Harry Kane, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo have earned the majority of the headlines in the early part of the 2017-18 Champions League group stage, but plenty others have made a name for themselves as well.

Here are four key performers who’ve become protagonists for their sides:

Vincent Aboubakar (Porto)

Porto’s Financial Fair Play-enforced sale of Andre Silva left a gaping hole in the attack, but Vincent Aboubakar, returning from a loan spell at Besiktas, has filled the void nicely. With a two clutch goals in Tuesday’s 3-0 win at Monaco, the Cameroonian showed he has the killer instinct to lead the side.

He’s a far less technical player than predecessor Silva, whose hold-up play is just as good as his goal-scoring ability, but Aboubakar’s directness and speed have helped Porto win matches in both the Primeira Liga and the Champions League.

The 25-year-old scored the first through sheer determination, firing twice before converting an inviting rebound. He then beat defender Kamil Glik in a foot race to bang in his second of the night. It was a virtuoso outing from Aboubakar, who registered more shots on target (3) than Monaco’s entire team (2).

Anderson Talisca (Besiktas)

With a tally in each of Besiktas’ first two matches of the continental campaign, playmaker Talisca has proven as much a poacher as a visionary. Against Porto and RB Leipzig, the 23-year-old produced a pair of sturdy headers off of Ricardo Quaresma’s pinpoint deliveries.

Despite starting from a withdrawn position behind Cenk Tosun – who’s impressed in his own right with a goal and an assist thus far – Talisca found enough room for himself to do damage in the penalty box.

His smart use of the pitch and stellar movement put him in a position to score the second of the Turkish outfit’s two goals against the German visitor. Talisca began the sequence that led to his own header, spraying the ball out wide to Quaresma before running onto the subsequent cross. It confirmed he can create and finish chances.

Manchester United reportedly sniffed around in the summer to see if Talisca was available – Jose Mourinho is apparently a big admirer of the Portuguese talent – but nothing materialised. Talisca’s currently on loan from Benfica, and, based on what we’ve seen in the Champions League, the Lisbon giant stands to collect a hefty fee for the player in 2018.

Wissam Ben Yedder (Sevilla)

None of Wissam Ben Yedder’s strikes deserved a spot on the highlight reels, but as a complete package, the Frenchman’s hat-trick performance was special. No player in Sevilla’s history had scored three goals in a single Champions League match before Ben Yedder stepped onto the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan pitch on Tuesday evening.

One of Monchi’s final signings as Sevilla’s sporting director, the 27-year-old arrived in Andalusia last year for a measly €9 million.

With five goals in this season’s Champions League, Ben Yedder is surprisingly two away from setting the club’s all-time scoring record in the competition – such is Sevilla’s lack of history in the tournament.

Taison (Shakhtar Donetsk)

Granted the license to roam about the pitch, Taison made Napoli pay in a shocking win over the Italian side two weeks ago. He popped up all over and maintained a 92 percent passing rate while facilitating play in the opponent’s half of the field.

He wasn’t as effective against Manchester City on Tuesday, but was still a central component in the Ukrainian side’s attack. He even showed good defensive awareness, attempting more tackles (5) than dribbles (4) at the Etihad.

There may not be much hoopla about Taison, who, at 29 years old, is entering the final chapter of his career. However, he’s been a valuable servant for Shakhtar, making 177 appearances in all competitions for the club since arriving in the industrial city in 2013.

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Carson Palmer made his history look pretty Monday night.

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  The Cardinals offense clicks when Carson Palmer finds Larry Fitzgerald, but as Monday showed, it’s not always enough.

Unruly travelling supporters of Liverpool and Manchester United could be in for an extended stay in Russia if they’re found guilty of hooliganism during this week’s trip to Moscow.

An estimated 2,000 fans from both clubs are expected to travel to the Russian capital, where Liverpool takes on Spartak Moscow on Tuesday before Manchester United clashes with CSKA Moscow the following day.

It’s believed that both Premier League teams have coordinated with Russian security forces to avoid trouble, according to Andy Hunter of the Guardian.

Fans of the Moscow-based clubs have been far from innocent in recent times, with UEFA charging Spartak earlier this month after a flare was shot toward a match official during a Champions League encounter with Maribor.

But the head of the Russian Football Union’s security committee, Vladimir Markin, delivered a stern warning for anyone found guilty of hooliganism, saying that English supporters will face the same “suitable punishment” that would normally be issued to Russian citizens.

“I don’t want to scare anyone but I warn those who plan to come here not to support their side and see the country but to commit hooliganism: the law is the same for all, not just for Russians,” Markin said. “Those who break it will face a suitable punishment, possibly in the form of a long stay in Russia, in conditions our guests won’t like.”

Liverpool and United fans have also been warned against wearing team colours and travelling alone in Moscow.

There’s been a heightened sense that there could possibly be trouble between supporters from the two nations since the European Championship in the summer of 2016, when various scuffles between fans broke out on the streets of Marseille ahead of England’s match against Russia. Violence also occurred inside the stadium when Russian supporters spilled over into the English section at the Stade Velodrome and began kicking and punching while fans ran for safety.

However, last season provided a glimmer of hope over security concerns when United fans were welcomed with open arms ahead of a Europa League fixture in Rostov, Russia, where blankets were handed out to the travelling supporters.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

CHICAGO — Alejandro Villanueva’s emergence from the Soldier Field tunnel during Sunday’s national anthem surprised many members of the Pittsburgh Steelers, a source told ESPN.

Villanueva, a former Army Ranger who served terms in Afghanistan, was the lone Steeler to appear despite an expectation from Saturday’s players-only meeting that the entire team would remain in the locker room, the source said.

The starting left tackle was a key figure in the team’s protest planning because of his background. Players wanted to accommodate Villanueva, who expressed during their 30-minute session that he didn’t want to be singled out, the source said. Moving the protest off the field entirely was a way to keep solidarity without isolating an individual.

“That’s where the confusion came in,” the source of the anthem sequence.

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  Players for the Steelers stayed off the field during the anthem prior to their game Sunday, except for Army vet Alejandro Villanueva, who stood outside with a hand over his heart. The Seahawks and Titans also stayed in the tunnel during the anthem.

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  A political action committee that supports President Trump began an advertising campaign Sunday that encourages NFL fans to turn off games and watch a patriotic movie instead, according to a source close to the committee.

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  According to CBSSports.com, Lawrence Timmons visited the Steelers during the Dolphins’ impromptu Week 1 bye. He went AWOL from the Dolphins a week later, which led to his indefinite suspension.