Champions League Team of the Week: Liverpool’s Luis Diaz, Mohamed Salah star; USMNT’s Malik Tillman makes the cut

Goals came in droves across Europe on matchday four of the UEFA Champions League as some treble heroes took center stage. Liverpool’s Luis Diaz and Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres each scored three goals and led their teams to lopsided victories over highly regarded rivals Bayer Leverkusen and Manchester City respectively. Meanwhile, Barcelona’s Jules Kounde scored an unconventional hat-trick on Wednesday with three assists in a 5-2 win over Red Star. Some other stars from other big wins, such as AC Milan’s 3-1 victory over Real Madrid, also earn a place on the list for their heroics.

Here is this week’s Team of the Week.

Goalkeeper: Mike Maignan, AC Milan

Mike Maignan played a huge role in what was arguably the most important result of matchday four, helping to ensure that AC Milan escaped the Santiago Bernabéu stadium with three valuable points. He made nine saves against Real Madrid on Tuesday, equaling the most by goalkeepers in the Champions League this week. It’s a particularly impressive feat as Real Madrid fired 23 shots at Milan’s goal and generated 2.66 expected goals, although the hosts’ lone goal did little to weaken Maignan’s performance as he came off a penalty.

RHP: Jules Koundé, Barcelona

There was some competition for this position, but in the end it was difficult not to select Jules Kounde after a three-assist performance for Barcelona. He arguably stood out in his team’s 5-2 victory over Red Star on Wednesday thanks to his performance, also creating four chances along the way.

Central: Ryan Flamingo, PSV

The lopsided victories came in force on matchday four, and the list includes PSV’s 4-0 dismantling of Girona. Ryan Flamingo had an excellent day on defense, posting 94.1% passing accuracy and winning 83.3% of his duels, including 100% of his aerial duels, as well as making four recoveries during his shift. It helps his case that he also scored his first Champions League goal on Tuesday.

Central: Emre Can, Borussia Dortmund

Emre Can did well to set the tone at the back as Borussia Dortmund took 21 shots at Sturm Graz’s goal and only faced seven in return. He completed 92.3% of his 104 passes and won 66.7% of his duels. He also earned perfect scores for his passing accuracy in the attacking third, as well as his tackling.

LI: Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich

The margin of victory over Benfica may have been narrow for Bayern Munich, but it was not for lack of effort. That includes Alphonso Davies, who took advantage of his team’s dominance. He made 128 touches and attempted 108 passes, ranking among the top 10 players in both categories on matchday four, and also had a pass accuracy of 90.8%. Davies also created two chances and then handled his defensive responsibilities well, completing 100% of his tackles and 75% of his duels.

CM: Curtis Jones, Liverpool

Tuesday was a fantastic day for several Liverpool players and that includes Curtis Jones who had an exceptional night as the Reds scored four goals in the second half against Bayer Leverkusen. The highlight of his performance was an assist on Luis Díaz’s first goal, although his 90% passing accuracy and three chances created also contribute to a strong outing for the 23-year-old.

CM: Malik Tillman, PSV

While Christian Pulisic usually receives the made-up honor of the United States men’s national team’s most outstanding player of the day, the distinction this week goes to PSV’s Malik Tillman. He recorded two assists in his team’s victory over Girona and played an important role in the smooth running of their offensive operation by creating six chances on Tuesday.

CM: Arne Engels, Celta

Celtic’s surprisingly successful Champions League campaign continued on Tuesday with a 3-1 victory over winless RB Leipzig, with Arne Engels’ work in midfield a crucial part of the performance. He got the assist on Nicolas-Gerrit Kuhn’s equalizer and in total created five chances as the hosts found success with an attack-first strategy.

Forward: Luis Díaz, Liverpool

Scoring a hat trick makes it pretty easy to make the team of the week, so it’s no surprise that Diaz tops the list. He also generated 1.64 expected goals of his own, a big chunk of Liverpool’s collective total of 3.49 expected goals on Tuesday, and did so with just four shots. He mixed efficiency with style, mixing some impressive finishes into an impressive finishing day.

Forward: Mohamed Salah, Liverpool

You can’t mention Diaz’s great performance on Tuesday without acknowledging Mohamed Salah, who was equally important in Liverpool’s victory. He finished the game with two assists out of an impressive 1.11 expected assist total and also created five chances and took three shots along the way. Diaz and Salah formed something of a double act, allowing the Reds to continue a successful transition to life under new coach Arne Slot.

Forward: Viktor Gyokeres, Sporting Lisbon

Speaking of hat-trick heroes, these days it almost seems like a given that Europe’s fittest striker would be on a list like this. He made all five of his shots on goal and provided 2.41 expected goals, more than half of the 3.79 expected goals Sporting Lisbon collectively scored in their 4-1 win over Manchester City. While many will point to the victory as a sign that outgoing Sporting manager Ruben Amorim was a good Manchester United pick, it is also a sign that the team Amorim built is in good shape to achieve impressive results without him.