Champions League Team of the Round: PSG and Newcastle stars shine in play-offs

[p]Two Atletico Madrid players, two from Newcastle, and two from Paris Saint-Germain: that’s how the Top XI for the play-offs to reach the round of 16 is made up.[/p][image alt="Champions League Team of the Round" id="d9430186-158e-47ce-abc2-0a0c6b0b9b59" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="84e8b022-fa42-4a00-be2e-c5e9f3b11282" original-width="1080" original-height="1350" /][h2]Goalkeeper[/h2][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/oblak-jan/SYy8ZHN9/"]Jan Oblak[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atl-madrid/jaarqpLQ/"]Atletico Madrid[/a]) 7.8[/b][/p][p]Five crucial saves (plus seven in the first leg), but above all the assist for Alexander Sorloth’s opener, make Oblak the best goalkeeper of these play-offs.[/p][h2]Defenders[/h2][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dimarco-federico/W6lypZn3/"]Federico Dimarco[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/inter/Iw7eKK25/"]Inter[/a]) 8.3[/b][/p][p]Now a regular in Serie A’s Top 11, where he stands out for his assists, he also makes the play-off XI despite only playing the 90 minutes at San Siro, where his teammates constantly looked for him.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/trippier-kieran/GMqWRFGS/"]Kieran Trippier[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/newcastle-utd/p6ahwuwJ/"]Newcastle[/a]) 8.0[/b][/p][p]An assist in the first leg and another in the return, the English full-back’s contribution to the Magpies’ attacking play is clear, and he even wanted to take one of the two penalties Anthony Gordon converted in Baku.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/huijsen-dean/2V3qUZAd/"]Dean Huijsen[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/real-madrid/W8mj7MDD/"]Real Madrid[/a]) 7.9[/b][/p][p]The former Juventus defender played a key role in securing a place in the last 16: he only featured in the first leg, but helped the Blancos keep a clean sheet with an excellent display alongside Rudiger.[/p][h2]Midfielders[/h2][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/akliouche-maghnes/0UP6MLGJ/"]Maghnes Akliouche[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/monaco/2PIvr8o4/"]Monaco[/a]) 7.9[/b][/p][p]Probably Monaco’s standout player in the all-French tie against PSG: he set up a goal for a teammate in the first leg and scored in the return, keeping qualification hopes alive on his birthday.[/p][embed guid="ff7cbd9d-f4e0-4f58-9305-0ce312b81125" url="https://x.com/AS_Monaco_EN/status/2026766483586462095?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gomes-gabriel/OYlVjZg3/"]Gabriel Sara[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/galatasaray/riaqqurF/"]Galatasaray[/a]) 7.9[/b][/p][p]The Brazilian scored his first Champions League goal, was unstoppable in the first leg and delivered an outstanding performance, capped off with an assist and rated 9.2.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/johnny-cardoso/v5Xtt1xa/"]Johnny Cardoso[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atl-madrid/jaarqpLQ/"]Atletico Madrid[/a]) 8.0[/b][/p][p]The American midfielder also netted his first Champions League goal, scoring from the edge of the box in Madrid – in just his second ever UCL start.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/onyedika-raphael/lGk4guoq/"]Raphael Onyedika[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/club-brugge/rgTHIK74/"]Club Brugge[/a]) 8.1[/b][/p][p]The former Midtjylland man has grown along with Club Brugge, who were knocked out after their collapse at the Metropolitano but still had a very positive campaign: the Nigerian got on the scoresheet in the 3-3 draw in the first leg.[/p][h2]Forwards[/h2][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/doue-desire/KIUWH2Jq/"]Desire Doue[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psg/CjhkPw0k/"]PSG[/a]) 8.9[/b][/p][p]To think he started the first leg on the bench, only coming on after Dembélé’s injury changed the tie: both in Monaco and Paris he was outstanding, leading his team with 2 goals and 2 assists.[/p][embed guid="7e7af5af-3b55-4f17-8fbb-271d79a253ce" url="https://x.com/ChampionsLeague/status/2026784869703995669?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gordon-anthony/EFo95m2P/"]Anthony Gordon[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/newcastle-utd/p6ahwuwJ/"]Newcastle[/a]) 8.7[/b][/p][p]Only 18 players have scored 4 goals in a single Champions League match, and the English striker is now among them, ruthless in the first leg (helped by two penalties).[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kvaratskhelia-khvicha/bNuGt0hE/"]Khvicha Kvaratskhelia[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psg/CjhkPw0k/"]PSG[/a]) 7.9[/b][/p][p]Even with Doue’s performance, the Georgian was not to be outdone: he impressed in both legs, perhaps less flashy but highly effective.[/p]