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The first and most time-consuming stretch of the UEFA Champions League 2021-22 campaign has all but wrapped up. Except for Group F, where either Atalanta or Villarreal will join Manchester United in the Round of 16.
The teams and their stars have fought tooth and nail, scoring plenty of goals to get into the knockout round. Although it’s still early days, we have a few front runners for the UEFA Champions League top-scorer awards. Today, we will take a look at five forwards who seem well on their way to fruitful personal campaigns.
Here are the top five forwards who set the UEFA Champions League group stage alight this season:
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Special mention: Karim Benzema, Leroy Sane
#5 Lionel Messi (PSG)
Lionel Messi, who happens to be the second-highest goalscorer in UEFA Champions League history, has enjoyed a fruitful European campaign with Paris Saint-Germain so far. The former Barcelona star has combined well with Kylian Mbappe, producing a couple of stellar performances in PSG colors.
Messi made his first UEFA Champions League appearance for PSG in the 1-1 draw with Club Brugge. The Argentine was not at his best that night and failed to make a tangible impact. He bounced back in the next match, scoring a goal in the 2-0 win over Manchester City.
RB Leipzig came to town on matchday three and Messi’s brace condemned them to a 3-2 defeat. He missed PSG’s next UEFA Champions League outing against Leipzig and fired a blank in the 2-1 defeat at Manchester City.
He capped off the group stage proceedings with a brace against Club Brugge on matchday six.
#4 Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Manchester United have endured a tumultuous campaign so far. They were subjected to some embarrassing defeats in the Premier League and saw their manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, sacked a month back.
In the UEFA Champions League, however, the Red Devils have been a lot more presentable, thanks to the genius of the competition’s record goalscorer.
Cristiano Ronaldo opened his UEFA Champions League account for the season on matchday one, scoring United’s only goal in their 2-1 defeat to Young Boys. Ronaldo scored four decisive goals in the next three matches, winning Manchester United five invaluable points.
His final UEFA Champions League group stage goal came on matchday five, in the 2-0 win at Villarreal. Jadon Sancho scored the other goal to ensure Manchester United’s qualification to the Round of 16.
Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick rested Ronaldo for the Red Devils’ final UEFA Champions League Group F fixture.
The Old Trafford unit missed his presence sorely and could only manage a 1-1 draw against Young Boys.
#3 Mohamed Salah
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has been the club’s leading scorer in the UEFA Champions League this season. The Egypt international is also the leading goalscorer and assist provider in the Premier League, carrying over his form to Europe’s biggest competition.
Salah scored his first UEFA Champions League goal against AC Milan on matchday one. The 29-year-old's 48th-minute goal restored parity for Liverpool before Jordan Henderson’s strike sealed a hard-fought 3-2 win over Milan.
On matchday two, he scored a double over Porto, helping Liverpool to their second UEFA Champions League Group B win.
Salah added another brace on matchday three, this time against Atletico Madrid. His pair of goals led Liverpool to a 3-2 win away from home. His other two goals came against Porto and Milan in the final two Group B fixtures.
#2 Robert Lewandowski
Arguably the best player in the world, Robert Lewandowski, is enjoying another stellar UEFA Champions League campaign in Bayern Munich’s colors. The Poland striker already has nine goals to his name and looks poised to add more to his tally in the knockouts.
Pitted alongside Barcelona, Benfica and Dynamo Kyiv in Group E, Bayern Munich were not expected to have it easy. However, thanks to Lewandowski and the entire Bayern unit’s ruthlessness, the Bavarians could manage a 100 percent win record in UEFA Champions League Group E.
On matchday one, Lewandowski scored a brace as Bayern Munich tanked Barcelona away from home. He added a couple more against Dynamo Kyiv on matchday two before scoring another against Benfica in gameweek 3.
Benfica were subjected to a 5-2 defeat in the reverse fixture. Lewandowski led the charge with a hat-trick and an assist.
He failed to hit the target only once in the UEFA Champions League group stage this season, on matchday six against Barcelona. However, Lewandowski popped up with an important assist, setting up Thomas Muller for Bayern’s opener.
#1 Sebastien Haller
Sebastien Haller is the most inexperienced forward on our list. Yet he has outscored everyone in the UEFA Champions League this season. The former West Ham forward has been scoring for fun, playing a key role in maintaining Ajax’s spotless group-stage record in Europe.
Haller scored four goals in the first UEFA Champions League game of his career, guiding Ajax to a 5-1 win against Sporting Lisbon. He then scored once each against Besiktas and Borussia Dortmund. In the reverse fixtures, he found the back of the net once versus Dortmund before bagging his first UEFA Champions League brace against Besiktas.
Haller’s final group stage goal came against Sporting Lisbon on matchday six. Ajax cruised to a 4-2 win in their final Group C fixture to end group-stage proceedings in style.
