The dust has settled on the Champions League round-of-16 first legs and several clashes remain on a knife’s edge, while other top teams are on cruise control into the quarter-finals.
Below we pick out the best performers from this week’s action as Man United escaped from Sevilla with a 0-0 draw, Lionel Messi denied a famous win for Chelsea, Bayern Munich battered Besiktas and Shakhtar Donetsk slipped a 2-1 victory past Roma.
GK – David De Gea (Manchester United)
No matter how many expensive attackers United bring in, their best player remains the one at the very back.
His right glove was a blur as he palmed away Luis Muriel’s point-blank header, but that was only one of many saves as he somehow dragged the Red Devils back to Old Trafford with a clean sheet.
RB – Jesus Navas (Sevilla)
The diminutive Spaniard may not be back in his favoured position, but he is back in his element with Sevilla.
The winger-turned-right-back made a team-best four interceptions against United and helped keep a rather lousy Alexis Sanchez at bay.
CB – Yaroslav Rakitskiy (Shakhtar Donetsk)
Perhaps the most unfamiliar name on this list made his presence known in both a defensive and attacking sense in Shakhtar’s fine 2-1 win over Roma.
His long pass from defence picked out Facundo Ferreyra for the equaliser and he coped well against the high-powered Giallorossi front line of Edin Dzeko, Diego Perotti and an in-form Cengiz Under.
CB – Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea)
He did make a mistake – diving in a little recklessly on Andres Iniesta after Andreas Christensen’s fateful pass across goal – but that should not overshadow a superb performance against Barcelona.
Marshalling a back three that contained inexperience in Christensen and a rash Antonio Rudiger, his six interceptions, three clearances and one blocked shot tell much of the story.
LB – David Alaba (Bayern Munich)
His team-mate Joshua Kimmich could easily have flanked him on the right as Bayern’s full-backs ran riot against 10-man Besiktas.
The Austrian provided the assist for Thomas Muller’s opener and Bayern did not look back from there.
DM – Sergio Busquets (Barcelona)
This spot could easily have gone to N’Golo Kante, who nipped at Lionel Messi’s relentlessly at Stamford Bridge, but Sergio Busquets stopped Barcelona from unravelling in the face of the blue wave.
The Spain international completed a staggering 128 passes – more than any Barcelona player in any game this season – while also recovering the ball 10 times. The poor performances of Ivan Rakitic and Paulinho only underlines his contribution.
Sergio Busquets against Chelsea:
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) February 20, 2018
Most touches (152) ✅
Most passes completed (128) ✅
Most tackles won (6) ✅
Bossing the midfield. pic.twitter.com/1cRckdVSaw
CM – Ever Banega (Sevilla)
Another midfielder who deserved more out of the game if not for the lacklustre efforts of his team-mates.
Banega put Paul Pogba in the shade and created 10 chances for Sevilla against United, but the profligacy of the likes of Luis Muriel meant that the hosts drew a blank.
CM – Fred (Shakhtar Donetsk)
It is easy to see why Manchester City are being linked with the Brazilian – he is the heir apparent to Fernandinho, a Shakhtar old boy himself, based on his showing against Roma.
The spectacular winner aside, Fred made a crunching five tackles and was a marauding presence from midfield. He has plenty of rough edges but he’s waiting for Pep Guardiola to get his polish out.
FW – Willian (Chelsea)
Not Lionel Messi, not Eden Hazard – it was Brazilian Willian who lit up Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night.
He clattered the post twice before finally finding the net with a sumptuous finish and what’s more, completed six dribbles and four key passes according to whoscored.com. A genuine 10 out of 10 display.
6 - Since joining Chelsea in 2013/14, Willian has scored more Champions League goals from outside the box than any other player (6, followed by Cristiano Ronaldo & Neymar on 5). Specialist.
— OptaJohan (@OptaJohan) February 20, 2018
ST – Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
Easy pickings Besiktas may have been, but Robert Lewandowski sure knows how to pick out the back of the net.
He drew the foul that saw Vida earn his early bath and his late double means the Poland international has scored an incredible 19 goals in his last 17 Champions League games at Allianz Arena.
FW – Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich)
The ‘ever-reliable’ Thomas Muller has been oddly out-of-sorts for Bayern for much of the past year – not here.
Chipping in with two goals and an assist, Muller is beginning to look like his confident, clinical self again.
