Champions League Group of the Week:
Our Champions League Group of the Week, as Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund accomplished the quarter-final line up.
Goalkeeper: Jan Oblak – Atletico Madrid
It was a superb week for goalkeepers within the Champions League, with David Raya’s bouncebackability incomes the Arsenal shot-stopper our Participant of the Week award. Gregor Kobel was equally excellent for Borussia Dortmund, although Jan Oblak’s efficiency for Atletico Madrid was maybe the best particular person outing.
The Slovenian shot-stopper once more underlined why he stays the most effective goalkeepers on the planet, denying Denzel Dumfries, Nicolo Barella, and Matteo Darmian with high quality stops earlier than rising because the hero of the shootout win over Inter Milan.
Jan Oblak 🧱🧱🧱 pic.twitter.com/BEr3A9Nchn
— OneFootball (@OneFootball) March 14, 2024
Atletico Madrid are a troublesome nut to crack and he’s a significant purpose for that.
Proper-back: Jules Kounde – Barcelona
Kounde got here out on high in one of many large duels of the night time as he shut down the specter of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. A powerful defensive show from the Frenchman lowered Kvaratskhelia’s impression on the competition, nullifying Napoli’s chief inventive supply.
Barcelona have been pretty strange to this point this season, however a convincing win over the Italian champions booked Xavi’s aspect a spot within the final eight.
Centre-back: Pau Cubarsi – Barcelona
Simply how does La Masia do it?
Pau Cubarsi is the most recent graduate showing comfy within the senior aspect at Barcelona, with the 17-year-old centre-back coping comfortably with the specter of Victor Osimhen this week.
Osimhen may be probably the most in-demand centre-forwards in Europe however met his match within the teenager as Barcelona beat Napoli to progress. A few of his passing from deep was distinctive, on a memorable night time for the Catalan membership’s youth system.
🇪🇸🌟 Xavi: “Pau Cubarsí is an eruption of expertise for Barcelona and Spanish soccer.”
“He’s consistently asking us for movies to review to assist him enhance. He’s bought a fantastically organised and clear thoughts. He’s humble, arduous working – I believe he’s a marvel.”
“Cubarsí was by no means… pic.twitter.com/N4IogL4Jl0
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) March 13, 2024
Centre-back: Pepe – Porto
Porto fell brief after a shootout defeat to Arsenal however their defensive show over two legs deserves immense credit score. Pepe led the Portuguese aspect’s defilade in north London, because the oldest outfield participant in Champions League historical past held the fort.
The 41-year-old delivered one essential intervention as he flicked away a harmful cross that fell invitingly into the Porto penalty space, utilizing all of the know-how he has constructed over 20 years on the high to maintain Arsenal out.
23-year-old Pepe defending for Porto towards Arsenal and Thierry Henry within the Champions League in 2006 vs. 41-year-old Pepe defending for Porto towards Arsenal and Leandro Trossard within the Champions League in 2024 🤯
THIS IS INCREDIBLE 📸 pic.twitter.com/Y8mg2Clk7B
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) March 13, 2024
Left-back: Jakub Kiwior – Arsenal
Jakub Kiwior has grown into his function at Arsenal with the defender having deputised fantastically at left-back in current weeks. Regardless of Oleksandr Zinchenko’s return to health, Kiwior saved his place within the aspect and produced arguably his finest efficiency in an Arsenal shirt thus far.
The Poland worldwide battled brilliantly in his one-on-one defending and proved virtually inconceivable to beat. The shirt is his to lose in Mikel Arteta’s crew.
Midfield: Fermin Lopez – Barcelona
Fermin Lopez has proved he belongs at Barcelona this season with the 20-year-old having seized his likelihood. On mortgage within the third tier final season, he has cemented an everyday function with the Spanish champions this time round and scored a vital aim within the Champions League this week.
The midfielder’s ahead runs had been a risk all night to Napoli and Lopez has proven he’s by no means afraid to goal for aim. A composed end set Barcelona on path to a 3-1 win and into the final eight. Was visibly drained earlier than his substitution, a results of his relentless work price in midfield.
Midfield: Martin Odegaard – Arsenal
Simply pure high quality.
Martin Odegaard was the orchestrator of Arsenal’s win over Porto with the membership captain easy on the ball. His help for Leandro Trossard’s aim was elegant, as he danced round a pair of Porto challenges earlier than threading within the Belgian with a wonderfully weighted go.
Odegaard has all the power to turn into one of many world’s finest. Producing game-changing performances on this stage persistently will take him to that standing.
Martin Odegaard’s sport by numbers vs. Porto:
85% go accuracy
28 passes accomplished
2/3 dribbles accomplished
2/3 tackles gained
2 possibilities created
1 help
1 penalty shootout scoredMOTM. 🫡🫡🫡 pic.twitter.com/No83FGjxB2
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) March 12, 2024
Proper-wing: Lamine Yamal – Barcelona
Generally when watching Lamine Yamal it’s simple to overlook he’s simply 16 years outdated.
The youngest-ever participant to begin a Champions League knockout spherical sport performs with such maturity that he has already established himself as a go-to participant for one among world soccer’s most pressurised golf equipment.
Towards Napoli, Yamal instantly appeared as Barcelona’s greatest risk, attracting defenders round him and releasing the ball to teammates when house appeared. So good one-vs-one, the sky’s the restrict.
Left-wing: Jadon Sancho – Borussia Dortmund
Jadon Sancho is again having fun with his soccer as soon as once more and despatched Borussia Dortmund into the quarter-finals with the opening aim towards PSV Eindhoven.
Sancho struck a low end of excellent placement into the underside nook to attain his first dwelling aim since returning to Dortmund on mortgage from Manchester United. The person-of-the-match award was becoming for a efficiency plagued by high quality, with the boldness creeping again for Sancho after a troublesome time within the Premier League.
Quarterfinals! 🔥 @BVB pic.twitter.com/rRde68c0op
— Jadon Sancho (@Sanchooo10) March 14, 2024
Ahead: Antoine Griezmann – Atletico Madrid
As ever, on the centre of an Atletico Madrid efficiency. Griezmann’s aim introduced Atletico again virtually immediately after Inter’s opener on the Metropolitano Stadium and the Frenchman pulled the strings from there on out.
Antoine Griezmann’s sport by numbers vs. Inter:
100% dribbles accomplished
100% tackles gained
84% go accuracy
6 crosses
4 pictures
3 possibilities created
1 large likelihood created
1 aimSimeone’s Talisman. 🪬🪬🪬 pic.twitter.com/JKOySJU5dE
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) March 13, 2024
He floated across the pitch and sought to make issues occur for the Spanish aspect, coming near scoring a second. Solely Yann Sommer’s shot-stopping prevented him from including to his tally, on a night the place Griezmann took management of a vital conflict for his aspect.
Ahead: Memphis Depay – Atletico Madrid
Memphis Depay’s introduction helped flip the tie round for Atletico Madrid after a game-changing cameo from the Dutchman.
On rather than the ineffective Alvaro Morata, Depay injected life into Atletico Madrid’s efficiency and scored the essential mixture equaliser to ship the tie with Inter into additional time.
A HUGE GOAL FROM DEPAY! 🤩
Memphis Depay grabs a late aim for Atletico Madrid and it seems as if we’re heading into extra-time! 🙌#UCL pic.twitter.com/fMYYV8QTKl
— Soccer on TNT Sports activities (@footballontnt) March 13, 2024
His aim was one among actual class, with an ideal first contact to set and a drilled end into the underside nook. The 30-year-old has struggled for minutes this season however has constructed a case for elevated alternative.
Learn – Video: Who has been the Premier League Participant of the Season?
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