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The Champions League resumed after its break, but it was not the most exciting comeback. Tuesday’s games played out as predicted, with Real Madrid narrowly defeating Leipzig 1-0 and Manchester City easily beating Copenhagen 3-1. On Wednesday, Paris Saint-Germain secured a 2-0 victory over Real Sociedad, while Lazio’s 1-0 win at home against Bayern Munich was the unexpected upset of the week.
Here are some exceptional performers from this week’s last-16 matches.
Real Madrid’s goalkeeper, Andriy Lunin, played a crucial role in their hard-fought victory against Leipzig. Despite a questionable call to disallow an early goal from Benjamin Sesko, Lunin’s exceptional performance helped secure the win. With Thibaut Courtois absent, Lunin has taken over as Carlo Ancelotti’s preferred choice over Kepa Arrizabalaga. The match-up between Sesko and Lunin was one-sided, with the keeper making a total of nine saves to deny Leipzig. His contribution was more impactful than any of his star-studded teammates.
Defender: Far more than a mere defender, Achraf Hakimi entered the last 16 having created the competition’s most chances from open play, and his status as one of Europe’s most reliable supply lines continued with one beautiful pass that Ousmane Dembélé might have done better with. Paris Saint-Germain did not have it all their own way against Real Sociedad – the Moroccan was asked to do plenty of defending – but an assignment approached nervously ended up being completed to some satisfaction.
Defender: At the moment, central defenders come at a premium at Real Madrid due to an injury crisis where David Alaba and Éder Militão are recovering from cruciate injuries. Alongside the far more experienced Nacho, Aurélien Tchouaméni, an elite-level defensive midfielder, showed off his versatility by stepping back, just as he did against Girona on Saturday. He was asked to handle the dangerous Sesko in a far more challenging detail than at the weekend, eventually coming through for his team.
The second defeat for Bayern Munich in one week could have been blamed on their forwards, but the true reason for their loss was the disciplined victory of Lazio, led by Alessio Romagnoli. Despite attempts from Harry Kane, who was limited to long-range shots and one free-kick where he slipped awkwardly, Romagnoli’s impressive performance included strong tackles and prevented Bayern from getting a single shot on goal throughout the entire game. The Italian player demonstrated the defensive strategies that his country is known for.
The Lazio defenders, Adam Marusic and Elseid Hysaj, who are from Montenegro and Albania respectively, did a great job of defending against attacks from the flanks by Bayern’s Jamal Musiala and Leroy Sane. Hysaj struggled in the first few minutes, but was able to recover before having to leave the game due to injury. Marusic shifted to the left to take over for his teammate and effectively shut down Sane, which led to Thomas Tuchel substituting him out as Bayern grew more desperate towards the end of the game.
In his debut with Copenhagen, midfielder Magnus Mattsson had a memorable performance. After recently joining the team from NEC Nijmegen and returning from a winter break, he scored a goal from the edge of the box thanks to an error by Ederson. Despite City’s dominance in the game, Mattsson’s efforts helped keep the score close as he chased after every ball. Looking ahead to the second leg in Manchester, he expressed his determination to give his all on the field.
City’s midfielder, Kevin De Bruyne, scored early in the match against Copenhagen, which hinted at a dominant performance from the defending champions. De Bruyne, who was injured during last season’s final, has a personal mission to accomplish in the competition. He missed the group stages this season, but his goal was executed with precision and power. He also assisted in goals for Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden. His ability to play the full 90 minutes without any issues with his fitness is a warning to any teams hoping to dethrone City.
Brahim Díaz stepped up to fill the shoes of injured Jude Bellingham in European football, scoring a goal reminiscent of Bellingham’s skills. The former Manchester City player, who previously scored in the Madrid derby, showed his admirable talent by weaving past three defenders and scoring with his left foot. His goal helped secure a win for Madrid, even though Díaz unfortunately suffered a muscle injury after seizing his opportunity and even imitating Bellingham’s signature celebration.
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During the absence of De Bruyne and Erling Haaland from the City team, Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden stepped up to take on the responsibility and support Pep Guardiola’s team. Now that the two key players are back, Silva and Foden have maintained their high standards and it is difficult to choose between them for the upcoming match against Copenhagen. Initially, there were talks of Foden playing in a central role, but with De Bruyne’s return, he has been shifted back to the wings more frequently. However, his performance continues to be impressive and consistent.
Recently, there has been discussion about Kylian Mbappé potentially wasting his career by staying at Paris Saint-Germain. It is probable that he will leave the team in the near future, but in what could be his final season with the club, he has played a crucial role in their success. Despite being a center-forward and facing a tough week in terms of finishing, his impressive volleying skills resulted in PSG’s first goal. He also had a shot that hit the crossbar. While he has the potential to do even better, his performance was still enough to make a significant impact.
Reworded: Lazio’s victory against Bayern Munich was largely thanks to Gustav Isaksen, a promising player from Denmark’s strong talent pool. Isaksen, playing on the right wing, caused trouble for Raphaël Guerreiro and earned a crucial penalty from Dayot Upamecano, resulting in a red card. Despite not being a full Danish international yet, the 22-year-old played a key role in Ciro Immobile’s winning penalty, which was saved by Manuel Neuer earlier in the match.
Source: theguardian.com
