Paris Saint-Germain forward Ferran Torres has won the UEFA Champions League Player of the Week award for Matchday 1 of the league phase following a stellar opening performance in the continental competition this season.
The Spanish international finished first in the voting ahead of VfB Stuttgart striker Ermedin Demirović, who came in second, while Barcelona star Raphinha took third place, and Real Betis defender Marc Bartra ranked fourth.
A Historic Night for Ferran Torres
Torres fully deserved the award after scoring a hat-trick in Paris Saint-Germain’s commanding 6-1 victory over Slovan Bratislava, marking his Champions League debut for the French club.
The Spanish forward showcased a variety of finishes, capitalizing on a loose ball inside the penalty box, curling a precise shot into the net, and completing his hat-trick with a close-range finish, which also earned him UEFA’s Official Player of the Match award.
This performance brought Torres’s tally to five goals in his first four appearances for Paris Saint-Germain. He currently shares the top-scorer spot in the Champions League alongside Demirović, with both players sitting on three goals after the opening round.
Round 1 Standouts Dominate Team of the Week
The Team of the Week featured Thibaut Courtois in goal, protected by a defensive line of Sergiño Dest, Marc Bartra, Pau Torres, and Archie Brown. Martin Ødegaard and Martin Baturina formed the midfield partnership, while the attacking quartet comprised Michael Olise, Raphinha, Ermedin Demirović, and Ferran Torres.
Demirović earned his place in the lineup after firing a 13-minute hat-trick that propelled Stuttgart to a 3-1 victory over Viking FK. Raphinha contributed two goals in Barcelona’s 5-1 win over Feyenoord, while Bartra bagged a brace of headers during Real Betis’s thrilling 3-2 victory against LOSC Lille.
Michael Olise produced a standout performance with two goals and an assist in Bayern Munich’s 5-0 win over Bodø/Glimt, while Baturina scored once and assisted another in Como’s historic 4-1 victory over RB Leipzig. Elsewhere, Ødegaard scored Arsenal’s solitary goal against Napoli.
On the defensive end, Pau Torres provided two assists in Aston Villa’s 3-2 victory over Club Brugge, while Archie Brown scored Fenerbahçe’s equalizer against AS Roma. Thibaut Courtois produced crucial saves to help Real Madrid overcome Inter Milan 2-1, and Sergiño Dest picked up the Player of the Match award following PSV Eindhoven’s draw with Shakhtar Donetsk.
One of the most notable omissions from the XI was Lamine Yamal, who registered a goal and two assists against Feyenoord; however, exceptional attacking performances across the board made competition for the Team of the Week fierce from the very first European night.
