Napoli hitman Osimhen partners Benzema in Champions League team of the round
All four English teams failed to win their first leg round-of-16 games, with AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid and RB Leipzig all denying Tottenham, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City a first leg advantage. Only two of the former four teams are represented in the Champions League team of the round, while Napoli and Bayern Munich also have players make the cut.
Gregor Kobel (Borussia Dortmund) - 8.63
Borussia Dortmund earned a first leg advantage as they beat Chelsea 1-0 last week, though it wasn't plain sailing for the Bundesliga side. More often than not, Gregor Kobel was the man to save Dortmund's skin as he made seven saves on home turf to feature between the sticks with a WhoScored rating of 8.63.
Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli) - 8.60
Napoli are one of two dominant sides in the Champions League team of the round with Giovanni Di Lorenzo the first of four Partenopei representatives following their 2-0 win at Eintracht Frankfurt. The scoreline flattered the German side, who were second best for much of the game, and it was Di Lorenzo who put the game beyond Eintracht in the second half as he scored with one of two shots in Germany. Three key passes, two dribbles and one tackle aided the right-back, who earned a WhoScored rating of 8.60.
Eder Militao (Real Madrid) - 8.05
Real Madrid are the other dominant side in the XI with Eder Militao the first of four players from Los Blancos to feature. The Brazilian scored the goal that put the defending European champions ahead at Anfield in their eventual 5-2 win, and made a crucial clearance off the line when Liverpool were 2-1 up that ultimately aided his WhoScored rating of 8.05.
Partnering Militao at the heart of the defence is Napoli machine Kim Min-Jae. Little gets past the 26-year-old, and this was again the case at Deutsche Bank Park as Kim made seven clearances, five tackles and one interception. The South Korean found a teammate with 125 of 132 attempted passes and won all five aerial duels contested to cap a superb showing.
Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich) - 8.97
Rounding off the defence is winger-by-trade Kinglsey Coman. The Frenchman scored the decisive goal in Bayern's 1-0 win at Coman's former side PSG last week, netting with one of four shots, as he got forward well, completing five dribbles and creating three goalscoring opportunities, to feature with a WhoScored rating of 8.97.
Hirving Lozano (Napoli) - 8.39
While Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen have been receiving the plaudits, it was Hirving Lozano who was Napoli's star attacker at Eintracht in midweek. 'Chucky' provided the assist for Osimhen's opener, that coming from one of two key passes, shortly before the break, and he was a thorn in the side of the Bundesliga outfit, completing all four attempted dribbles, to make the cut with a WhoScored rating of 8.39.
Luka Modric (Real Madrid) - 7.95
Luka Modric provided the assist for Militao's crucial goal shortly after the restart on Tuesday night, and the Croat did enough to return a WhoScored rating of 7.95 in Real Madrid's 5-2 win over Liverpool to make the grade. Modric's assist came from his only key pass, and he drove Los Blancos forward well from midfield, completing three dribbles at Anfield.
Emre Can (Borussia Dortmund) - 7.93
Just as Kobel put in a man of the match shift for Borussia Dortmund in their 1-0 win over Chelsea, Emre Can also made a key contribution. Indeed, the German midfielder made a superb second half clearance off the line as the Blues pressed for an equaliser, while additional returns of four tackles and two interceptions meant Can did enough to link up with Modric in the middle of the park.
Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid) - 9.47
With a WhoScored rating of 9.47, Vinicius Junior is the Champions League player of round of 16 first leg matches. The Real Madrid wing-wizard was directly involved in three of Los Blancos' five goals at Anfield, netting a first half brace on Merseyside, and then providing the assist for Karim Benzema's second and Real Madrid's fifth midway through the second half. Those came from respective returns of three shots and one key pass, while four successful dribbles aided his player of the week award.
Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) - 9.10
Like Vinicius, Benzema was also directly involved in three goals against Liverpool. The Los Blancos hitman provided the assist for Vinicius' first goal, and then bagged a second half brace to silence the Anfield crowd, with his two efforts getting the better of Alisson. The assist came from two key passes to help Benzema to a WhoScored rating of 9.10.
Victor Osimhen (Napoli) - 8.12
Joining Benzema on the frontline is in-form frontman Victor Osimhen. The Napoli star netted for the sixth game running in the Italian side's 2-0 win at Eintracht Frankfurt as he got the better of Kevin Trapp with one of three shots. Osimhen also played his part in protecting his side's goal, making two clearances, to round off the team with a WhoScored rating of 8.12.
