After their 7-0 thumping of Maribor, Liverpool absolutely dominate our Champions League team of the week, with five representatives in the best XI, while the player of the week also plies his trade for the Merseyside outfit. Liverpool rebuffed multiple Barcelona offers for Philippe Coutinho over the summer and the Brazilian’s showing in Slovenia proved why as he earned a perfect WhoScored rating of 10, with one goal, two assists, six key passes and seven dribbles contributing to the superb return.
A place on the left wing means Quincy Promes fails to make the cut, despite a strong performance in Spartak Moscow’s 5-1 win over Sevilla, with the Dutchman directly involved in four of the Russian side’s five goals on the night. Mo Salah stars on the right flank in the XI, with the Egyptian summer arrival getting in on the act with two goals and one assist in the dismantling of Maribor, while fellow Reds man James Milner makes the cut, with one assist, one tackle, three key passes, four dribbles and a 93.7% pass success rate earning the former England international a WhoScored rating of 9.42.
Future Liverpool teammate Naby Keita completes the midfield after his man of the match display in RB Leizpzig’s 3-2 win over FC Porto. Three tackles and six interceptions highlighted the defensive side of Keita’s game, while his attacking verve was on display as the 22-year-old completed six dribbles in the victory. The final piece of Liverpool’s attacking jigsaw in midweek makes the grade as Roberto Firmino churned out a strong showing in Maribor, netting two and assisting one.
The Brazilian is partnered up front by Barcelona star Lionel Messi, with the Argentine’s second half free-kick bringing up the 100th European goal of his glittering career. Messi also landed an assist in the 3-1 win over Olympiacos, while returns of five key passes and three successful dribbles earned a WhoScored rating of 9.31 and with it, his 10th WhoScored man of the match award in his last 11 competitive appearances.
The 30-year-old’s goal came against Silvio Protto between the Olympiacos sticks and despite conceding three; the Belgian ensured the result at Camp Nou didn’t resemble a cricket score. No goalkeeper has made more saves in a Champions League match than Protto managed against Barcelona (9) to help secure a WhoScored rating of 8.61.
Ahead of him, Roma played out an entertaining 3-3 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, with former Manchester City man Aleksandar Kolarov starring at left-back. The Serbian netted a first half goal to half the deficit before he turned provider for Edin Dzeko’s second, and Roma's third, goal of the game. Kolarov also churned out a solid defensive display as he made three tackles and two interceptions.
There’s a Bundesliga feel to the centre-back partnership with Borussia Dortmund star Sokratis lining up alongside Bayern Munich’s Mats Hummels. While Dortmund laboured to a 1-1 draw with APOEL, Sokratis was on hand to net the equaliser for the Bundesliga leaders, while three tackles and three interceptions helped make amends for his red card in Saturday’s 3-2 loss to RB Leipzig. Hummels was named the WhoScored man of the match in Bayern’s 3-0 win over Celtic as the centre-back netted one goal to go with his six aerial duels won, two interceptions and 86.9% pass success rate.
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Last but very not least, we go full circle as Liverpool youngster Trent Alexander-Arnold rounds off the XI. The 19-year-old also managed to hit the back of the net in Maribor and defended well to ensure Loris Karius had only two saves to make over the 90 minutes.
