"We've had statement wins ( Bayern Munich beating Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 in Paris), end-to-end draws ( Barcelona held 3-3 by Club Brugge), some shock losses ( Pafos defeating Villarreal 1-0) and, to cap it all, a Puskas contender from Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky van de Ven. This is what you get with Europe's elite club competition, and this week has provided plenty to talk about as the league phase reaches its halfway point."
"Why? It's not a position he has played before (not with this set-up around him anyway), it's especially hard when you have four new starters in a team. As talented as he is, Wirtz is a 22-year-old moving from playing in the Bundesliga in front of 26,000 fans at a mid-size club, to the Premier League and one of the biggest clubs in the world."
Champions League matchday produced statement wins, high-scoring draws, shock upsets and spectacular individual goals, illustrating the competition's unpredictability. Bayern Munich beat Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 in Paris. Barcelona and Club Brugge played out a 3-3 draw. Pafos defeated Villarreal 1-0. Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven scored a candidate for the Puskas Award. Liverpool adjusted tactically by shifting Florian Wirtz to the left wing and secured a 1-0 clean-sheet victory over Real Madrid at Anfield. Integrating Wirtz is expected to take time because the role and surrounding set-up differ from his previous Bundesliga experience, making full tactical resolution a heavy lift.
Read at ESPN.com
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