Just like the last two Matchdays, the third Matchday of the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League season also packed a punch. Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), Arsenal, and Manchester United returned to winning ways after their disappointing outings in Gameweek 2, while the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester City, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich extended their winning run to three matches.
From goalkeeping heroics to eye-catching goals, Champions League Gameweek 3 also had some noteworthy individual displays, and below, we will check out the best of the best. Now without further ado, let’s check out the top five performers from Matchday 3 of the 2023-24 Champions League season:
#5 Andre Onana – Manchester United
Having been under fire since replacing David De Gea under the crossbar, Andre Onana delivered a performance to remember on Matchday 3. The goalkeeper, who was partially at fault for Manchester United’s 3-2 defeat to Galatasaray on Matchday 2, made four saves in the 1-0 win over FC Copenhagen on Tuesday night (October 24).
Onana saved his best for the very end when Copenhagen got a penalty in the seventh minute of injury time. Luckily for the Old Trafford faithful, Onana read Jordan Larsson’s penalty and leaped to the right side of the goal to deny him from the spot. Had it not been for his sensational save, United would have dropped points for the third consecutive game in the Champions League this season.
#4 Warren Zaire-Emery – Paris Saint-Germain
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) desperately needed a response after losing 4-1 to Newcastle United on Matchday 2. And judging by the way they performed in the 3-0 win over AC Milan on Wednesday night (October 25), it is safe to say that PSG have brought their campaign back on track.
Teen central midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery emerged as PSG’s best player in the win over Milan at the Parc des Princes. He pulled the string from the heart of the midfield, claiming two excellent assists. In the 32nd minute, he charged into the final third and found Kylian Mbappe with a slide rule pass at the edge of the area. Cool as ever, the Frenchman took care of the rest. Zaire-Emery struck again in the 89th minute, setting up Kang-In Lee with a square pass inside the box. The substitute applied a delicate finish to find the bottom-left corner.
In addition to the assists, Zaire-Emery created four chances, made eight recoveries, won two duels, and delivered two accurate long balls.
#3 Santiago Gimenez – Feyenoord
Feyenoord bagged an impressive 3-1 victory over Italian side Lazio on Tuesday night (October 24), and Santiago Gimenez was at the heart of it all. The striker was not involved in the build-up much but pulled the trigger every chance he got, ultimately bagging two well-taken goals.
Gimenez opened his scoring in the 31st minute, dancing his way into the box and applying a left-footed finish to find the bottom-left corner. He doubled his tally in the 74th minute, pouncing on Quinten Timber’s rebound and slotting it beyond the goalkeeper.
#2 Gabriel Jesus – Arsenal
Premier League giants Arsenal bounced back from their embarrassing 2-1 defeat to Lens with a tricky 2-1 victory over Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium on Tuesday (October 24). Gabriel Jesus was involved in both goals, scoring one and setting up the other.
In first-half added time, Jesus brilliantly brought down a clearance and pulled off an ingenious turn, which allowed him to open up some space. The Brazilian immediately spotted Gabriel Martinelli’s run and played him through on goal. Martinelli skipped past the onrushing goalkeeper and slotted the ball into the empty net.
Jesus turned scorer in the 53rd minute, receiving the ball from Declan Rice, cutting into the box, and finding the top-right corner with an inch-perfect curling effort.
#1 Erling Haaland – Manchester City
After a couple of quiet outings, Manchester City goalmachine Erling Haaland returned to his best in the 3-1 victory over Young Boys on Wednesday night (October 25). The Norwegian sharpshooter was City’s best player, as his brace turned out to be the difference between the two teams.
Haaland got on the scoresheet with a thumping left-footed penalty in the 67th minute, ending his five-game drought in the UEFA Champions League. He doubled his money in the 86th minute, receiving a pass from Rodri and finding the top-right corner with a picturesque curling finish.
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