UEFA Champions League Gameweek 2 saw some shock results while other teams recording comfortable and routine victories. While Bayern Munich lost away against Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund were held to a 2-2 draw at home by Real Madrid. Pep Guardiola's high-flying Manchester City, who had won all of their games so far in the season, were held to a 3-3 draw by Brendan Rodgers' side.
45 goals were scored during the mid-week coupled with 8 clean sheets. However, we bring to you the 5 stars who excelled in Gameweek 2 of the UEFA Champions League:
#1 Alphonse Areola (Paris Saint–Germain)
Starting with the goalkeeper, Alphonso Areola did an excellent job in the absence of Kevin Trapp for Paris-Saint Germain. The Parc Des Princes outfit were leading 2-1 when the Bulgarian outfit were awarded a spot-kick, however, the resulting penalty from Cosmin Moti was easily saved by Areola. Cavani then bundled home his second of the night, to help Unai Emery's side record their first win of this season's UEFA Champions League, following their draw against Arsenal in the opening game of the season.
However, the Frenchman was guilty of allowing a seemingly harmless free-kick from the edge of the box nestle into the back of the net through a divide in the wall ahead of him. Nonetheless, his penalty save heroics were enough to earn him a spot on this list as things could have been very different had Ludogorets actually capitalised from the spot-kick.
#2 Kamil Glik (Monaco)
Monaco were staring at their first UEFA Champions League defeat of the season as they were 1-0 down against Bayer Leverkusen with seconds to go on the clock. However, Glik appeared out of nowhere and thumped a half-volley into the top-right corner to earn a point for the home side.
The German outfit had opened the scoring through former Manchester United striker, Chicharito – who had netted his sixth goal of the campaign. However, the Stade Louis II outfit followed up their 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on the opening day with a 1-1 draw and Kamil Glik to thank for.
Monaco will be looking to make it to the knockout stages of the tournament after a solid start to their campaign.
#3 Theo Walcott (Arsenal)
The Arsenal winger has been in outstanding form since the start of the season scoring five goals and recording one assist. Arsenal recorded a comfortable 2-0 win over Swiss opposition FC Basel at the Emirates Stadium courtesy of a brace from the English international.
Walcott thumped a header past Tom Vaclik in the 7th minute, getting on the end of a pin-point Alexis Sanchez cross, before drilling a shot past the Czech Republic international to double his side’s lead in the 26th minute again getting on the end of an excellent through ball from The Chilean.
Walcott had the opportunity to grab a hat-trick by half-time but failed to do so, but the two goals he scored did a world of good to his confidence and kept his side’s unbeaten run going. Arsenal have been unbeaten in their last 8 fixtures following the opening day 4-3 defeat against Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.
Sanchez could have made it to the list as he was also phenomenal, but he was guilty of missing a few sitters himself and thus has been kept out of this list.
#4 Dries Mertens (Napoli)
Arkadiusz Milik has been in red-hot form for the Naples outfit ever since making the switch from Ajax in the summer. The Polish international has filled in the boots of new Juventus signing Gonzalo Higuain excellently having netted 7 goals so far this season.
Milik did indeed find the back of the net against Benfica, but it was his teammate Dries Mertens, who stole the show, with two goals to his name. The Belgian international scored the second for his side from an expertly taken free-kick from the edge of the box in the 51st minute, before adding to his tally when he bundled home from close range getting on the end of a loose ball for which Milik and Nelson Semedo were fighting.
The 29-year-old Belgian has so far netted four goals while providing a further two assists so far during the campaign.
#5 Moussa Dembele (Celtic)
The Celtic forward has enjoyed an exemplary season under Brendan Rodgers so far. He has netted a total of 12 goals so far in 16 appearances this season, two out of which came against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
The Scottish outfit took the lead thrice, squandering the opportunity to get all the three points on the three occasions before settling in on one. However, it would not have been possible without the heroics of the former Fulham man.
Dembele opened the scoring for his side in the third minute, after he diverted Erik Sviatchenko’s header into the back of the net past Claudio Bravo. Although to be fair he didn’t intend for it to go where it eventually landed and was slightly offside. The 20-year-old then scored his side’s third goal from an overhead kick to bundle home Kieran Tierney’s cross from the left wing and hand his side yet another lead, but The Citizens equalised through new-signing Nolito and preventing what could have been one of the shocks of the season.
