Champions League

Champions League Goals of the Week - Kylian Mbappe, Robert Lewandowski, Luis Diaz

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 08 September 2022

Champions League Goals of the Week - Mbappe, Lewandowski, Diaz

Sports Mole looks at the best goals from matchday one of the Champions League group stages, featuring the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Robert Lewandowski and Luis Diaz.

The Champions League group stages returned this week, and all of the accompanying thrills and spills that went with it.

There were upsets as Chelsea and Liverpool both fell to defeat, while Manchester City, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich all laid down early markers.

There were plenty of notable goals to keep the crowds entertained too, with 54 flying in across the 16 matches.

Here Sports Mole selects the pick of the bunch across the fixtures from Tuesday and Wednesday.

1. Alex Grimaldo (BENFICA vs. Maccabi Haifa)

Alex Grimaldo wrapped up three points for his side against Maccabi Haifa in some style, unleashing a viciously dipping and swerving strike past the keeper from range.

2. Ferran Torres (BARCELONA vs. Viktoria Plzen)

It was a five-star showing for Barcelona against Plzen, and they saved the best until last. While Robert Lewandowski may have stolen the headlines, it was Ferran Torres who scored the pick of the goals with a brilliant first-time volley after watching Ousmane's Dembele's lofted through-ball over his shoulder.

3. Kylian Mbappe (PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN vs. Juventus)

Dembele was compared to Neymar by Xavi after that match, and his chipped through-ball might have been inspired by the Brazilian's similar one just 24 hours earlier. Neymar took four defenders out of the game with his audacious pass to Kylian Mbappe, who, like Torres, only needed one touch to fire a brilliant first-time volley home.

4. Mohammed Kudus (AJAX vs. Rangers)

Rangers' dream return to the Champions League soon turned into a nightmare as they were hammered 4-0 by Ajax. Mohammed Kudus helped himself to the best of those goals, driving forward down the left channel before firing a powerful strike into the far corner.

5. Robert Lewandowski (BARCELONA vs. Viktoria Plzen)

Another match, another Champions League hat-trick for Robert Lewandowski, who is now the first player to net a treble for three different teams in the competition. He secured the matchball in style, passing an unerring first-time finish into the bottom corner from 20 yards.

6. Eden Hazard (Celtic vs. REAL MADRID)

Eden Hazard's finish itself will not have wowed anyone watching Real Madrid's win over Celtic, but it is what preceded it which made this goal special. A 33-pass move, which ended with a pinpoint Toni Kroos ball to Dani Carvajal, who in turn put it on a plate for Hazard.

7. Kylian Mbappe (PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN vs. Juventus)

A second entry on the list for Kylian Mbappe, who again showed his devastating one-touch finishing ability with a difficult volley to end a slick team move from the French giants.

8. Jude Bellingham (BORUSSIA DORTMUND vs. Copenhagen)

Speaking of one-touch passing, Jude Bellingham capped off Borussia Dortmund's win over Copenhagen in stylish fashion on Tuesday, becoming the first English teenager to score in three separate Champions League campaigns in the process.

9. Luis Diaz (Napoli vs. LIVERPOOL)

There was not much for Liverpool to shout about during their defeat to Napoli on Wednesday night, but Luis Diaz's second-half performance was a minor bright point, capped with a good goal from the winger as he curled into the bottom corner from outside the box.

10. Leroy Sane (Inter Milan vs. BAYERN MUNICH)

Leroy Sane was Inter Milan's chief tormentor in this repeat of the 2010 final, and his opening goal saw him produce a stunning first touch to take a long ball down, before rounding the keeper and slotting home.

11. Noah Okafor (RED BULL SALZBURG vs. AC Milan)

RIP Pierre Kalulu. The AC Milan defender was left in a heap on the floor as Noah Okafor slipped the ball between his legs before slotting his finish into the far corner, almost Lionel Messi-esque.

12. Robert Lewandowski (BARCELONA vs. Viktoria Plzen)

The type of goal that Robert Lewandowski makes look easy, but which should not be underestimated on a stage like the Champions League. The striker's first of the night - and second in this list - was another pinpoint finish from the edge of the box.