Champions League Team of the Week: Ronaldo, Kane and Mane involved

Champions League team of the week, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Harry Kane and Sadio Mane.

Goalscorers dominated the first leg ties of the Champions League round of 16. Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice to help holders Real Madrid beat Paris Saint-Germain, setting a record in the process.

Sadio Mane went one better, netting a hat-trick as Liverpool ran riot away to Porto on Wednesday. His fellow forwards, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, were also involved in the scoring.

Tuesday belonged to Harry Kane and Tottenham, as the north London club came from two goals down to draw in Juventus.

Find out who else makes the team of the week:

Goalkeeper: Keylor Navas, Real Madrid

Los Blancos always seem to want to upgrade Keylor Navas. The irony is the Costa Rica international rarely lets Real down.

Navas was in solid form against PSG, making big saves to deny Neymar and Edinson Cavani. Real’s No. 1 continued to stand tall against Les Parisiens’ free-flowing attack.

He was alert early in the second half to turn away Kylian Mbappe’s effort. Mbappe went close again a minute from time, only for Navas to prove up to the job of preserving Los Merengues‘ lead again.

The 3-1 scoreline flattered Real, but it was only thanks to the efforts of the man between the posts PSG didn’t leave the Santiago Bernabeu with another away goal or two.

Defender: Marcelo, Real Madrid

He scored Real’s third and spent the best part of 90 minutes raiding forward and providing width on the left. Just a typical night at the office in Europe’s premier club competition for Marcelo.

The 29-year-old remains a vital attacking outlet for the holders. So it proved, as Marcelo met a cross from substitute Marco Asensio in the 86th minute, before thrashing a shot in, via the aid of a deflection.

It was a goal befitting Marcelo’s buccaneering display. The Brazil international overlapped with Ronaldo at will, picking smart passes whenever he got free on the flank.

His pace was always an outlet, allowing Los Blancos to soak up considerable pressure from PSG, before striking on the break.

Many players have had key roles in Real’s recent success in this competition, but Marcelo is one of the true unsung heroes.

Defender: Vincent Kompany, Manchester City

Vincent Kompany is still the linchpin at the back for Manchester City, despite his litany of injuries. The 31-year-old was fit enough to start for the Citizens against Basel on Tuesday night.

Kompany was outstanding at St. Jakob-Park. He used all of his experience to hold City’s back line together against the pace of Basel forward Dimitri Oberlin.

Basel were unable to pick out their striker between the lines because of the way Kompany organised the offside trap. The Belgian center-back also stayed aware of space and angles between the lines, usually being in position to cut out a through-pass.

He’s rarely fit enough to help the Citizens in the Premier League. But Kompany’s savvy and strength can prove vital in Europe.

Next: 5 things we learned: English dominate, Emery on thin ice

Defender: Raphael Varane, Real Madrid

Real were put under intense pressure for large portions by PSG. Fortunately, the holders’ defense was up to the task of resisting Neymar and Co.

Los Merengues stood firm largely thanks to Raphael Varane’s outstanding performance. The French center-back was quick across the deck to track runners and intercept the quick passes PSG rely on in and around the box.

More than once, Varane made a timely block to ensure the ball didn’t reach Les Parisiens‘ man over. His last-ditch clearance of a Dani Alves cross eight minutes after halftime denied Cavani an easy goal.

Varane and fellow central defender Sergio Ramos were put through their paces in the Spanish capital. They will need to be every bit as good if Real are going to survive the return leg.

Midfielder: Sadio Mane, Liverpool

He’s been living in Salah’s shadow for much of this season, but Mane offered an emphatic reminder of his class at the Estadio do Dragao. The Senegalese forward was at his direct and menacing best against Porto, stretching the hosts’ defence to breaking point with his pace.

Mane was always an outlet for Liverpool whenever they roamed forward. There was a touch of fortune about his first goal as he met Georginio Wijnaldum’s smart touch and saw his shot squeeze under the body of Porto goalkeeper Jose Sa.

Again, he was in the right place at the right time to score his second on 53 minutes. Mane tapped in from close range to cap a sweeping counter.

His hat-trick goal was more about solo magic, as the former Southampton ace thundered a shot from distance past Sa.

It meant Mane joined a select group in Liverpool’s history, per OptaJoe:

Based on this evidence, Liverpool aren’t going to miss Philippe Coutinho too much. In fact, with Mane in this form, the Reds will remain perhaps the most devastating attacking force in the tournament.

Midfielder: Ilkay Gundogan, Manchester City

Not having David Silva available should stunt some of City’s quality in possession and going forward. Yet not many squads have a playmaker as good as Ilkay Gundogan in reserve.

The ex-Borussia Dortmund star scored twice in Basel as part of a classy display. He helped control possession in the middle, but his runs forward proved too much for the hosts’ defence.

Gundogan popped up everywhere, always timing his movement impeccably to put himself in position to apply the finishing touch to another typically flowing City move.

It was Gundogan who got his head to Kevin De Bruyne’s smart pass for the Citizens’ opener on 14 minutes. Later, he deftly received a lay off from striker Sergio Aguero before curling in his second from the edge of the box.

This was Gundogan at his best, an attacking midfielder with the vision and technique to thrive in any top side.

Midfielder: James Milner, Liverpool

James Milner is the ultimate no-frills midfielder. He is a player defined less by match-winning flair and more by relentless energy.

Yet the 32-year-old’s eye for a pass is often overlooked. Fortunately for Liverpool, Milner offered a timely reminder of his vision in Porto.

He helped himself to a pair of assists, helping to create Salah’s goal in the first half after crashing a shot off the inside of the post. Milner was cool and creative under fire in the 69th minute when he smartly teed up Firmino with a low cross.

The contribution set Milner apart among providers in this season’s Champions League, per Squawka Football:

Considering the quality of some of the playmakers in this competition, Milner deserves credit for upstaging the more familiar names with his own output.

Mohamed Salah, Liverpool

Mane and Firmino impressed, but it was Salah who once again stole the show for Liverpool. The quick-as-lightning Egypt international put the fear in the Porto defence with his relentless running.

Salah sped forward on the right and also got through the middle, splitting centre-backs and giving Liverpool a natural focal point up top. The versatile winger’s movement drew markers away from Mane and Firmino.

Not to be denied a goal of his own, Salah produced terrific skill to net Liverpool’s second. He was the quickest to react when Milner’s effort glanced off the post, before taking a touch over Sa to head in from close range.

It wasn’t all about the goal, though, as Salah showed off his quality link play in the build-up to Liverpool’s third. He started the move, then played a smart one-two with Firmino.

The combination ended with Mane tapping in his second.

Striker: Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid

No competition encourages Ronaldo to produce his best quite like the Champions League. Real’s powerhouse number 7 revived his team’s floundering season by bagging a brace to rescue the holders against impressive PSG.

His first was calmly converted from the penalty spot after Toni Kroos was fouled amid a melee following a corner. Ronaldo made no mistake with his fierce, low shot.

The conversion made history for the player in the competition he loves:

Ronaldo wasn’t done, though. He had Los Blancos in front seven minutes from time after bundling in Asensio’s cross from close range.

It was a scrappy goal, but one showing the natural instincts for a chance of a deadly finisher.

Real are way off the pace in La Liga, a whopping 17 points adrift of bitter rivals Barcelona. Yet as long as they have Ronaldo, Los Merengues will remain major contenders in the Champions League.

Striker: Roberto Firmino, Liverpool

He doesn’t always attract the plaudits Salah receives, but Firmino may be every bit as important to Liverpool’s fluid forward line. The No. 9 who isn’t really a No. 9, was at his intelligent and creative best against Porto.

Firmino’s shot allowed Mane to score his second, before the Brazilian got a goal of his own by meeting Milner’s cross with a precise and emphatic finish.

Like Salah, Firmino also contributed a lot to Liverpool’s approach play. His touches were deft and smart, while his passing was intuitive and his movement perceptive.

It’s often Firmino dropping off the front who creates the space through the middle for Salah and Mane to exploit. His ability to both lead the line and reshape it is essential to the way Liverpool fashion chances.

Striker: Harry Kane, Tottenham

Spurs were 2-0 down in Turin, but never looked out of it thanks to Kane’s bullish performance. The in-form striker took the fight to Juve, always keeping centre-backs Giorgio Chiellini and Mehdi Benatia occupied.

Kane’s tireless pressing meant Juve struggled to play out from the back. Those struggles led to quick turnovers in possession, helping Spurs boss the ball and play their way back into the game.

Typically, it was Kane who posed the biggest threat. He forced Gianluigi Buffon into a pair of smart saves, before finally getting Tottenham on the scoresheet in the 35th minute.

Kane sprung the offside trap and calmly rounded Buffon before finishing well from a narrowing angle. It was typical of Kane, decisive and ruthless when a chance came his way.