• GK: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) - Suspicions he was a sentimental pick for the trip to Barcelona were quickly corrected. The 42-year-old proved equal to all that Lionel Messi fired at him. AFP
    GK: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus) - Suspicions he was a sentimental pick for the trip to Barcelona were quickly corrected. The 42-year-old proved equal to all that Lionel Messi fired at him. AFP
  • RB: Cristian Romero (Atalanta, right) - Another bold performance in central defence from the Argentinian, who helped keep the clean sheet against Ajax that secured Atalanta’s progress. AFP
    RB: Cristian Romero (Atalanta, right) - Another bold performance in central defence from the Argentinian, who helped keep the clean sheet against Ajax that secured Atalanta’s progress. AFP
  • CB: Mario Hermoso (Atletico Madrid). Watchful when Atletico were under pressure, and put his side on the way to the knockouts with a classic Atletico goal, headed in from a set-piece. Reuters
    CB: Mario Hermoso (Atletico Madrid). Watchful when Atletico were under pressure, and put his side on the way to the knockouts with a classic Atletico goal, headed in from a set-piece. Reuters
  • LB: Willi Orban (RB Leipzig) - Fearless facing Manchester United’s attacking pace. But for VAR the Hungarian would also have added a goal of his own to his club’s first-half blitz. Reuters
    LB: Willi Orban (RB Leipzig) - Fearless facing Manchester United’s attacking pace. But for VAR the Hungarian would also have added a goal of his own to his club’s first-half blitz. Reuters
  • RWB: Juan Cuadrado (Juventus, right) - The Colombian’s crossing has become one of Juve’s most reliable weapons. At Barcelona, he supplied his third assist within three days. Getty
    RWB: Juan Cuadrado (Juventus, right) - The Colombian’s crossing has become one of Juve’s most reliable weapons. At Barcelona, he supplied his third assist within three days. Getty
  • CM: Otavio (Porto) - Captain on the night, cool penalty taker to establish the early lead at Olympiakos and midfield boss of a team who have not conceded for five European games. AFP
    CM: Otavio (Porto) - Captain on the night, cool penalty taker to establish the early lead at Olympiakos and midfield boss of a team who have not conceded for five European games. AFP
  • CM: Luka Modric (Real Madrid) - When Madrid have their backs against the wall, their Croatian controller takes over. Ran the midfield against Monchengladbach in a must-win game. EPA
    CM: Luka Modric (Real Madrid) - When Madrid have their backs against the wall, their Croatian controller takes over. Ran the midfield against Monchengladbach in a must-win game. EPA
  • LWB: Angelino (RB Leipzig) - The Spaniard made full use of ample space to ambush United. That's three goals and three assists in the group phase for the Manchester City loanee. Reuters
    LWB: Angelino (RB Leipzig) - The Spaniard made full use of ample space to ambush United. That's three goals and three assists in the group phase for the Manchester City loanee. Reuters
  • RW: Neymar (PSG) - Two goals against Manchester United a week earlier and a hat-trick to finish off a successful group phase against Basaksehir. The Brazilian was unstoppable. AP
    RW: Neymar (PSG) - Two goals against Manchester United a week earlier and a hat-trick to finish off a successful group phase against Basaksehir. The Brazilian was unstoppable. AP
  • CF: Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) - A pair of expert headed goals made Madrid, who were third in their group at kick-off, comfortable early on against Monchengladbach AFP.
    CF: Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) - A pair of expert headed goals made Madrid, who were third in their group at kick-off, comfortable early on against Monchengladbach AFP.
  • LW: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus). Any double at Camp Nou is special for CR7. His brace won his duel with Lionel Messi and took Juve above Barcelona to the top of their group. AFP
    LW: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus). Any double at Camp Nou is special for CR7. His brace won his duel with Lionel Messi and took Juve above Barcelona to the top of their group. AFP

Football

Three Juventus stars including Cristiano Ronaldo: Champions League team of the week

A 42-year-old goalkeeper showed he still has a lot of fight left in him

Ian Hawkey
Ian Hawkey
London

December 10, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

The group stage of the Champions League concluded with some commanding performances and stunning setbacks.

Karim Benzema sent Real Madrid through to the last 16 of the Champions League on Wednesday alongside their rivals Atletico.

Real needed to beat Borussia Moenchengladbach to be sure of making it through the group stage. Benzema rose to the challenge, easing the pressure on coach Zinedine Zidane with two fine back-post headers in the first half securing a 2-0 win.

There was plenty of controversy as Paris Saint-Germain and Istanbul Basaksehir concluded their match on Wednesday, 24 hours after it had been suspended. Neymar scored a hat-trick before saying both teams had felt compelled to make a stand against racism in what was an unprecedented protest over an alleged comment by an official.

PSG won the game 5-1 after it restarted where it had stopped the previous day, in the 14th minute, following a touchline argument over accusations the Romanian fourth official, Sebastian Coltescu, had used a racist term when identifying Basaksehir's black assistant coach Pierre Webo.

Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo struck twice from the penalty spot to win his battle with rival Lionel Messi and guide Juventus to a 3-0 win over Barcelona on Tuesday, earning the Italians top spot in Champions League Group G.

Pep Guardiola's Manchester City made it five wins and a draw in Group D as they eased to a 3-0 victory against Marseille with Ferran Torres and Sergio Aguero getting second-half goals before an Alvaro Gonzalez own goal.

Also already qualified, Porto beat Olympiakos 2-0 in Piraeus courtesy of Otavio's early penalty and a Matheus Uribe goal. The Greeks, who ended with 10 men, finish third in the section.

Meanwhile, pressure increased on Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer following their Champions League exit at the hands of RB Leipzig.

United paid for a sloppy start against last season's semi-finalists and exited Europe's elite club competition after a 3-2 defeat that piled the pressure on Solskjaer, with some angry fans calling for Mauricio Pochettino to replace him.

Champions League