UEFA Champions League: The best performers from match day 2

#2 David Silva

Perfection: David Silva

David Silva was at his elegant best in the game against Hoffenheim. It was expected to be a cakewalk for Pep Guardiola’s men even though they lost in the first match day. But Manchester City got off to the worst possible starts, conceding in the second minute.

David Silva had to come into action very early in the game, he threaded a magnificent ball through the midfield to Sane, which was finished off by Sergio Aguero. Silva came up with the next counter-attack, this time with a ball to Raheem Sterling, who nearly took the lead.

Silva was in the zone, into the middle of the field and made terrific exchanges and one-two passes in between. Silva succeeded in staying away from defenders with his apt positioning and awareness.

He played a crucial role even in pressurising opposition defenders. With a freekick, Silva delivered the perfect ball to attack but was put wide, agonizingly by Nicolas Otamendi. Raheem Sterling found a good ball for Silva but he failed to finish the job.

Silva’s positioning was the better part of his game. He positioned himself at a spot, to receive passes easily, he passed and slid back way expecting return passes. With the terrific positioning, he even got in the perfect place to score but the ball slid behind him to Sterling, at the brink of halftime. Silva was all over the place, firing his teammates up and going in through the attacking midfield to the centre-forward position.

In the second half, Laporte found a ball for Silva but he failed to finish off his big stretch. Silva’s terrific work rate throughout the game was eventually the deciding moment. With the Hoffenheim defence taking its sly time before clearing, Silva caught them sleeping and moved to the defender and got the ball away. Silva turned right towards goal and put the ball to the back of the net.

Silva pulled off a sheer moment of brilliance to go with his utterly dominant midfield performance. Thus David Silva is our second best player from matchday 2.