UEFA Champions League Team of the Week: Matchday 1

#2 Defenders

Florenzi’s audacious strike allowed Roma to share points with defending champions Barcelona

Alessandro Florenzi (Roma) – (Roma 1-1 Barcelona)

Scored an outrageous goal from the right-hand touchline which was 55 yards out to leave Barcelona keeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen stranded and earn his side a valuable point against a full-strength Barcelona side. Also did well defensively to nullify Neymar, and keep the scoreline restricted.

Dante (Wolfsburg) – (Wolfsburg 1-0 CSKA Moskva)

In just his second appearance for Wolfsburg, he showed his class to stifle the likes of Musa and Doumbia. Alongside Naldo, he formed a formidable defensive pairing on par with the best in Europe. Interestingly, he maintained his 100% win record against CSKA Moskva.

Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus) – (Manchester City 1-2 Juventus)

The second man from the Juventus defensive line to feature in the team, showing exactly how effective they were in suffocating a City attack containing the likes of Silva, Sterling, Nasri, Yaya Toure and Nasri. A rock in the back of defense along with Chiellini, who might also have featured in the tea save for his own goal under intense pressure from Kompany.

Josip Pivaric (Dinamo Zagreb) – (Dinamo Zagreb 2-1 Arsenal)

Created the opener with a surging run on the left flank, and forced a save from Ospina, before the rebound went in off Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Defensively solid to keep in check an Arsenal attack that was reduced to 10-men after Olivier Giroud was sent off early for a second booking.