Champions League team of the week: is Pepe in danger of becoming loved?
The last-16 wrapped up with outstanding performances in Arsenal’s midfield, Dortmund’s attack and a standout night from a fortysomething
This week saw the Champions League’s trademark intrigue, with two penalty shootouts and two other matches that were by no means foregone conclusions until the last moments. The team below is a 4-3-3 in a week where full-backs and wingers shone.
Goalkeeper: Jan Oblak, Atlético Madrid. After a wait that stretched back to 2016, we had two penalty shootouts, and the chance for four goalkeepers to be heroes. Two keepers made two penalty saves, and David Raya took the plaudits as Arsenal celebrated beating Porto. But for Champions League legacy, Oblak takes the cake. In psyching out Inter’s takers, the Slovenian came through a third shootout win, a record for the competition. Alexis Sánchez was the first save, then came Davy Klaassen, before Lautaro Martínez chose the Chris Waddle 1990 technique, having been spooked out by a keeper who remains one of the very, very best.
