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Liam Happe

It was an action-packed second week of the 2016/17 Champions League campaign. Here are some of the standouts as well as those who cannot wait to get back to domestic duty to lick their wounds.

ON FIRE

Juventus: While it’ll take victories over their serious competition in Sevilla and Lyon to advance, Juve issued a stern warning shot by comprehensively dismantling Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia. Four goals without reply, all at steady intervals by different scorers.

FC Copenhagen: Also entering a four-goal display were slightly less likely goal machines Copenhagen, who all-but-consigned Club Brugge to whipping boy status and took their big chance to ensure the race for the knockout phase with Leicester and Porto is up for grabs.

Tottenham: After a ‘home’ defeat at Wembley to Monaco, it was critical that Spurs got off the mark ASAP. Three points in a notoriously-difficult trip to Russia was just the tonic to cancel out their rough start to the campaign.

Atletico Madrid: Bayern Munich are not unbeatable every year, of course. But in the early stages in particular, it takes either a huge performance or a massive surprise (or both) to take three points from them. Atleti produced the former and really should have won 2-0 with Griezmann’s penalty in the closing stages.

Napoli: Gonzalo Higuain was on the scoresheet for Juventus, but his former side also bagged four to beat Benfica 4-2 and really take their group by the scruff of its neck. Dries Mertens, with a brace, was the standout.

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ICE COLD

Porto: No doubt licking their chops when the draw was made, the 2004 winners actually appear to have a scrap on their hands if they’re to avoid Europa League as a consolation prize. Beaten 1-0 by Leicester with Copenhagen running riot, six points in the two consecutive games versus poor Club Brugge is an absolute must for the Portuguese side.

Legia Warsaw: When sharing a group with Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid, getting off to a strong start is imperative. Losing your first two - one of which to likely competition for the Europa spot in Sporting Lisbon - is just about the worst possible response to such adversity.

Bayern Munich: Carlo Ancelotti’s men will no doubt rally from the defeat at Atletico, their most difficult assignment of the six group games. However, their reputation precedes them and early signs of weakness really isn’t the Bayern way.

Borussia Monchengladbach: So, so close to being at the top of the other side of this feature. Gladbach had Barcelona on the ropes at 1-0 up but were pegged back on 65′ before a Yann Sommer mistake led to Pique’s winner on 74′. That may well have been the Rhine region side’s last shot at seriously challenging Barca and City for a spot in the last-16.

PSV Eindhoven: Had to twice come from behind at Rostov and missed a golden opportunity for all three points when Davy Proepper missed his penalty. They could come to regret this particular fixture when the group phase wraps up.