Two Manchester City players make our team, but not Erling Haaland…

HIGHLIGHTS

•  The Champions League group stage is over, with 16 teams booking their places in the knockout stage of the tournament.
•  The Team of the Group Stage has been picked, with selections based on Whoscored’s statistics and how important a player has been to a club’s success/
•  Two Manchester City players make it into the Team of the Group Stage, but Erling Haaland misses out despite scoring five goals.

The UEFA Champions League Group Stage has drawn to a close, and we now await to see what the future holds for the remaining 16 teams in the competition.

There has been no shortage of surprises over the last six games, for better and for worse. Borussia Dortmund came out on top of the Group of Death despite facing some stiff opposition in Newcastle, AC Milan and PSG. Meanwhile, Manchester United’s return to Europe’s premier competition was a disaster, finishing bottom of their group and suffering the most goals against them in the group phase.

Most of the teams that have qualified will be giving thanks to some of their top performers and the efforts they have put in. Here at GIVEMESPORT, we have taken a look at all of these individuals. With the help of statistics, courtesy of Whoscored, we have created our own Champions League Team of the Group Stage.

Goalkeeper: Alex Remiro

Real Sociedad

Perhaps one of the biggest surprises so far has been the performances of Real Sociedad. The Spanish side did an incredible job to pip last year’s runners-up Inter Milan to first place in Group D. This was in no small part down to their defensive solidity.

At the heart of this was Alex Remiro. The 28-year-old conceded just twice and kept a tournament-high of four clean sheets. By securing first, Sociedad have ensured an away first leg in the Round of Sixteen. Whilst this is usually a bonus, there is no doubt that the Spanish goalkeeper will be required to keep his side moving further.

Right Back: Joao Cancelo

Barcelona

Joao Cancelo may have looked at his former club Manchester City winning the competition in 2023 and wondered ‘what if’? If that was the case, he has certainly used it to fuel him this time around.

The Portuguese full-back has been a sensation this season, with Whoscored ranking him as the fifth-best player in the group stages. He has been a threat going forward for Barcelona, contributing one goal and one assist. He has also done his job defensively, averaging around three tackles per game. He will be hoping to lead a renaissance at the Camp Nou and win the trophy he missed out on last time out.

Centre Back: Mats Hummels

Borussia Dortmund

If anyone was under the impression that the 34-year-old’s best days were behind him, his performances this campaign have shut those critics up. As we said earlier, Dortmund have done exceptionally to navigate their way out of the group of death, and Mats Hummels has been integral to that.

He ranks first in tackles made in the competition thus far and also features in the top ten for interceptions. He may not be a spring chicken anymore, but the German has seen it all. Now, he is using his experience to his advantage and producing top-drawer performances thanks to it.

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Centre Back: Kim Min-jae

Bayern Munich

If you were to build the perfect design for a central defender, chances are you would create someone very similar to Kim Min-jae. Having previously been a target for Manchester United, the South Korean international has not skipped a beat since moving to Bavaria, continuing to do what he was brought to do.

Quick, strong, no-nonsense, composed. Very rarely do you find a player, let alone a defender, who has all these attributes, but the 27-year-old has them in abundance. He played a pivotal role for Bayern Munich as they bullied the opposition, finishing Group A with double the amount of points as anyone else.

Left Back: David Raum

RB Leipzig

David Raum’s stats so far in the Champions League this term have been as ideal as you can imagine for an attacking full-back. With three assists to his name, the German is in the top 10 for the entire group phase. This should really be no surprise considering his output.

The 25-year-old averages three crosses and three key passes per game, ranking him first and second in both categories respectively. He has proved his worth in what wasn’t the easiest group for RB Leipzig. Should he continue his form, he won’t only be an asset for the rest of this season, but he will also be expected to repeat this for Germany come Euro 2024.

Central Midfield: Jude Bellingham

Real Madrid

Have you ever seen a man make playing for Real Madrid seem so simple? Let alone someone in the infancy of their career. It’s quite astonishing what the world is witnessing from Jude Bellingham right now. His seven goal contributions, including a stunning solo effort against Napoli, in five group stage games is just a small sample of the brilliance the Englishman is producing in Spain.

Los Blancos have their name written all over this competition’s history. Yet, that’s not stopping a driven Bellingham from trying to create his own legacy by stamping his authority every chance he gets. It seems inevitable that one day he will be lifting this coveted trophy aloft, but based on how he’s playing, the former Dortmund man seems in a hurry to do so.

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Central Midfield: Mikel Merino

Real Sociedad

Just like Remiro, Mikel Merino has been a key part of Real Sociedad’s success so far in Europe. As of now, a return to the competition in 2024 isn’t looking likely, with Imanol Alguacil’s side occupying sixth place in La Liga. It seems as though they have been saving their best displays for Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

The Spanish midfielder has been leading his team perfectly. He features in the top 10 in Whoscored’s Champions League group stage ratings, with consistent stats across the board. Having been linked with the likes of Aston Villa earlier in 2023, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see some of Europe’s elite making offers for the 27-year-old in the near future.

Central Midfield: Rodri

Manchester City

It’s surprising that we have gotten this far without mentioning a Manchester City player. How fitting it is that the first one of Pep Guardiola’s players who appears is the man who won them the Champions League last season.

It has become clear now that whenever Rodri doesn’t play, the Sky Blues fare much worse. He is an essential cog in the machine that his manager has managed to build at the Etihad. Replacing the seemingly irreplaceable Fernandinho, the Spaniard is the composed man who oversees the transition between defence and attack better than anyone in world football.

Right Wing: Bukayo Saka

Arsenal

This is the first of an all-English front three, and Bukayo Saka is arguably the most deserving of the trio. He has transformed from a young boy to Arsenal’s leading man in front of our eyes. In doing so, he has taken to the Champions League like a duck to water.

With four goals and three assists, Saka has the joint highest number of goal contributions in the entire tournament so far. Not bad considering the winger is making his Champions League debut. Statistically one of the best players in Europe right now, he has become the epitome of all that is right at the Emirates under Mikel Arteta and the number 7 will be hoping to lead the Gunners to the latter stages of the competition.

Left Wing: Phil Foden

Manchester City

Like his international counterpart on the right, Phil Foden has been chipping in to help ease his side to the round of 16. Three goals and two assists make him the most efficient attacker for Manchester City outside of Erling Haaland. It’s enough to see him make the top 10 in Whoscored’s ratings for the first stage of the Champions League.

With so much talent at his disposal, Guardiola is not short of options on who to choose from in his forward positions. However, the English playmaker has ensured that he is out on the pitch when the famous anthem sings.

Striker: Harry Kane

Bayern Munich

Although the likes of Erling Haaland and Rasmus Hojlund have scored more goals in the group stage, they simply haven’t been as integral to their team as the England captain has for Bayern. Harry Kane joins Saka and Bellingham on seven goal contributions and has added a new dynamic to an already frightening attacking force.

The 30-year-old left Tottenham to chase trophies. So far, he hasn’t managed it. However, it seems inevitable that the talisman has to break his duck at some point in Germany. It would likely surprise no one if this were to happen in Europe’s biggest competition.