Matchday 1 of the 2026/2027 Champions League is in the books! Dortmund made a 3-1 win into a very tense 3-2 squeaker, but a win is a win. The big loss today is Kostas Karetsas, who we all will be hoping is okay after his scary substitution.
Here are today’s candidates for Man of the Match.
Serhou Guirassy
Dortmund’s #9, back for a third season in Black and Yellow, has come out of the gates firing on all cylinders. A tremendous performance to save Dortmund’s hide at the weekend, and a set of clinical finishes today
have Serhou four goals to the good in four matches this season. Guirassy’s penalty was of special note—after some very lackluster spot kicks last season, it was good to see the big man smash one where it belongs.
Fabio Silva
Again, it’s the striker show in Black and Yellow. Fabio Silva could be considered the lead candidate for MOTM, even with only 15 minutes played. Silva’s introduction completely overwhelmed Villareal, as his direct attacking and extremely high energy completely turned the tempo of the game. His awareness to demand the ball and square it for Guirassy’s first goal was absolutely elite.
Waldemar Anton
Another game where fast breaks just didn’t seem to break the opposition’s way, owing to a tenacious presence at the center of the Dortmund defense. Waldi looked almost, dare I say, Hummels-like, on several occasions. The German was snuffing out anything played through the center, and neither goal against his side was his fault.
Joey Veerman
Veerman quietly put up a great first 90 minutes in a Dortmund shirt. He was assured in possession, keeping the midfield ticking and seeking out dangerous passing opportunities from almost nothing. Just take a look at this stat:
A good UCL outing to boost his confidence.
Alright I am trying something with the poll below… if no one likes it, I will keep hunting for something else. Please provide feedback if you have it.
