Matchday three of the Champions League league phase produced a Team of the Week led by Kylian Mbappé and Harry Kane, with standout displays stretching from Paris and Munich to Cesc Fàbregas’ Como.
Key takeaways
- Mbappé and Kane were selected as the forward partnership after another high-impact European night.
- Phil Foden, Declan Rice, Scott McTominay, Nico Paz and Désiré Doué make up a star-filled midfield.
- Como’s Nico Paz earned recognition following a leading role for Fàbregas’ side.
- Paris Saint-Germain’s win over Barcelona supplied only one player: French attacker Doué.
- Rice and Kane represent Bayern Munich’s meeting with Arsenal, while Alphonso Davies was also in contention.
A continental selection after matchday three
Yann Sommer was chosen in goal, with Mbuyamba, Lutsharel Geertruida and Carlos Augusto completing the defensive unit. The midfield is packed with creative and decisive figures: Foden joins Nico Paz, Rice, McTominay and Doué behind the two elite finishers, Mbappé and Kane.
The selection reflects a week in which established Champions League names delivered, but it also creates room for players making their mark away from the usual European super-club spotlight. Paz’s inclusion is particularly notable after his influential performance for Como, where he has become a central figure in Fàbregas’ project.
Big ties, notable omissions
PSG against Barcelona was among the defining fixtures of the round, yet Doué was the only representative from that contest to enter the XI. The French forward impressed as Paris claimed victory, while Barcelona had no player selected.
There were several conspicuous absences from the wider Spanish picture. Isco, Xavi Espart and Joan García did not make the cut, nor did Lucas Hernández, despite scoring against PSG and causing Lamine Yamal serious problems during the match.
The other heavyweight meeting, Bayern Munich versus Arsenal, supplied two of the final choices. Rice’s midfield authority and Kane’s attacking contribution earned them places, although Davies was another player who could credibly have been included after his display.
