The official Champions League quarter final first leg team of the week and has been announced and it features three Arsenal players in the XI. Neither Bukayo Saka nor Thomas Partey found a replace but double free-kick hero Declan Rice was in the TOTW, as were defenders William Saliba and Jurrien Timber.
UCL official Quarter Final First Leg TOTW April 2025
Goalkeeper– Sommer (Inter)
Defenders– Nuno Mendes (PSG), Bastoni (Inter), Saliba and Timber (both Arsenal)
Midfielders– Rice (Arsenal), Vitinha (PSG), Barella (Inter)
Forwards– Kvicha (PSG), Lewandowski and Yamal (Barcelona)
French outfit Paris SG, who beat English side Aston Villa 3-1 in the first leg at the Parc des Princes, had 3 representatives as well. Defender Nuno Mendes, midfielder Vitinha and forward Kvicha Kvaratskhelia were in the XI, but somewhat interestingly, Desire Doue didn’t find a place.
The other two winners on this matchday- Barcelona and Inter Milan, had two and three representatives respectively. Barca had Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski, both of whom scored as they thumped Borussia Dortmund 4-0.
Inter had defender Bastoni, who was also named Man of the Match for their 2-1 away win in Munich against Bayern, midfielder Nicolo Barella, and goalkeeper Yann Sommer in the XI. There could’ve been a case for Belgian stopper Thibault Courtois, who was excellent for Real Madrid despite Los Blancos going down to Arsenal, but all representatives in the TOTW were seemingly from winning sides.