The Champions League, for better or worse, is moving at lightning speed pace this year. We already have a pretty clear picture of which teams are likely to qualify from their respective groups. Here are the players that managed the highest number of FootballCoin points in R3 of the UCL group stage.
Ruslan Neshcheret – FC Dynamo Kiev
Dynamo Kiev played a great match against FC Barcelona. It’s their third straight, top-notch performance in the Champions League, a competition few thought they could reach.
Against the likes of Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann, strikers determined to make up for lost time, Ruslan Neshcheret looked confident and well-prepared. The keeper made eight important saves.
He also showed himself to be a great passer. Dynamo lost 2-1, somewhat unfairly, but Mircea Lucescu’s team has impressed all those who’ve watched their European games.
Jerome Boateng – Bayern Munchen
Boateng’s career was in free-fall only less than two years ago. He was out of Germany’s national squad and sidelined with Bayern Munich. Many predicted that his time at the top was up. They couldn’t have been more wrong.
Under the watchful eye of Hans-Dieter Flick, the defender once again flourished. Bayern are UCL winners, and looking to do the same this year. No other defender scored more FootballCoin points than Boateng in R3 of the UCL.
He contributed a goal, three interceptions, and a few nifty defensive blocks. Bayern won 6-2, away to Salzburg, and are looking as impressive as ever.
Ivan Rakitic – Sevilla
Rakitic is another player whose career arc was called into question last year. The Croatian was part of a major overhaul at FC Barcelona. He was snapped, hastily, up by Sevilla FC, winners of last year’s Europa League.
In a 3-2 victory against the feisty FC Krasnodar, Rakitic showed himself to be a leader. He scored a goal, provided an assist and commanded the midfield area. The time is not right to call time on his career just yet.
Lionel Messi – FC Barcelona
Lionel Messi has been the best forward in each one of the three rounds of UCL football played so far. This time around, Messi scored more points than Diogo Jota, who managed a hat-trick. The man is a machine!
Messi contributes effortlessly to all aspects of FC Barcelona’s playing. Against Dynamo he scored one single goal. But, he also intercepted the ball. He crossed four times in the penalty area. And, he offered imaginative, skillful passes.
His quality is undeniable. At his best, Messi still makes the most complicated things done on a football pitch look easy.
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Featured image source: Getty
