Matchday 3 of the Champions League delivered 18 matches where the favorites dominated largely, while a few underdogs pulled off surprises. Foden, Paz and Mac Allister delivered the most remarkable individual performances of this goal-filled matchday.
The matchday in review
Manchester City crushes AEK Athens FC 5-1 with 64% possession and 17 shots of which 7 on target, while P. Foden scores 3 goals and delivers 1 assist as a right winger. Liverpool overturns Villarreal 4-3 after being behind, dominating the game with 22 shots and 53% possession, A. Mac Allister scoring 2 goals including one while his team was trailing. Paris Saint Germain beats Barcelona 4-2 in a European Cup classic that lives up to expectations with 6 goals, D. Doué scoring 1 goal and delivering 1 assist as a right winger. LASK Linz wins 3-2 away at Sporting CP after being behind with only 38% possession but 7 shots on target against 4, while AS Roma dominates Slovan Bratislava 4-0 without conceding a goal.
Matchday 3 Player of the Day
P. Foden (Manchester City) scores 3 goals and delivers 1 assist as a right winger in Manchester City's large 5-1 victory against AEK Athens FC. Podium: 2. N. Paz (Como), 3. A. Mac Allister (Liverpool).
Matchday 3 Forward
Same winner: P. Foden (Manchester City), already presented above (Matchday 3 Player of the Day). Podium: 2. D. Doué (Paris Saint Germain), 3. S. Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund).
Matchday 3 Midfielder
N. Paz (Como) scores 2 goals and delivers 1 assist as an attacking midfielder in the 4-1 victory against Manchester United. Podium: 2. A. Mac Allister (Liverpool), 3. S. McTominay (Napoli).
Matchday 3 Defender
L. Hernández (Paris Saint Germain) scores 1 goal as a left-back and wins 5 duels out of 11 in Paris Saint Germain's 4-2 victory against Barcelona. Podium: 2. Jacobo Ramón Naveros (Como), 3. J. Seys (Club Brugge KV).
Matchday 3 Goalkeeper
Josep Martínez (Inter) makes 4 saves facing 4 shots on target from opponents in Inter's 1-0 victory against Shakhtar Donetsk. Podium: 2. J. Oblak (Atletico Madrid), 3. M. Kovář (PSV Eindhoven).
Matchday 3 Performance
Same winner: P. Foden (Manchester City), already presented above (Matchday 3 Player of the Day). Podium: 2. N. Paz (Como), 3. A. Mac Allister (Liverpool).
Matchday 3 Team
Liverpool overturns Villarreal 4-3 after being behind, dominating the game with 22 shots and 53% possession. Podium: 2. AS Roma, 3. Manchester City.
Matchday 3 Surprise
LASK Linz wins 3-2 away at Sporting CP after being behind, with only 38% possession but 7 shots on target against 4. Podium: 2. PSV Eindhoven, 3. Real Betis.
Matchday 3 Disappointment
Feyenoord loses 0-1 away at Real Betis with only 2 shots on target from 12 attempts, largely dominated in shots (23 against 12) despite 53% possession. Podium: 2. FC Porto, 3. Sporting CP.
Matchday 3 Match to remember
Paris Saint Germain 4-2 Barcelona. Paris Saint Germain beats Barcelona 4-2 in a European Cup classic that lives up to expectations with 6 goals and 3.74 expected goals for the winners. Podium: 2. Liverpool 4-3 Villarreal, 3. Sporting CP 2-3 LASK Linz.
Matchday 3 XI of the day (4-3-3)
Josep Martínez (Inter), L. Hernández (Paris Saint Germain), Jacobo Ramón Naveros (Como), Hermoso (AS Roma), J. Seys (Club Brugge KV), S. McTominay (Napoli), A. Mac Allister (Liverpool), N. Paz (Como), D. Doué (Paris Saint Germain), S. Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund), P. Foden (Manchester City).
Key takeaways
Josep Martínez, J. Oblak and M. Kovář each made decisive saves: Josep Martínez 4 saves in Inter's 1-0 victory against Shakhtar Donetsk, J. Oblak 4 saves in the 1-1 draw at VfB Stuttgart, M. Kovář 3 saves and a clean sheet away at FC Porto.
All official awards: d3footballiq.com/awards/2026-2027/champio…