Champions League Awards – Ruthless Raphinha, Sporting stun Bodo
Champions League Awards – Ruthless Raphinha, Sporting stun Bodo The Champions League never disappoints, does it? Our Champions League Awards celebrate the best and worst of an epic week of European football. Moment of the Week Just four times previously had a team recovered from a three-goal defeat in the first leg of a Champions League tie, a scenario four different clubs found themselves in this week.
While Chelsea, Manchester City, and Tottenham Hotspur all failed to achieve a classic comeback, Sporting Lisbon led by example. The Portuguese champions reached the quarter-finals for the first time since 1983, after recovering from a 3-0 first-leg defeat to beat Bodo/Glimt. Three unanswered goals forced extra-time, before Sporting stunned the shellshocked visitors with a fourth early in the added period.
A fifth added gloss to the scoreline and saw Sporting join a list of immortal comeback kicks. They might have played the part of party-poopers to eliminate everyone’s favourite underdogs, but Sporting won’t care one bit. Player of the Week What a week for Raphinha , who followed his weekend hat-trick in La Liga with a devastating performance to dismantle Newcastle.
The Brazilian had a role in Barcelona’s first five goals at the Camp Nou, as the Spanish side scored seven to thrash their Premier League visitors. He opened the scoring with a composed first before delivering the dead-ball that led to the host’s second. His burst into the box then won the penalty for the decisive third goal, and his night continued to get better during a ruthless second half.
Two assists and a second goal of the evening capped a dream night. Goal of the Week Touch. Swivel.