Wednesday's Matchday 5 action saw a host of big teams book their place in the knockout stages of the Champions League, as the goals flew...
Wednesday's Matchday 5 action saw a host of big teams book their place in the knockout stages of the Champions League, as the goals flew in around Europe.
Manchester United, Manchester City and Real Madrid both saw the goals flow as they picked up victories, with Juventus and Bayern Munich also digging deep to pick up victories.
But there was drama elsewhere too—especially in Belgium, where a late turnaround kept Benfica's competition hopes alive.
Here are the lessons drawn from the matches
City Still Struggling Defensively
The absence of Vincent Kompany continues to adversely affect City. A poor Plzen side managed to score two goals and could easily have scored more, as City's defensive frailties show little sign of going away.
It isn't just one person, though; it's a collective failure. Without Kompany, City looks less calm and secure in defence. Recovering their captain must surely be a priority over the coming weeks.
No Ronaldo, No Problem
Cristiano Ronaldo has been in unbelievable form this season, so it makes sense that Real Madrid would take a slight hit without him in the lineup. Yet, that didn’t happen at all.
The home side were still able to put four goals past their visitors without Ronaldo. In fact, they probably should have found the back of the net at least two other times.
Real Madrid’s attack was not as sharp without Ronaldo, but it was still very deadly. This is a good sign from the Spanish giants because it shows they have put the right pieces around the Portuguese captain.
With the rest of the squad playing well alongside Ronaldo, it could be a very successful season for Real Madrid.
Isco Made His Case, Again
Isco has been in and out of the starting lineup battling Luka Modric for the role. But when he has played, he has produced some absolutely stunning football.
Against Galatasaray, Isco pulled the strings beautiful, completing 86 percent of his passes and finding the back of the net once. He showed that he can lead the attack and provide the creativity needed behind the forwards.
Carlo Ancelotti has a wonderful problem on his hands of having to decide between Modric and Isco. Both have played wonderfully this season, but Isco continues to give something extra, and the manager has to take notice.
Shinji Kagawa Must Now Play in His Favoured Position
The argument for using Shinji Kagawa anywhere on the pitch but behind the striker is fading fast.
On the night, the artist from Japan conducted the orchestra with professional brilliance as he roamed free around the central areas of the park.
Of course, the biggest hurdle for Kagawa is displacing Wayne Rooney from the No. 10 role, especially with a fit and firing Robin van Persie present. However, performances like Wednesday night's show what elements the player can bring to David Moyes' preferred system of 4-4-1-1.
As good as Rooney's form has been, I feel Kagawa is the future of Manchester United in this specific position. He is a natural "trequartista," whereas Rooney is not. All three goals from open play Wednesday night started from the feet of Kagawa.
David Moyes has a wonderful dilemma now, and Kagawa's improving form will force the manager to think hard before leaving the mercurial Asian superstar out of his team.
Psychology: Have the Team Finally Gotten over the Loss of Sir Alex Ferguson?
Manchester United have looked like the proverbial "rabbit in the headlights" since the loss of their great manager, and this was to be expected.
The question was always going to be, "How long will this last?"
The honeymoon period is over for David Moyes: Rather than a Caribbean cruise, it has been more like a week in Blackpool, but finally this tricky period might be about to come to an end.
Against Leverkusen, the team played with poise and discipline. They played with both flair and aggression and looked like the Manchester United who normally find their feet every season in the depths of winter.
It was surprising to see just how well United played given the quality of the opposition. This was not a trip to an unfancied team from Norway. Bayer Leverkusen did not play well on the night, but the way they were dispatched was more impressive than their own failings.
It felt like the Red Devils finally became David Moyes' team. The ghost of Sir Alex Ferguson will be impossible to escape, but the long road to recovery may well have begun with this fantastic performance.
Ibrahimovic: 100 and Not Out
Less than 10 minutes into the clash with Olympiakos, Zlatan Ibrahimovic netted his eighth goal in the Champions League this season, half of which have been assisted by Gregory van der Wiel.
The strike takes him up to 17 goals in all competitions this campaign: nine in Ligue 1 as well as eight in Europe.
Making his 100th appearance, this talismanic striker put in another good performance for Laurent Blanc's side. Only six others have reached the same mark.
Dropping deep when needed, the Swede took his goal well, looked to bring Edinson Cavani into the play and was PSG’s main threat all game.
His substitution to make way for Marquinhos was arguably premature, and it preceded an immediate Olympiakos equaliser, although the Brazilian did contribute toward the hosts' winning goal.
However, his goal beat George Weah’s record of seven for PSG in their 1994-1995 Champions League campaign.
