UCL speaking factors: Durán and Di Maria shine, Man Metropolis nonetheless favorites

The 2024-25 UEFA Champions League is underway in its new format, and now we have already seen a number of gamers shine. Ángel Di María, at 36, continues to guide Benfica with some standout performances, whereas Aston Villa‘s Jhon Durán is changing into essentially the most feared super-sub within the competitors.

There have additionally been surprises from younger expertise, equivalent to Juventus‘ Francisco Conceição, whose beautiful objective towards RB Leipzig turned heads, and Real Madrid‘s Endrick, who made historical past because the membership’s youngest Champions League starter.

ESPN writers Julien Laurens, Alex Kirkland, and Rob Dawson have a look again at what was an action-packed matchday two.

Which participant has exceeded expectations?

Laurens: Benfica have received their first two video games of this Champions League season — away at Feyenoord and on Wednesday evening towards Atletico Madrid — and their star man has been Di Maria. At 36, for his final season in Europe, the Argentina legend remains to be so influential, greater than I anticipated. His profession has been fantastic and if, like me, you thought he was in pre-retirement this yr, we have been fallacious. He’s nonetheless a star who works exhausting and makes issues occur.

Dawson: What a begin to the season Durán is having. He is very a lot second selection behind Ollie Watkins however that hasn’t stopped him from scoring six targets. He solely acquired 20 minutes towards Bayern Munich at Villa Park on Wednesday however that was greater than sufficient time to attain a memorable winner. Durán, who appeared set to go away Villa in the summertime, has solely had 297 minutes of soccer in all competitions up to now this season which implies he is averaging a objective each 49.5 minutes. He is the super-sub each Champions League group can be apprehensive about.

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Kirkland: I used to be blown away by Conceição’s objective for Juventus, to provide their 10 males a 3-2 win at RB Leipzig. I might seen a little bit of him at FC Porto, and with Portugal on the Euros, however did not assume the winger was able to this sort of high quality. A phrase about Endrick too, who grew to become Actual Madrid’s youngest Champions League starter towards Lille, at 18 years and 73 days outdated. He could not rating to observe his objective off the bench towards VfB Stuttgart, however he went shut within the first half after a trademark burst forwards. He is acquired a lot potential.

Are you having fun with the format by way of groups taking part in eight new groups vs. three groups twice in earlier editions?

Dawson: Most followers will agree that having video games like Manchester City vs. Internazionale and Arsenal vs. Paris Saint-Germain so early within the event is thrilling, but it surely seems like there are additionally quite a lot of lower-quality matches. Any event is at its greatest when there’s jeopardy and it would not really feel like there’s sufficient. The brand new expanded format means extra video games, however by the top of the league section we’re solely going to lose 12 of the 36 groups. We’re solely two video games in and it is already starting to really feel like a little bit of a grind.

Kirkland: I fairly like the sensation of getting to concentrate to all of the video games, and all of the groups, as a result of the whole lot’s related: you find yourself a minimum of catching the highlights of video games you may need ignored beforehand, in the event that they have been in a bunch that you simply weren’t notably eager about. However I nonetheless really feel prefer it’s exhausting to know precisely how helpful a win is, or how disastrous a defeat; we aren’t fairly certain what the stakes are. That can change as we go alongside, however proper now, even some huge outcomes do not feel like they’ve the burden they need to have.

Laurens: I’m loving it! I all the time need extra soccer matches, and I like the concept in each matchday now we have huge clashes; Man Metropolis-Inter, Arsenal-PSG, AC Milan–Liverpool, and so forth. After 30 years of the outdated teams of 4, the Champions League wanted a change so let’s give it an opportunity. The extra we advance on this league section, the extra it’s going to get attention-grabbing and tense. Groups will give the whole lot to complete within the high eight and keep away from the playoffs spherical. I additionally like the truth that you play eight totally different opponents. It is good tactically, it is good by way of expertise, and it is good for followers. So what’s to not like?

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The UCL by no means fails to shock us. Which of the “shock” groups have impressed you and are greatest positioned to qualify mechanically for knockouts?

Laurens: It will not final. But it surely’s already one of many fairytales of this Champions League marketing campaign. French minnows Brest, from Britanny, who had by no means performed in Europe earlier than, are second within the desk of the very best membership competitors on the earth. Two wins in two video games (albeit towards two Austrian sides), with six targets scored is an incredible shock from Eric Roy’s aspect. They have been a revelation in Ligue 1 final season with their third-place end, and now they’re a sensation within the Champions League. They’ve Bayer Leverkusen subsequent at dwelling and they’ll consider that something is feasible.

Kirkland: Benfica’s 4-0 thrashing of Atletico Madrid was an eyeopener. Atletico have been terrible, however Benfica have been medical and ruthless in exploiting their weaknesses. They don’t seem to be a group full of acquainted names — a minimum of to an off-the-cuff observer of Portuguese soccer — apart from Argentinian veterans Di Maria and Nicolás Otamendi. They have a winnable sport subsequent up, towards Feyenoord; it will get trickier afterward, with Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Juventus additional down the highway.

Let’s give some early predictions: which group is your favourite to go all the best way and elevate the title this season?

Dawson: It is tough to look past Manchester Metropolis, even with out Rodri. They drew with Inter Milan at dwelling of their first sport, however they’re going to nonetheless breeze via the league section. Something apart from a high eight end can be a giant shock and as soon as they’re within the knockouts they would be the group everybody needs to keep away from. Pep Guardiola has made them masters of this competitors and they are going to be very exhausting to beat. Rodri being out for the season is a big blow and Actual Madrid, with all their attacking expertise, pose a giant menace however Metropolis are favourites for a cause.

Kirkland: Can I be boring and say Actual Madrid? Sure, they misplaced at Lille, and sure, they don’t seem to be taking part in in any respect properly up to now this season, however there’s time to kind that out. They nonetheless have a lot high quality, they usually’ll nonetheless ship when it issues – they all the time do.

Laurens: Would you like me to be unique or not? The boring reply (however the one reply) is that Actual Madrid and Manchester Metropolis are higher than anybody else and they’re the 2 favourites (once more). Nevertheless, I wish to be totally different so I’ll say Arsenal will win it. They’ve realized lots from final season’s loss within the quarterfinal towards Bayern Munich (who I additionally fancy by the best way), they play with a lot confidence, have the very best centre-back in Europe in William Saliba, they usually can positively go all the best way in the event that they get a little bit of luck within the draw.