Liverpool pair star in Bundesliga dominated Champions League Team of the Week

Here we assess the best WhoScored rated XI from the midweek Champions League action, as we reach the halfway point across all eight groups.

There were some big surprises across matchday 3, with Manchester United slipping to a 2-1 defeat away to Istanbul Basaksehir, Liverpool trouncing Atalanta 5-0 in Italy and Paris Saint-Germain losing 2-1 to RB Leipzig.

Liverpool, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Barcelona maintained their 100 per cent starts in the competition, each racking up big wins in midweek, while Marseille are the only side still searching for their first goal of the group stage.  

Working out way through the team, starting from the goalkeeper, let's dive right in and see who flourished most.

Goalkeeper: Ruslan Neshcheret (Dynamo Kyiv) - 9.05 rating

Thrust into the side after both first-choice goalkeepers for Dynamo Kyiv tested positive for COVID-19, 18-year-old Ruslan Neshcheret had a night to remember at the Camp Nou after turning in a stunning performance against Barcelona. Dynamo Kyiv lost 2-1 but the teenage goalkeeper, on debut, racked up 12 saves, some hugely impressive, to keep his side in the game. No goalkeeper since 2013 has made more in a single Champions League game.

Right-back: Stefan Lainer (Gladbach) - 8.27 rating

After failing to get over the line in their first two group games, Gladbach ensured they got all three points away to Shakhtar Donetsk with a 6-0 win on Tuesday night. Stefan Lainer registered his first ever assist in a Champions League game in the rout, coming from one of three key passes. Moreover, Lainer also managed six tackles and interceptions combined to help ensure the Bundesliga side kept a clean sheet.

Centre-back: Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich) - 8.50 rating

In the side as a result of Niklas Sule testing positive for COVID-19, Jerome Boateng ended up scoring his first Champions League goal since April 2015. Boateng's header in the 79th-minute actually gave Bayern a 3-2 lead, from which they never looked back and ended up as 6-2 winners. In addition to his pivotal impact in the Salzburg box, he also played a key part at the back with a crucial last man tackle, four tackles and interceptions combined and four clearances.

Centre-back: Francesco Acerbi (Lazio) - 8.14 rating

Lazio remain unbeaten in Group F after managing a 1-1 draw away to Zenit on Wednesday night, with centre-back Francesco Acerbi popping up as the provider for Felipe Caicedo's equaliser late on. The 32-year-old started the game on the front foot with a long range effort in the opening 60 seconds that forced Zenit's goalkeeper into a save. Acerbi racked up more touches than any player on the pitch (93) and made three tackles and as many clearances.

Left-back: Lucas Hernandez (Bayern Munich) - 8.76 rating

Lucas Hernandez has replaced Alphonso Davies as Bayern Munich's first-choice left-back this season and the 24-year-old turned in another solid display in their thrilling 6-2 win away to Salzburg. Hernandez made five tackles, completed two clearances and capped off his evening's work with his first ever goal in European competition on his 30th appearance.

Right wing: Jesus Manuel Corona (FC Porto) - 9.49 rating

FC Porto have moved into favourites to join Manchester City into the knockout phase from Group C after dispatching Marseille 3-0 on Tuesday night. Jesus Manuel Corona caused Marseille hell down Porto's right hand side and directly contributed to two of the three goals. Corona assisted Moussa Marega for their opener and then supplied Luis Diaz for Porto's third. The 27-year-old completed five dribbles in total and was fouled six times. Not only that, but Corona worked hard without the ball, managing five tackles and interceptions combined.

Central midfield: Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich) - 8.74 rating

Joshua Kimmich continued his magnificent start to the Champions League campaign with another important showing in midweek. Kimmich registered a pair of assists in the big win over Salzburg to take his tally to the sesaon to seven across league and European competition. The 25-year-old carved out five key passes against Salzburg on Tuesday and also completed 92% of his attempted passes. Bayern struggled defensively at times but Kimmich weighed in with six tackles and interceptions combined for the defending champions.

Central midfield: Lars Stindl (Gladbach) - 8.51 rating

The second of three Gladbach players to make our Champions League team of the week is midfielder Lars Stindl. The 32-year-old had a fine game in their 6-0 demolition of Shakhtar, scoring and assisting in the rout. Stindl had three shots in total and registered four key passes before being taken off with 20 minutes to go.

Left wing: Sadio Mane (Liverpool) - 9.92 rating

Liverpool's 5-0 win away to Atalanta was exactly what Jurgen Klopp's side needed ahead of this weekend's game with Manchester City. Sadio Mane scored once and registered one assist in the victory, hitting the target with all four of his attempts. It marked the first match this season where Mane has both scored and assisted.

Striker: Diogo Jota (Liverpool) - 9.92 rating

Diogo Jota's stunning start to life at Liverpool continued in midweek with a devastating hat-trick against Atalanta. Like Mane, Jota hit the target with all four of his attempts on goal and has now scored in four straight appearances for Liverpool. Jota has scored three hat-tricks in European competition since the beginning of last season, no one else has managed more than one. The 23-year-old is now putting immense pressure on Roberto Firmino's place in the side.

Striker: Alassane Plea (Gladbach) - 10 rating

Reserving the best until last is our Champions League player of the week: Alassane Plea. The Frenchman played a direct hand in four of Gladbach's six goals in midweek, notching a devastating hat-trick against Shakhtar. The 27-year-old scored his three goals from five attempts to earn a perfect WhoScored 10 rating. Plea has incredibly played a direct hand in six goals in three Champions League games this season, already more than he has ever managed in a European campaign.