UEFA Champions League team of the week: Round of 16 - 1st leg

The Champions League is back in action following it’s two month break and it was back in style as the first four ties of the last 16 ended in away wins.

Nine goals were scored in the four matches on display, with none of the away sides so much as conceding a goal as Barcelona, Paris St Germain, Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid all ran out winners.

We at Squawka have put together a team of the best performing players in these games. It’s a formidable looking line-up that’s for sure.

GK – Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich)

Manuel Neuer

Neuer enjoyed a surprise clean sheet as Bayern visited Arsenal, despite their hosts being given a penalty inside the first ten minutes of the game.

Fortunately for Bayern, Neuer was equal to compatriot Mesut Ozil’s penalty as prevented the Gunners taking the early momentum of the match, giving them the platform to build a 2-0 first leg win.

Neuer earned a Squawka Performance Score of 81 for his display between the sticks, making four saves to preserve a clean sheet and completing 96% of his distributions.

RB – Philip Lahm (Bayern Munich)

Philip Lahm stats

Lahm was moved back into his customary right-back role for this tie, despite Pep Guardiola having primarily used him in a midfield role this season.

It took him no time at all to readjust to his defensive duties however, as he picked up a Squawka Performance Score of 100 for his performance down the right for Bayern.

Lahm completed an incredible 99% of his passes and claimed two assists from the four opportunities he created for the Bavarian giants.

CB – Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid)

Diego Godin stats

Atletico had plenty of defending to do against AC Milan, but did it solidly to come away with a famous 1-0 win at the San Siro.

While they were indebted to Thibaut Courtois for a couple of fine saves, Godin was also instrumental in ensuring Los Rojiblancos take a lead back to Vicente Calderon for the second leg.

Godin’s Performance Score of 81 came from winning six aerial duels, making ten clearances and three interceptions.

CB – Thiago Silva (PSG)

Thiago Silva stats

PSG are being seriously overlooked as potential challengers for the title in May, as their attacking prowess is ably complimented by one of the finest defenders in world football in Thiago Silva.

A 4-0 victory away at Leverkusen will raise a few eyebrows despite the German club’s obvious limitations, but Silva’s Performance Score of 74 will surprise very few, given his abilities.

He won four out of five aerial battles, completed 98% of his passes and made six interceptions to ensure PSG’s forwards had that solid platform to run riot on.

LB – Jordi Alba (Barcelona)

Jordi Alba

Jordi Alba is the left-back of the week after a solid performance against Manchester City saw Barcelona come unscathed from a match many were predicting an upset in.

In his first Champions League outing of the season, Alba recorded a Performance Score of 63, the second highest on the pitch as he helped keep Manchester City’s strikeforce at bay.

Alba made seven interceptions over the course of the game and won three of his four aerial battles to put Barca very much in the driving seat going back to Camp Nou.

CM – Marco Verratti (PSG)

Marco Verratti stats

Marco Verratti could be the most underrated midfielder in world football currently, as his understated arrival in the French capital compared to some of his peers has left him slightly hidden away in Ligue 1.

The Champions League however gives him the perfect opportunity to display his talents to the masses and he was once again excellent as PSG brushed aside Bayer Leverkusen.

Verratti completed 99 passes and misplaced just five all game, while completed three take-ons and won three tackles in the centre of the pitch for a Performance Score of 80.

CM – Thiago Motta (PSG)

Thiago Motta stats

Alongside Verratti in the centre of the pitch was Thiago Motta, who was also in imperious form in the comfortable 4-0 thrashing of Leverkusen.

Motta has a lot of history in the is competition having won it with both Barcelona and Inter Milan and would like to emulate the great Clarence Seedorf’s achievement of winning it with three different clubs.

Motta’s score of 58 came from a 93% passing success after completing 118 passes, while he won three tackles on completed three take-ons in an impressive display.

CM – Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich)

Toni Kroos

Toni Kroos scored a wonderful goal against Arsenal the other night, not to forget his contribution in the outfield with a flurry of passes. His pass ratio was almost equivalent to what full Arsenal squad could muster in the 90 minutes.

RF – Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

Lionel Messi

People had altered the stat of never having scored on English soil after his heroics at Wembley three years ago, and he tore apart the ‘never scored at a Premier League ground’ stat by converting a penalty after winning it from Martin Demichelis.

While we await a ‘never scored from open play…’ stat, there’s no denying that Messi was the catalyst behind everything good Barcelona did on Tuesday.

Messi’s Performance Score of 83 came from four successful take-ons, a 91% passing accuracy and three shots on goal, of which of course one set them on their way to victory.

LF – Lucas Moura (PSG)

Lucas Moura stats

There’s a certain dominance from PSG to this team and Lucas Moura earns his place alongside the top performers of the week’s actions after collecting a Squawka Performance Score of 59.

Moura was fouled four times as Leverkusen never got to grips with the talented Brazilian attacker, proving key to the 4-0 victory that practically sees PSG through already into the quarter-finals.

Moura may not have got on the scoresheet himself, but he does have an assist to show for his efforts, while he completed four take-ons to further the momentum of the French giants.

CF – Zlatan Ibrahimovic (PSG)

A man that needs no introduction, though whether Zlatan would give you one anyway is a fair certainty.

But one could saying it’s not arrogance if you back it up with performances and that’s exactly what he did against Leverkusen, scoring twice and recording a performance score of 114.

He hit the target with his only other shot as well and created another three chances for his less-prolific colleagues, as part of his 93% passing success.