Champions League Team of the Group Stage: Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka included

Cameron Smith

• 14 Dec 2023 04:00 CST
• 7 min read

The 2023-24 Champions League group stage is over, with the opening phase of this year’s competition drawing to a close after an intriguing final matchday.

Manchester United were unable to get the job done against Bayern Munich at Old Trafford, but it didn’t matter as Copenhagen shocked Galatasaray with a 1-0 to qualify for the last-16 at the Turkish side’s expense.

In Group F - the ‘Group of Death’ - Paris Saint-Germain just pipped AC Milan to a place in the round of 16, with Luis Enrique’s team qualifying by virtue of a superior goal difference.

Only three teams failed to pick up a win during the group stage (Sevilla, Union Berlin and Crvena zvevda) in one of the most competitive opening rounds of the competition in recent memory.

Of course, the group stage will be changed entirely from next season onwards, due to the new Champions League format, which means the competition’s opening round will be very different in 2024-25.

However, which players deserve to be included in the Champions League Team of the Group Stage for the final time in its current guise?

GK: Alex Remiro (Real Sociedad)

Real Sociedad have been one of the surprise packages in this season’s Champions League, qualifying first in a group that included Inter Milan, Benfica and RB Salzburg.

They were one of only six teams to enjoy an unbeaten group stage and their tally of just two goals conceded was the fewest of any side in the competition.

Goalkeeper Alex Remiro must take some of that credit for his performances in between the sticks and his four clean sheets mean he currently leads the way in the Golden Glove race.

RB: Joao Cancelo (Barcelona)

Barcelona’s Champions League qualification was sealed long before the final whistle blew after their 3-2 loss against Royal Antwerp on Wednesday, but it wasn’t plain-sailing for Xavi’s side.

Three of their four group stage wins were by a one-goal margin, while they lost against both Shakhtar Donetsk and Antwerp.

However, their standout performer throughout was arguably Joao Cancelo. His namesake Joao Felix was also impressive, but the on-loan Manchester City star caught the eye at both right-back and left-back.

He scored one goal and provided one assist and was a reliable presence in both the attacking phase and the defensive one.

CB: Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund)

Borussia Dortmund qualified top of a group that included PSG, Milan and Newcastle, which is one hell of an achievement for Edin Terzic’s side.

Mats Hummels may be 34 years old now, but he played a crucial role in Dortmund’s excellent group stage campaign.

The German centre-back was a formidable presence throughout and no player in the competition can better his 4.2 tackles per game thus far. His 2.5 interceptions per game puts him third on the list too, which shows how Hummels came up trumps, time and time again for Dortmund.

CB: Pepe (Porto)

Portuguese elder-statesman Pepe remains at the top of his game and he is still capable of performing in the Champions League.

He netted two goals during the group stage and his first (against Royal Antwerp) broke Francesco Totti’s record to become the competition’s oldest-ever goal-scorer. Pepe then extended that record with his goal against Shakhtar on Matchday Six.

As well as his exploits in front of goal, Pepe was typically dominant at the back and he played a key role in Porto’s qualification for the knockouts.

LB: David Raum (RB Leipzig)

David Raum was an attacking monster down RB Leipzig’s left-flank during the group stage, with his delivery from wide areas causing serious problems for defences in Group G.

He notched one goal and two assists in five games, and his tally of three key passes per game is the joint-best of any player in the competition so far (along with Jude Bellingham and Julian Alvarez).

CM: Phil Foden (Man City)

Phil Foden has mostly played as a winger during his time in Man City’s senior side, but Pep Guardiola has trusted him with midfield minutes in the Champions League this term.

That decision has worked wonders, with Foden producing some of the best performances of his first-team career to date.

With three goals and two assists in just five games (four starts), Foden was on-form in the group stage and his influence in the middle of the park should serve as a reminder that it remains his best position, despite the fact his minutes have mostly come as a right or left-winger.

CM: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)

Jude Bellingham is arguably the best player in world football right now and his Champions League displays for Real Madrid have been flawless so far.

The England international netted four goals during the group stage (only four players could better that total), while he also notched three assists.

He was integral in every single Real Madrid game as they topped Group C with a 100% record. Karim Benzema’s departure was seen as a hammer blow, but Bellingham has become Carlo Ancelotti’s go-to man and his all-round performances have potentially been better than his insane tally of goals.

Los Blancos were one of only two teams to put together a perfect group stage, along with Man City, and Bellingham is to thank.

CM: Warren Zaire-Emery (PSG)

PSG were unconvincing during the group stage to say the very least and they were possibly fortunate to qualify for the round of 16.

Milan only finished behind them on goal difference, while a very controversial handball decision against Tino Livramento was arguably the reason they weren’t eliminated.

However, Warren Zaire-Emery deserves praise for his performances at the heart of their midfield at just 17 years old. The Frenchman scored the crucial equaliser against Dortmund on Matchday Six and he produced three assists (the joint-second best of any player) in just five appearances.

RW: Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)

In Arsenal’s first group stage campaign since 2016, Bukayo Saka provided just why he is deemed by many as the best right-winger in world football.

The Hale End academy graduate currently leads the Champions League assists race with four so far, while he also has three goals to his name too.

Those seven goal involvements have come in just 335 minutes of action, meaning Saka averaged a goal or an assist every 48 minutes during the group stage.

To be leading the way for goal contributions in your debut Champions League campaign is some feat, and Saka is some player.

ST: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)

Bayern Munich sailed through Group A with consummate ease despite not actually playing particularly well in many of their group stage fixtures.

However, when you have an attack that consists of Kingsley Coman, Leroy Sane and Harry Kane, goals are bound to be scored on a frequent basis.

The latter has been included in our Team of the Group Stage after he bagged four goals and three assists in his six appearances.

Kane has adapted to life at Bayern with aplomb and he was brilliant during the first round of this year’s Champions League.

LW: Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid)

Antoine Griezmann has played as a second striker for Atletico this campaign, but his performances in the Champions League have been so good it warranted being shifted out to the left-flank.

The France international remains at the top of his game and he is currently joint-top of the goal-scorer charts in the competition after netting five times during the group stage.

Atletico Madrid were unbeaten in Group E and Diego Simeone’s hopes of finally winning the Champions League trophy rely quite heavily on Griezmann continuing to produce the goods.