Champions League awards: Duran’s dipper and Turkish delight | OneFootball

It’s that time of the week again as our Champions League awards honour the best – and worst – of matchday two.

Moment of the Week

There are super subs, and then there’s Jhon Duran.

Substituting the Colombian on is a cheat code for Unai Emery at this point. The 20-year-old has scored four goals off the bench in six Premier League games this season, three of which were match-winning goals, and has taken his game-changing talents to Europe.

Aston Villa welcomed Bayern Munich to the Midlands on matchday two in a glamour fixture, a rematch of the 1982 European Cup final and the sort of night Villa fans have dreamt of since last season’s top-four finish was confirmed. Emery’s team battled well all evening against the six-time European champions but required a moment of magic to turn a solid showing into a statement result.

Nine minutes after his introduction, Duran provided it. Racing onto Pau Torres’ through ball, he lifted an audacious early finish over the stranded Manuel Neuer to seal a huge win. This is a result the Villa fans won’t forget in a hurry.

An honourable mention for Juventus, who have seen new life breathed into the club under Thiago Motta. Yet to concede a goal in Serie A this season, Juventus showed their new-found mettle during a topsy-turvy clash with RB Leipzig.

Down to 10 men and trailing in Germany, goals from Dusan Vlahovic and Francisco Conceição turned the game around.

Player of the Week

Celtic might have offered sub-standard opposition, but Karim Adeyemi’s electric display is enough to warrant our Player of the Week award. The German hit a first-half hat-trick as Dortmund ran riot at the Westfalenstadion, with each of his finishes full of quality.

His second in particular was hit like a missile past Kasper Schmeichel, before he jinked inside to drive a low finish past the Dane and complete his hat-trick before half-time. Injury forced Adeyemi’s withdrawal after just 48 minutes and Celtic will have no doubt been delighted to see him leave the pitch.

After being linked with an exit all summer, Adeyemi has started the season in good form with five goals in eight games. He’s already matched his return from a disappointing 2023/24 season.

Goal of the Week

Free-kicks don’t come much better than this.

Hakan Calhanoglu produced a set-piece special as Inter Milan eased to a 4-0 win over Red Star at the San Siro.

Goalkeeper’s side? No problem.

Save of the Week

Emiliano Martinez has become the definition of a big-game player. For club and country, the Argentine has so often bailed out his team in their hour of need and produced a masterclass of goalkeeping in Aston Villa’s 1-0 win over Bayern Munich.

The most important of the lot came in stoppage time as he sprang from his line to thwart Serge Gnabry. The difference between late disappointment and a massive win.

Stat of the Week

A night to forget for Celtic in Dortmund…

Tweet of the Week

There’s nothing quite like a mother’s pride.

Debate of the Week

Has the Champions League lost its spark?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Read – Champions League Team of the Week as Villa stun Bayern

See more – The longest unbeaten runs in Champions League history

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