• GK Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) - The Bayern captain oversaw a handsome win, though he needed to be alert to preserve the 4-1 margin, making a trio of sharp saves and generating the confidence that allowed his team to push high up the pitch. Getty
    GK Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) - The Bayern captain oversaw a handsome win, though he needed to be alert to preserve the 4-1 margin, making a trio of sharp saves and generating the confidence that allowed his team to push high up the pitch. Getty
  • RB Joao Cancelo (Manchester City) - Right-back? Or left-back? Or creative midfielder? Is it any longer viable to designate the protean Portuguese to just a single role. His crosses made both goals in the 2-0 Manchester City win over Borussia Monchengladbach. AFP
    RB Joao Cancelo (Manchester City) - Right-back? Or left-back? Or creative midfielder? Is it any longer viable to designate the protean Portuguese to just a single role. His crosses made both goals in the 2-0 Manchester City win over Borussia Monchengladbach. AFP
  • CB Niklas Sule (Bayern Munich) - A night of revelation in the 4-1 win at Lazio for the giant Sule, who showed he can not only block and tackle, but also dribble and cross. Sule will always be more grizzly bear than ballerina but he showed off some nimble technique. Reuters
    CB Niklas Sule (Bayern Munich) - A night of revelation in the 4-1 win at Lazio for the giant Sule, who showed he can not only block and tackle, but also dribble and cross. Sule will always be more grizzly bear than ballerina but he showed off some nimble technique. Reuters
  • CB Antonio Rüdiger (Chelsea) - No high-stakes evening up against Luis Suarez is gentle on a defender, but Rudiger had to deal with all the aggression - and some slyness - from the Atletico Madrid striker. Rudiger bore it and contained the threat in a valuable 1-0 Chelsea win. PA
    CB Antonio Rüdiger (Chelsea) - No high-stakes evening up against Luis Suarez is gentle on a defender, but Rudiger had to deal with all the aggression - and some slyness - from the Atletico Madrid striker. Rudiger bore it and contained the threat in a valuable 1-0 Chelsea win. PA
  • LB Ferland Mendy (Real Madrid) - Decisive in what turned out to be a taut, cagey evening in Bergamo for Real Madrid. Mendy, advancing forward, drew Remo Freuler into a foul that had the Atalanta man sent off. Mendy then scored the game’s only goal, a beauty, late on. AP
    LB Ferland Mendy (Real Madrid) - Decisive in what turned out to be a taut, cagey evening in Bergamo for Real Madrid. Mendy, advancing forward, drew Remo Freuler into a foul that had the Atalanta man sent off. Mendy then scored the game’s only goal, a beauty, late on. AP
  • RM Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich) - Musiala will turn 18 on Friday. He scored his first Champions League goal just ahead of that, the confident finish that put Bayern 2-0 up at Lazio. Next up, an imminent senior debut for Germany, whom the dual-national has chosen to play for ahead of England. Getty
    RM Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich) - Musiala will turn 18 on Friday. He scored his first Champions League goal just ahead of that, the confident finish that put Bayern 2-0 up at Lazio. Next up, an imminent senior debut for Germany, whom the dual-national has chosen to play for ahead of England. Getty
  • CM Luka Modric (Real Madrid) - Animated a laboured Real Madrid against 10-man Atalanta, guarding against mishap and probing for opportunities with his passes and the odd shot at goal. In the absence of so many injured seniors, Modric led by example. Getty
    CM Luka Modric (Real Madrid) - Animated a laboured Real Madrid against 10-man Atalanta, guarding against mishap and probing for opportunities with his passes and the odd shot at goal. In the absence of so many injured seniors, Modric led by example. Getty
  • LM Robin Gosens (Atalanta) - For over 70 minutes Atalanta had to match Real Madrid with one player fewer. They nearly held out, too, partly because Gosens was ubiquitous on the left flank, the blocker of crosses, the resolute tackler and the valiant counter-attacker. AP
    LM Robin Gosens (Atalanta) - For over 70 minutes Atalanta had to match Real Madrid with one player fewer. They nearly held out, too, partly because Gosens was ubiquitous on the left flank, the blocker of crosses, the resolute tackler and the valiant counter-attacker. AP
  • RW Bernardo Silva (Manchester City) - A rare leaping, headed goal to put City ahead against Monchengladbach, and an unselfish set-up to provide Gabriel Jesus with the second goal capped an effervescent display on a good night for City’s influential Portuguese contingent. Reuters
    RW Bernardo Silva (Manchester City) - A rare leaping, headed goal to put City ahead against Monchengladbach, and an unselfish set-up to provide Gabriel Jesus with the second goal capped an effervescent display on a good night for City’s influential Portuguese contingent. Reuters
  • CF Olivier Giroud (Chelsea) - For a striker sometimes maligned for the running speeds he does not reach, or for being an ‘old-fashioned’ centre-forward, Giroud scores an awful lot of spectacular goals. His brilliant overhead volley swung the tie against stubborn Atletico Madrid in Chelsea’s favour. EPA
    CF Olivier Giroud (Chelsea) - For a striker sometimes maligned for the running speeds he does not reach, or for being an ‘old-fashioned’ centre-forward, Giroud scores an awful lot of spectacular goals. His brilliant overhead volley swung the tie against stubborn Atletico Madrid in Chelsea’s favour. EPA
  • LW Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich) - His dazzling wing-play will haunt Lazio’s full-backs for some time. Coman, the matchwinner in the 2020 Champions League final, also set up Bayern’s third goal, Leroy Sane’s, with a fine long pass from in his own half. AP
    LW Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich) - His dazzling wing-play will haunt Lazio’s full-backs for some time. Coman, the matchwinner in the 2020 Champions League final, also set up Bayern’s third goal, Leroy Sane’s, with a fine long pass from in his own half. AP

Football

Champions League team of the week: The youngest ever goalscorer one of four Bayern Munich stars to make the cut

Chelsea and Manchester City players also get a look-in

Ian Hawkey
Ian Hawkey
London

February 25, 2021

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The knockout stages of the Champions League resumed with some impressive performances and unexpected setbacks.

Chelsea earned a brilliant victory at Atletico Madrid, the ageless Olivier Giroud netting the winner against La Liga leaders.

Holders Bayern Munich have struggled in the Bundesliga lately, but that was forgotten as they trounced Lazio with 17-year-old Jamal Musiala scoring his first Champions League goal on only his fourth appearance in Europe, becoming the youngest player to find the net in Europe's top competition.

Real Madrid did better than their city rivals, beating Italians Atalanta 1-0 in the first leg of their last 16 tie, while the unstoppable Manchester City made it win No 19 in succession when they swept aside German outfit Borussia Monchengladbach.

Reflecting on the latest games, Ian Hawkey has provided his Champions League team of the week in the photo gallery above. To move on to the next photo, click on the arrows or if using a mobile device, simply swipe.

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