Champions League Player Rankings After Matchday 2
Welcome to the second edition of our UEFA Champions League player rankings, in which we order the competition's top 20 players by way of performances.
The criteria is simple: We pick the 20 best players on the basis of form in European games only. Now, two weeks in, a sea of change has occurred as the one-week wonders are shipped out and replaced by more consistent performers.
Has Philipp Lahm played well enough to rise to the top? What of Jackson Martinez?
Take a look and see if you agree with our selections. If you feel we've missed anyone out, let us know in the comments below.
Dropping Out
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The dropping-out list is pretty hefty, and the reason for that is many top Week 1 performers didn't play this time around. Others, such as Gareth Bale and Carlos Tevez, performed poorly and are therefore replaced by more consistent players.
- Sergi Samper, Barcelona
- Jerome Boateng, Bayern Munich
- Aurelien Chedjou, Galatasaray
- Alberto Moreno, Liverpool
- Gerard Pique, Barcelona
- Gareth Bale, Real Madrid
- Carlos Tevez, Juventus
- Julian Draxler, Schalke
- Chori Dominguez, Olympiakos
- James Rodriguez, Real Madrid
- Lasse Schone, Ajax
20. David Alaba, Bayern Munich
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Last Week: Honourable Mention
Differential: New!
We were, admittedly, scratching around for consistent performers this week. It's remarkable how many players turned on the jets in mid-September but have now cooled off completely.
That lifts David Alaba from an "honourable mention" to a 20th-placed ranking in our list; in Week 1 he was was versatile and dominant, in Week 2 he was tidy and reliable on the ball.
19. Juan Iturbe, Roma
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Last Week: 9
Differential: -10
Juan Iturbe survives in our Top 20 by virtue of his epic performance during Matchday 1. He sustained a groin injury ahead of Roma's clash with Manchester City this week and could only make an impact off the bench.
He by no means did poorly—in fact, the Giallorossi were in the ascendancy while he was on the pitch—but he slips due to a comparative lack of impact.
18. Alexis Sanchez, Arsenal
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Last Week: New!
Differential: New!
Alexis Sanchez looked guilty of trying to do it all on his own in Matchday 1 vs. Borussia Dortmund, but he linked up superbly with Danny Welbeck on Wednesday and prospered as a result.
He netted a deserved goal and fed his striker in with a lovely pass for the first of the night. Alexis is like a coiled spring, and moving him around the formation is giving us fresh glimpses of his talents every week.
17. Eden Hazard, Chelsea
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Last Week: 18
Differential: +1
Eden Hazard was rather tough to gauge this week, most notably due to the fact he was kicked from pillar to post by Sporting's Cedric Soares.
He still managed to complete six of his attempted dribbles, per WhoScored.com, and remained a factor in a near-irresistible attacking setup from Chelsea.
16. Thomas Muller, Bayern Munich
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Last Week: New!
Differential: New!
Thomas Muller was a bit of a menace against Manchester City, buccaneering in off the edge and threatening Joe Hart's goal throughout.
He didn't grab a goal at the Allianz Arena that night, but he got off the mark in this season's competition from the penalty spot against CSKA Moscow on Tuesday, securing back-to-back 1-0 victories for Bayern.
15. Danny Welbeck, Arsenal
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Last Week: New!
Differential: New!
Danny Welbeck netted a sensational hat-trick on Wednesday evening, punishing Galatasaray's ailing defensive line with firm, confident finishing.
He was average, if even a little disappointing, in the Gunners' opening match against Borussia Dortmund, but his sublime showing here is enough to lift him into our Top 20.
14. Gervinho, Roma
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Last Week: 2
Differential: -12
ESPNFC's Roma blogger Julian De Martinis described Gervinho as "a little off his game" against Manchester City this week, and it's a shame the Ivorian couldn't replicate his great Serie A form in front of Premier League eyes.
The underrating and inaccurate lambasting of the winger is surely set to continue.
13. Joe Hart, Manchester City
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Last Week: 10
Differential: -3
Stuart Brennan of the Manchester Evening News was full of praise for Joe Hart on a tough night against Roma, citing his quickness off his line to deny the pacey Gervinho as a major plus point in his game.
Hart was magnificent at the Allianz Arena on Matchday 1, allowing him to hold on to a lofty ranking in our Top 20 amid a sea of change in positions.
12. Yacine Brahimi, FC Porto
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Last Week: 1
Differential: -11
Yacine Brahimi falls from top spot after disappointing slightly in his latest Champions League game.
He scored an incredible hat-trick in Week 1 but squandered the chance to add to his tally against Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday evening, missing an early penalty that nearly ended up costing the Dragoes.
He was still a dribbling machine, completing nine, per WhoScored.com.
11. Lucas Moura, Paris Saint-Germain
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Last Week: New!
Differential: New!
Lucas Moura excelled his way to the Man of the Match award against Barcelona on Tuesday, running riot on the right flank and testing Jeremy Mathieu all night.
PSG were happy for him to carry the ball on the counter-attack and wreak havoc, and his set-piece deliveries were sublime—one such delivery teed up David Luiz for the opener.
10. Karim Benzema, Real Madrid
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Last Week: Honourable Mention
Differential: New!
Karim Benzema made our "honourable mentions" last week after putting in a good display against Basel at the Bernabeu. He was overshadowed by his teammates in that game, but he was required to come to the rescue via the bench in Bulgaria on Wednesday night.
He helped Los Blancos avoid a genuine disaster, scoring the winner and teeing up a Cristiano Ronaldo shot that was cleared off the line against Ludogorets. The Frenchman was world-class at the vital, closing moments.
9. Nemanja Matic, Chelsea
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Last Week: New!
Differential: New!
Nemanja Matic seriously stepped up a gear on Tuesday evening, relishing playing at the Estadio Jose Alvalade—the ground of an old rival from his time at Benfica.
He put in a general "9/10" performance against Sporting Lisbon: scoring the only goal of the game, bossing the midfield with ease, passing well, dominating aerially and tackling like a machine.
8. Miralem Pjanic, Roma
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Last Week: New!
Differential: New!
Like Benzema, Miralem Pjanic didn't feature in our Week 1 rankings due to his team-mates stealing the limelight in a thumping one-sided win.
The Bosnian was excellent, though, and he was arguably the best player on the park as Roma narrowly missed out on a victory at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.
He's a true magician in midfield.
7. Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Borussia Dortmund
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Last Week: New!
Differential: New!
Sokratis Papastathopoulos has now played two sturdy, steady games for Borussia Dortmund, and at this early stage, such consistency nets you a place in the upper echelons of these rankings.
He was excellent in tracking against Arsenal in Matchday 1, and against Anderlecht, he was key to keeping another clean sheet. No mistakes can be made in such a challenging group; fortunately for Dortmund, Sokratis doesn't make any.
6. Lionel Messi, Barcelona
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Last Week: New!
Differential: New!
Lionel Messi was mesmeric on the ball during Matchday 1 vs. APOEL Nicosia and grabbed an assist for the winning goal. Against Paris Saint-Germain, he rounded off a sublime team move with an excellent finish, making it two strong performances in a row.
The Argentine is now just three goals shy of Raul Gonzalez's UEFA Champions League goal record, per Goal.com.
5. Cesc Fabregas, Chelsea
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Last Week: New!
Differential: New!
Cesc Fabregas grabbed his seventh assist of the season this week, supplying Nemanja Matic for the winner at the Estadio Jose Alvalade.
Chelsea bossed the game and should have won by a far thicker margin than the 1-0 tally, and Fabregas was, predictably, at the heart of all things creative and positive.
4. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Borussia Dortmund
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Last Week: Honourable Mention
Differential: New!
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang came close to our Top 20 last week, but he had to settle for a place on the honourable mentions list. This week, he joins the conversation in full.
He was vital to the high-energy effort Borussia Dortmund displayed against Anderlecht, pressed and tackled well in the defensive phase and managed to grab himself an assist in a 3-0 win.
3. Philipp Lahm, Bayern Munich
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Last Week: 12
Differential: +9
Philipp Lahm moved back to right-back for the gruelling trip to CSKA Moscow on Tuesday, playing his part in a clean sheet and a solid 1-0 victory.
Questions were asked of Bayern Munich and their bluntness up front, but they don't extend to Lahm, who did all he needed to do on the night.
2. Jackson Martinez, FC Porto
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Last Week: 19
Differential: +17
If you thought Benzema's rescue effort for Real Madrid was impressive, try FC Porto's Jackson Martinez's out for size.
The Colombian entered the fray with 25 minutes to go with his side 2-0 down, then proceeded to score in the 89th and 90th minutes to secure a 2-2 draw away to Shakhtar.
This was a key result for the Dragoes, and it's all Martinez's doing.
1. Ciro Immobile, Borussia Dortmund
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Last Week: 8
Differential: +7
So maybe Ciro Immobile is struggling in the Bundesliga, but he sure does love playing in the UEFA Champions League, doesn't he?
He made it two goals in two games as Borussia Dortmund made it six points out of a possible six; he pressed and harried well, then showed off his lightning pace for his goal.
He beats out the competition due to sustained impact (significantly more minutes than Jackson Martinez) and better overall play (better than Philipp Lahm in both games). If he continues in this fashion, BVB's qualification is in the bag.
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