Top 5 players to watch in Matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League
Matchday 1 of the UEFA Champions League offered some exciting matchups. Many of the stars of the competition put in good performances for their teams.
Superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Robert Lewandowski and Romelu Lukaku all found the back of the net for their respective clubs. There were also strong showings from the likes of Christopher Nkunku of RB Leipzig and Sebastian Haller of Ajax.
Matchday 2 promises more of the same, as many of Europe's biggest clubs are set to go head-to-head. French powerhouse PSG take on Premier League champions Manchester City, while reigning champions Chelsea travel to Italy to take on Juventus.
There are sure to be some standout performers from the fixtures taking place on Matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League. On that note, here are the top five players to watch in Matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League
#5 Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Kylian Mbappe has failed to find the back of the net in any of his last four games for PSG. The Frenchman is a bonafide superstar, so it is only a matter of time until before gets amongst the goals again. What better time to do so against Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League?
PSG will go into the game as underdogs, despite being in a similar vein of form as their opponents. However, Mauricio Pochettino will have to do without the likes of Marco Verratti and Angel Di Maria. Lionel Messi is also doubtful for the game.
That puts a massive amount of responsibility on Mbappe's shoulders to deliver. But one wouldn't put it past the Frenchman to do so.
#4 Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes has been under a lot of scrutiny this week following his missed penalty in his team's 1-0 loss to Aston Villa at the weekend. The Manchester United man will look to bounce back from the disappointment against Villarreal on Matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League.
Villarreal had beaten Manchester United in the 2020-21 Europa League final, which should have Fernandes looking out for revenge. The midfielder has all the incentives in the world to put in a stellar performance against the Spanish outfit.
It remains to be seen, though, if Cristiano Ronaldo will be kind enough to let his compatriot take a penalty if they manage to win one on the night.
#3 Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea)
Chelsea's main man, Romelu Lukaku, will look to deliver against Juventus on Matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League.
The Belgian hitman has a notoriously poor record against the Bianconeri, having only scored one goal in six games against Juventus. Thomas Tuchel will, however, look to Lukaku to find the back of the net for Chelsea as the Blues look to go top of Group H.
The striker has already scored four goals across all competitions, and will look to add to his tally against Juventus. However, the Italian side won't make it easy for the former Inter Milan striker. That's because their centre-back partnership of Leonardo Bonucci and Matthijs De Ligt has gotten the better of Lukaku in the past.
#2 Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
Robert Lewandowski's incredible 19-game scoring streak for Bayern Munich ended against Greuther Furth on Saturday. The Pole had not failed to find the back of the net since the 11th of February. But he could not score against the newly-promoted side in Bayern's 3-1 victory last weekend.
That is unlikely to be the case on Matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League, when the Bavarian giants host Ukrainian side Dynamo Kyiv. Lewandowski already has 11 goals this season, including a brace in the 3-0 win against Barcelona on Matchday 1.
Dynamo Kyiv should prepare to face the wrath of the striker when they travel to the Allianz Arena for Matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.
#1 Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
Karim Benzema has been in incredible form this season. He is likely to score when Los Blancos host Moldovan side Sheriff on Matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League.
The Frenchman has been one of the top scorers and assist providers across Europe's top five leagues so far this campaign. Benzema has eight goals and seven assists from seven league games, and has been Real Madrid's main man this campaign.
Their latest Champions League game shouldn't provide too many challenges for Real Madrid, especially as they'll play at the Bernabeu. This is a great opportunity for Benzema to continue his hot streak, and pick up a few more goals and assists.
The Frenchman has been the focal point of Real Madrid's attack this season. He should be the standout performer for Carlo Ancelotti's side on Matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League.
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