UEFA Champions League 2018-19: The best goals from Match Day 1

UEFA Champions League has seen some great goals in its coveted history. Just rewinding back to last year, Cristiano Ronaldo scored a stunning bicycle kick against Juventus, ironically his current team. In the final last year, Gareth Bale scored a bicycle in a very similar fashion to give Real Madrid the lead. Lionel Messi has had his fair share of historic goals in the Champions League. His goal against Bayern Munich where he lobbed the ball over Manuel Neuer, flooring Jerome Boateng in the process, was voted Goal of the Year in 2015. He has also scored a beautiful goal against Real Madrid in the 2011 semi-finals.

The great players always score some great goals. But some great goals are score by some lesser known players as well. The opening round of the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League has seen a total of 45 goals and only one game was scoreless. We have seen some amazing goals in matchday 1 so far. Long range shots, free kicks, left foot, right foot, any way you like it. We take a look at the top 5 goals from matchday 1.

Notable Mention

Renato Sanches

Renato Sanches celebrating his goal with a gesture of gratitude to his former team supporters

The Portuguese, who finished as the best young player in UEFA Euro Cup 2016, had sort of mixed emotions when he visited Benfica. Starting for Bayern Munich, the young man performed well against his former team. His goal was a real classy one. He dribbled from his own half right to Benfica’s half and passed the ball to Lewandowski near the box. Lewandowski played Ribery in who found James Rodriguez on the overlap. James cut the ball inside and Renato Sanches stretched his legs to finish off the move. The young kid had the utmost maturity not to celebrate against his former club and the Benfica fans stood up while applauding the talent of their former man.

This goal is our notable mention since it is more of a team goal and the finish came very easily for Renato Sanches. Take nothing away from the team play though. Bayern finished the move with 5 neat touches near the box.

#5 Mariano Diaz

Mariano Diaz celebrating his beauty of a goal

The new Real Madrid No 7 has a mammoth task of keeping the glory of the jersey that has been worn by legends of the game. Eric Cantona, George Best, Robert Pires are some notable names. While Luis Figo, Raul, and Cristiano Ronaldo wore the No. 7 with Real Madrid’s crest on it. Inheriting the jersey from Cristiano Ronaldo is no easy task.

Mariano Diaz though doesn’t seem to be under any pressure. He is playing around great players like Marcelo and Luka Modric who will help him reach his potential. Julen Lopetegui didn’t trust Mariano with a starting place, though he substituted him when the game was well and truly over.

Mariano replaced Gareth Bale in the 73rd minute but didn’t make any significant contributions to the victory. His big moment came in the 91st minute.

Marcelo strides forward with the ball and passed it onto Mariano Diaz who was in front. Mariano pretended to go for a dribble and made Manolas go in the forward direction. When Manolas took a step forward, Diaz changed course and went parallel to the box. Having beaten Manolas out of position, Diaz had a look at the open goal and with pure finesse, curved it into the top left corner of the goal. Out of the keeper’s reach.

Mariano’s goal is 5th on our list, because he had a more direct path to shoot, with no defender blocking the view and the angle just right to shoot. Lopetegui approved the goal with his clap.

#4 Isco Alarcon

Isco's peach of a strike heading home

Isco seems to a be a rejuvenated self this season. Julen Lopetegui utilised him well in the Spanish National Team and he is trusting him with starting places in Real Madrid as well. He is giving Isco a free role and Isco is thriving on the opportunities presented.

Isco was the architect of Real Madrid’s victory against Roma. He started out of his usual midfield position in the wings but played as a free man. He played well, making through balls, crosses and most importantly scored the opening goal in Santiago Bernabeu. With Lionel Messi having scored in similar fashion front almost the same distance the previous day, Isco was up to replicate it.

From just outside the box, with a wall of five players in front, Isco curled the ball up and above the jump of the wall. It dipped swiftly as it passed the wall and ended up in a fair height towards the right side of the goal. The artistic Isco put Los Blancos in the lead. Roma keeper Olsen was completely lost for reflexes and stood frozen in his place.

Sublime from Isco. Isco has certainly cemented his starting spot with his amazing performance and Los Blancos will expect more of the same.

#4 Lionel Messi

Messi's freekick: Bend into the depths of Tartarus

How can we not have Lionel in this list? The best player in matchday one and opening the scoring in perfect Messi-esque fashion. Lionel scored a hat-trick against PSV, the eight of his Champions League career, surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo to become the only player to achieve the feat.

Messi messed up a goal scoring opportunity prior to his goal. When PSV fouled Ousmane Dembele outside the box, they didn’t think twice, it was a bad choice. The Camp Nou came alive just seeing Leo place the ball in its position. Amongst the approving Viking claps of the Camp Nou, Messi swung his majestic left foot taking the ball over the five-man wall. The ball curved away into the depth of the left side of the goal, away from the reach of the helpless Zoet at full stretch.

The Camp Nou was enthralled seeing their king score another free kick, this isn’t the first Leo has scored in 2018.

It was tough to separate Leo and Isco’s free-kick and also would have been a shame to leave their efforts out. Leo and Isco share the fourth spot.

#3 Nabil Fekir

Fekir's

long-range about to spear through the Citizens

The French man made headlines last year after celebrating with his shirt like Lionel Messi , after scoring against rivals St. Etienne. Fekir was named in the French squad for World Cup but didn’t make any significant contribution towards its victory.

Fekir was excellent against Manchester City in his first Champions League game this season. He set up Cornet with a perfect low drilled ball and caused several problems while dribbling.

Fekir’s highlight of the game came just before halftime, in the 43rd minute. A goal which shouldn’t have been there in the first place. Fernandinho’s complacency cost City big time as Fekir easily bundled him over and won the ball. Fekir went straight into the attack dribbling away from David Silva. Silva wasn’t able to get a tackle, Laporte and Stones just backed off without an attempt to stop. Fekir, with the defense on their heels, shot with his left foot, from about 22 meters, outside the box. The ball beat the legs of Laporte and Stones and went just out of Ederson’s reach into the bottom left corner of the goal.

Nabil Fekir dropped the bomb on City in an instant of class. A solo effort, which he would remember for as long as his career goes on.

#2 Roberto Firmino

Roberto Firmino's shot across goal: PSG are about to capsize

Liverpool fans might have been surprised to see Roberto Firmino on the bench for the much-anticipated clash against PSG. Anfield did not miss Firmino during the first half at all with goals from Milner and Sturridge. Their players performing at their level best, including Henderson, Wijnaldum and Van Dijk. Their only disappointment was Mo Salah. PSG struck back with Meunier in late first half.

Firmino came on for Sturridge in the 73rd minute. Due to Salah’s misplaced pass, Neymar managed to dribble past Liverpool and play in Mbappe as PSG squared things up at two apiece. Just when PSG thought they had gotten away with a horrendous performance at Anfield, Firmino spilled the beans on them.

The Liverpool player with the highest involvement in goals under Jurgen Klopp and in 2018 as well, stepped up when it mattered and scored in the dying minutes at Anfield. Firmino took the ball in the box with his left and switched quickly to the right foot. Without much time in his side, he slammed the ball with his right foot across the face of the goal. With Marquinhos, Rabiot, and Bernat closing down, Firmino beat all three attempted blocks on his shot. Firmino’s shot fired across Thiago Silva and Kimpembe who were lost for movement, and it zipped past Areola into the lower right corner of the goal.

The distance of the shot, the angle, space, the time all against Firmino and he came up with the utmost brilliance to send PSG packing, without any points.

#1 Ousmane Dembele

Ousmane Dembele: The Mosquito bites PSV with pure finesse

Proving haters and critics wrong. If it was an art, Dembele is the current Picasso of it. Dembele was one of the brightest prospects, brought to limelight by Thomas Tuchel during his Dortmund tenure. Barcelona splashed cash of the youngster to get his services. But tough luck, Dembele got an injury in his La Liga start against Getafe. Barca fans were distorted, to witness an injury, exactly like one to Neymar in his first Liga start, against the same opposition in the very same minute as well.

It could be just a coincidence regarding the injury but it won’t be one when Dembele surpasses the heights that Neymar achieved during his Barcelona career. Dembele was injured again upon his return and critics slammed his physique, labeling him as a soft glass player. The troll makers had another troll and they compared him to Marco Reus. Some laughed at his injury by terming it the squatting of a mosquito.

This season Dembele is back to his very best. He is attaining his potential gradually. His first goal of the season was a tremendous effort from outside the box against Sevilla. And now he comes up with another spectacular goal against PSV.

Dembele created a goal out of nothing. He got a pass from Coutinho while having his back to the goal. Hirving Lozano and Jorrit Hendrix pressed him and Dembele just rolled the ball, back under his heel and turned away from those two. He moved forward and met Daniel Schwaab. Dembele just decided to go where space is and angled away from Schwaab. With all the momentum and just enough space to shoot, Dembele, under pressure from Schwaab, shot one with his right foot in the gap between the defenders. He had enough power and placement to take it past Zoet into the bottom left corner.

An amazing goal, with the art of beating the defenders, the dribble, the masterclass of turning in the desired direction with full momentum, and the spectacular finish. Dembele is just getting started this season. Valverde has to trust him with more opportunities.