Champions League 2017/18: 5 stars who disappointed this season

The 2017-2018 UEFA Champions League has been breathtaking
The 2017/2018 UEFA Champions League has been breathtaking

After two amazing nights of top quality football in the greatest club football competition in the world, all eyes will be on Nyon on Friday for the semi-finals draw.

It has been an enthralling competition ever since it kicked off with the preliminary qualifying rounds in July. New names have come to the fore and shone brightly e.g Cengiz Ünder (AS Roma), Fred (Shakhtar Donetsk) among many others, some "big" clubs have fallen disgracefully (Atletico Madrid) while some of the game's superstars have continued to shine despite the pressure (Cristiano Ronaldo & others).

However, some of the biggest names have failed to live up to the billing as their performances have ranged from the mediocre to the downright shambolic.

Some of these players had been expected to be the central stars for their teams in this season's instalment of Europe's premier club competition but for a variety of reasons have not delivered.

Here are 5 of the most disappointing players so far:

#5 Antoine Griezmann (Atlético Madrid)

Griezmann did not set the Champions League on fire this season
Griezmann did not set the Champions League on fire this season

It may come as a shock but Los Colchoneros as Madrid's 2nd team is known have been better than a lot of bigger/richer clubs in the Champions League in the last five seasons.

Diego Simeone's men have reached the final twice (2014, 2016) and have not failed to reach at least the quarter-final of the competition since 2014.

Despite the transfer ban they faced at the beginning of the season, it was still believed that the team had more than enough to navigate the Champions League especially as they were able to hang on to talisman Griezmann despite fierce interest from clubs like Manchester United.

The 27-year-old had a campaign to forget as he was unable to help prevent the team from crashing out at the group stages behind AS Roma and Chelsea.

He went missing in the must-win doubleheader against Azerbaijani champions Qarabag as the Champions League debutants held Atleti to consecutive draws home and away; two draws that sounded the death knell for Simeone's men.

He may have scored a fantastic volley in the team's only win: a 2-0 win over Roma at the Wanda Metropolitano but his lack of form in the first two games at the Stadio Olimpico against Roma and the home loss to Chelsea meant Atleti were always up against it.

#4 Eden Hazard (Chelsea)

The Belgian maestro has again failed to perform at crucial moments
The Belgian maestro has again failed to perform at crucial moments

The talented Belgian has become the most important player in Chelsea's setup in the last couple of years and is seen as the go-to guy to help get the team out of sticky situations.

While he has been decent in the league, his form in the Champions League has been very disappointing as whenever it comes to the crunch times, he is usually nowhere to be found.

While he was decent in the group stages and was sensational in the Blues 2-1 win away at Atletico Madrid, he was shocking in the 3-0 loss to AS Roma at the Stadio Olimpico as he was peripheral throughout the game.

There have been accusations that Hazard has not been able to deliver in the biggest European games and for a player who has been compared to the biggest stars in the game: Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, this is an indictment.

In Hazard's five seasons at Stamford Bridge, the best that he and the Blues have achieved is a semi-final appearance in 2014 and while he cannot be solely blamed for the club's European failures, the Belgian has not covered himself in glory.

The 2nd round match-up against FC Barcelona was billed as an opportunity for him to be compared favourably with Messi but over the two legs, Hazard was peripheral at best as Willian was the one Chelsea midfielder who impressed.

#3 Paulo Dybala (Juventus)

La Joya has failed to shine this season
La Joya has failed to shine this season

Seen as the long-term heir to Messi for Argentina, La Joya (The Jewel) has become the go-to guy for the Bianconeri in recent times and at the beginning of the season, he was expected to lead the charge for the club's third UEFA Champions League trophy.

It has been a disappointing season for the immensely gifted 24-year-old as his contributions to Juve's journey which was ended in dramatic fashion by Real Madrid yesterday have been almost zero.

In 8 Champions League games, he managed to get a single goal (the crucial winner against Tottenham Hotspurs in the 2nd round) and made no assists.

The incisive dribbling, brilliant dead-ball abilities (free-kicks and penalties) as well as the many assists and great goals which have become a common feature of his performances in Serie A this season have been notable by their absence in the Champions League.

It is difficult to recall what his contributions have been and its telling that the team's best performances this season in Europe this season (2nd leg ties against Spurs and Real), he has been nowhere to be found (he did little against Spurs except for the goal and was suspended against Madrid).

He has a long way to go before he can even begin to think of being out on the same level as someone as Messi.

#2 Paul Pogba (Manchester United)

The stylish Frenchman has had a forgettable season in the UCL
The stylish Frenchman has had a forgettable season in the UCL

Expected to be the catalyst to propel the Red Devils in a competition that has become something of a new experience to the team following the post-Ferguson era of chaos and instability, it is safe to say the 25-year-old Frenchman has only flashy added hairstyles and not stardust to this season's competition.

Unfortunately for both the player and the club, being grouped in an uninspiring group with poor teams like Benfica, FC Basel, and CSKA Moscow gave the side false confidence as United qualified easily without having to unduly exert themselves.

In the 2nd round tie against Sevilla, United was bested by the Spanish team over two legs and was it not for profligate finishing on the part of the Spaniards, the victory margins could/should have been higher.

Pogba was by far one of the worst players in the tie and contributed nothing to United's cause either in an offensive or defensive capacity in the first leg in Seville.

He was so bad that manager Jose Mourinho left him out of the 2nd leg's starting lineup and he was introduced in the second half where again he was anonymous.

With just one assist in 5 matches, the Frenchman will have to up his game next season.

#1 Luis Suárez (FC Barcelona)

El Pistolero's gunpoweder has been very wet this season
Suarez has been a disaster this season

Explaining why Suárez has been so bad in the Champions League is something that is difficult to explain.

Like a lot of other big stars in La Liga, the Uruguayan had a slow start to the season but has recovered in the league and is now third on the scorers' chart behind Messi and Ronaldo.

In the UCL, his performances have ranged from the forgettable to the downright pathetic (see both legs of the quarterfinal against AS Roma for evidence for his Jekyll-and-Hyde performances).

Manager Ernesto Valverde's tactics have not helped El Pistolero as more often than not, he is left to forage on his own as the other midfielders usually try not to drift too far forward and maintain the team's defensive shape. This has left Suarez isolated as he is now almost completely reliant on Messi carrying the ball forward to meet him or on pullbacks and crosses from the fullbacks.

Suárez himself has not been at his agile. pesky best as defenders in Europe have found it easier to deal with him. His tally of 1 goal and three assists is shocking for a player of his quality and he will be eager to make amends in next season's competition.

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Edited by Tanya Rudra
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