Our Champions League awards honour the best – and worst – of the midweek European action as the play-off round got underway.
Moment of the Week
Real Madrid just always find a way. The Spaniards have been down on the canvas plenty of times but rarely can Real be counted out. Carlo Ancelotti’s side trailed at Manchester City with just four minutes to go, an Erling Haaland brace having handed the Citizens a slender lead. However, the game – and tie – transformed in the closing stages. Real’s recovery powers were on show again, and a late show earned a precious win at the Etihad.
First, Brahim Diaz fired in an equaliser against his former club before Jude Bellingham bagged a stoppage-time winner for the Spaniards. A City mix-up saw Vinicius steal in, though his lofted effort over Ederson was going wide until Bellingham followed up.
Incredibly, Bellingham’s goal was Real Madrid’s third 90th-minute winner against Manchester City in the Champions League. No side has scored more last-minute winners against another opponent in the competition’s history.
Advantage Madrid, with the holders a side no team wants to face.
Player of the Week
Borussia Dortmund produced arguably the most impressive performance of the week. The German side put aside their domestic struggles to thrash Sporting Lisbon in Portugal. Serhou Guirassy was on target again for Dortmund to level club history in Europe.
The Guinea international has 10 goals in this season’s competition, matching the achievement of ex-Dortmund forwards Robert Lewandowski (2012/13) and Erling Haaland (2020/21). Guirassy is now the outright leading scorer in the Champions League this season and has also added three assists.
Serhou Guirassy is now level with Erling Haaland and Robert Lewandowski for most goals in a UCL campaign for Dortmund (10) 🎯 pic.twitter.com/qg72tqRYAH
— B/R Football (@brfootball) February 11, 2025
Manager of the Week
Club Brugge are into the knockout rounds for just the second time in the Champions League era but Nicky Hayen’s side have no plans to stop here.
Brugge upset Atalanta in the first leg of their play-off to secure a 2-1 win in Belgium. It continues a memorable campaign for the Belgian Pro League champions, who have already upset Aston Villa and Sporting Lisbon on home soil and held Juventus. Victory over Atalanta was their best yet and another eye-catching moment for Hayden.
The 44-year-old’s rise has been rapid. Just two and a half years ago, the Belgian was in charge of Welsh semi-professional football Haverfordwest County.
Goal of the Week
Michael Olise has taken to the big stage like a duck to water.
The Frenchman found his feet at Bayern Munich instantly after arriving from Crystal Palace in the summer and delivered another magic moment at Celtic.
Cutting inside from the right to fire in an unstoppable left-footed effort, it feels like we’ve seen this somewhere before in a Bayern shirt…
WHAT A ROCKET 🚀
Michael Olise cuts in from the right, and rifles a left-footed strike into the roof of the net to give the German side the lead in Glasgow ⚽️
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/d23nAyqs3X
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 12, 2025
Stat of the Week
Pep Guardiola has found plenty of solutions during his coaching career but he’s yet to find an answer for Manchester City’s crumbly form this season.
5 – Manchester City have lost five different games in which they’ve led in all competitions this season, as many as they did in 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24 combined. Fumbled. #MCIRMA pic.twitter.com/pBjpqp4PMA
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 11, 2025
Quote of the Week
After all the unhappiness Manchester City fans felt with Arsenal’s taunting of Erling Haaland, you’d have thought they’d have known better than to poke the bear.
It’s fair to say Vinicius had the last laugh at the Blues’ Ballon d’Or banter.
Vinicius Jr got the last laugh 🫣
A banner featuring Rodri kissing the Ballon d’Or alongside the words “Stop crying your heart out” was revealed by the home fans before kick-off 😳 pic.twitter.com/738V1bcnTB
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) February 12, 2025
Read – Five moments that have defined Manchester City and Real Madrid’s rivalry
See more – Arsenal and Tottenham – North London injured XI
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