UEFA’s first Champions League Team of the Week for 2026/27 has placed the opening round’s defining performers in one continental XI, with Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, Barcelona captain Raphinha and Paris Saint-Germain forward Ferran Torres among the standout names.
| Match | Result or key figure | Team of the Week contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Barcelona v Feyenoord | 5-1 | Raphinha scored twice |
| Real Madrid v Inter Milan | Courtois made 7 saves from 8 shots faced | Real Madrid victory at the Santiago Bernabéu |
| Lille v Betis | Betis win | Marc Bartra headed two goals |
| Aston Villa v Club Brugge | Aston Villa win | Pau Torres made 8 clearances and supplied 2 assists |
| PSG v Slovan Bratislava | Ferran Torres scored a hat-trick | His first treble for PSG |
The selection, chosen by UEFA’s Technical Observers group, includes three Spanish players: Betis defender Marc Bartra, Aston Villa centre-back Pau Torres and PSG attacker Ferran Torres. They are joined by Barcelona’s Raphinha and Real Madrid’s Courtois, underlining the breadth of Spanish influence across the first Champions League week.
Champions League Team of the Week: opening-round XI
Courtois takes the goalkeeper’s place after a decisive night against Inter Milan. The Belgian stopped seven of the eight attempts directed at his goal as Madrid began their European campaign with a win at the Bernabéu.
The defence is completed by PSV’s Sergiño Dest, Bartra, Pau Torres and Fenerbahçe’s Archie Brown. Bartra was recognised not only for his defensive leadership, tactical composure and aerial authority, but for the two headed goals that helped Betis mark their Champions League return with victory away to Lille.
Pau Torres combined penalty-box defending with creative influence at the other end against Club Brugge. His eight clearances were the highest total in the match, while four chances created and two assists helped Aston Villa take the result.
Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard and Como’s Martin Baturina form the midfield pairing. Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise, Ferran Torres, Raphinha and Stuttgart striker Ermedin Demirović make up the forward line.
Raphinha’s display against Feyenoord carried both the responsibility of the captaincy and the attacking weight of Barcelona’s 5-1 win. UEFA highlighted his aggressive pressing, his runs beyond the defence, his ability to operate between lines and two fine finishes.
Ferran Torres earned his place after scoring his first PSG hat-trick against Slovan Bratislava. His finishing was matched by intelligent movement, repeatedly finding the spaces required to arrive in front of goal at the right moment.
UEFA Champions League Team of the Week
- Goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)
- Defenders: Sergiño Dest (PSV), Marc Bartra (Betis), Pau Torres (Aston Villa), Archie Brown (Fenerbahçe)
- Midfielders: Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal), Martin Baturina (Como)
- Forwards: Michael Olise (Bayern Munich), Ferran Torres (Paris Saint-Germain), Raphinha (Barcelona), Ermedin Demirović (Stuttgart)
| SEO field | Text |
|---|---|
| SEO title | Courtois, Raphinha and Ferran Torres in UEFA Champions League Team of the Week |
| SEO description | UEFA’s first 2026/27 Champions League Team of the Week includes Courtois, Raphinha, Ferran Torres, Marc Bartra and Pau Torres. |
