Whilst game-week one gave us a taster, game-week two truly signalled the start of the drama in the Champions League. We saw VAR controversy, upset players and a timely reminder as to why Paris Saint-Germain are European champions even with a weakened line-up.
The French giants gradually picked Barcelona apart and eventually found their reward to make it two from two on Europe’s top stage. The same can’t be said for Liverpool and Manchester City, however, who failed to pick up where they left off. That said, out of Pep Guardiola and Arne Slot, it is the latter who will be most frustrated after suffering back-to-back defeats in all competitions.
So, in a week full of many twists and turns, who stands out as our biggest winners and losers in the Champions League?
Winners: Dier rattles Man City and Hojlund sparks Man Utd regret
Winner: Rasmus Hojlund (Napoli)
It’s a familiar story for Manchester United, isn’t it? Whilst the Red Devils watch on from outside of European qualification and a long way away from even considering Champions League football, their former players continue to thrive elsewhere. Last season, it was Scott McTominay. Now, it is Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund.
The Napoli forward has already scored three goals in five games for the Italian giants – seven fewer than last season’s end total – and rounded off a fine evening in the Champions League with a brace against Ruben Amorim’s former side, Sporting Club.
What truly rubs salt in the Man United wounds is the fact that Hojlund, Anthony Elanga and Marcel Sabitzer – all former players – picked up the Man of the Match award for their current clubs in the Champions League this week while the Red Devils continue to struggle.
Winner: Goncalo Ramos (PSG)
Trying to get into that PSG frontline may well be the toughest task in European football. It now even includes a Ballon d’Or winner in Ousmane Dembele. But that’s not stopping Goncalo Ramos from knocking on the door of Luis Enrique’s frontline, desperately fighting for his place.
The Portugal international was at it again in the Champions League. After 19-year-old Senny Mayulu earned a starting place over him before scoring PSG’s equaliser against Barcelona, it was up to Ramos to emerge from the bench to find the winning goal and make a claim for his place once again.
Netting his third goal of the season and his second in as many Champions League games, Ramos continues to be one of the most underrated forwards in European football.
Winner: Eric Dier (AS Monaco)
A Bundesliga winner, versatile defender and now among Bernardo Silva’s football foes, Eric Dier is putting together quite the CV these days. The former Tottenham Hotspur star was accused of diving by the Man City midfielder to earn Monaco’s late penalty, which he converted to draw his side level, but insisted that there was contact in his post-match reaction.
After stealing a point from what seemed a certain defeat, both Monaco and Dier should be delighted with their latest Champions League outing. As for Man City, it’s yet another slip from what has become an increasingly-vulnerable side in the last 12 months.
Losers: Flick's high-line exposed and VAR steals headlines again
Loser: Hansi Flick (Barcelona)
A high-line is a game of risk and reward. Ask Jurgen Klopp and he’ll say that it played a crucial part in Liverpool’s best-ever Premier League side. Guardiola will also provide a similar answer from a Man City perspective. But Barcelona aren’t enjoying the same dominance.
Once again, Hansi Flick’s backline were left exposed in the Champions League. It arguably handed Inter Milan a route to the final last season in a thrilling semi-final and it has just provided PSG with an early scalp in their first defence. The Spanish giants are unlikely to change and former star Thierry Henry didn’t hold back with his verdict.
The former Barcelona star said: “You cannot play in the Champions League with that high-line, I’m sorry. When you play against good teams, you’re gonna get exposed and that’s exactly what happened. Any well-timed run, you go through on goal.”
Loser: Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool)
An exasperating, dramatic start to Liverpool’s season has quickly turned concerning. Suddenly, the late winners have stopped coming and their defensive vulnerability has remained, with Ibrahima Konate’s performances playing a large part in that. The Frenchman was suspect in a 2-1 defeat against Crystal Palace last weekend and struggled once again as Galatasaray shocked the Reds.
With the Frenchman’s contract coming to an end in less than 12 months and Real Madrid sniffing around, to say that his dip in form is poorly-timed would be an understatement.
Add on the fact that Arne Slot only has three senior centre-backs at his disposal and it’s clear that Konate must rediscover his best as soon as possible.
Loser: VAR
At risk of sounding like a broken record, it was another poor week for VAR in the Champions League. Galatasaray’s penalty, which was awarded after Baris Alper Yilmaz hit the deck following contentious contact from Dominik Szoboszlai, stood out as questionable on Tuesday night before Monaco’s late penalty against Man City caused more controversy.
Reports are also circulating that the VAR team chose the wrong frame to look at Ramos’ winning goal against Barcelona. New images show just how tight the call actually was in a moment that could have ended very differently.
Many believed that VAR’s introduction would eradicate refereeing mistakes or at least guide the headlines away from the referees. Years on, however, it is doing anything but.