. who scored the equalizer within the 62nd minute, tapping the ball in from the left facet of the field. Lucas Vazquez put Madrid in entrance within the 83rd minute, however the workforce, and particularly Vinicius Jr., weren’t seeking to sit again. Within the 86th minute, the jet-heeled Brazilian scored a mesmerizing solo purpose, operating nearly the whole lot of the pitch earlier than slicing in and sending the ball into the bottom-right nook. Vinicius Jr. claimed his first UEFA Champions League hat-trick within the third minute of stoppage time. He skipped previous Niklas Sule after which Waldemar Anton earlier than firing the ball into the roof of the online, making it 5-2 for Los Blancos.
The 2024 Ballon d’Or favourite additionally created a few possibilities, accomplished 5 dribbles, made three recoveries, and received six floor duels. A Golden Ball-winning show certainly!
