Ranking the 10 best players in the UEFA Champions League this season (2020/21)

Lionel Messi, N'Golo Kante, and Kevin De Bruyne starred in the UEFA Champions League this season
Lionel Messi, N'Golo Kante, and Kevin De Bruyne starred in the UEFA Champions League this season

#7 Joshua Kimmich | Bayern Munich

Joshua Kimmich has been one of the best midfielders in Europe this season
Joshua Kimmich has been one of the best midfielders in Europe this season

Bayern Munich were the highest-scoring side in the Champions League this season, scoring 27 goals until the quarter-finals, where they barely missed qualification into the last four, losing out to PSG on aggregate.

One of the best players for them in the Champions League this season was Joshua Kimmich, who picked up four assists and scored one goal in seven appearances.

He was a machine in the middle of the pitch and impressed with his defensive and attacking contributions. He averaged two successful tackles in every game and also delivered 8 accurate long balls per 90. With almost 4 key passes every game, he was always in the thick of things for the German giants.


#6 Neymar | Paris Saint-Germain

Neymar
Neymar

Paris Saint-Germain made it all the way to the final in 2019-20 but were unlucky to have gone up against a rampant Bayern Munich side, that won it all last year. They exacted revenge for that defeat in the quarter-finals this season, with Neymar picking up two assists in the away game.

The player had just returned from a lengthy injury spell and featured in two games before that showdown and stepped up in the key game, as the Parisiens only progressed on away goals.

He scored six goals this season, including a hat-trick in the last game of the group stage against Basaksehir. While injuries hampered him for yet another season, whenever he was on the pitch, he delivered eye-catching performances.


#5 Kevin De Bruyne | Manchester City

Kevin De Bruyne was injured in UEFA Champions League Final
Kevin De Bruyne was injured in UEFA Champions League Final

The first Manchester City player on our list is midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, who won the Man of the Match award in three of City's seven knockout stage fixtures. The Belgian playmaker has been involved in seven of City's 25 Champions League goals this campaign, scoring thrice and assisting four goals.

His departure on account of an injury in the second half proved to be the turning point in the final. City conceded a goal just before the half-time whistle and losing one of their key players soon after the restart impacted them mentally.

His distribution and vision were crucial in City's journey to their first-ever Champions League final and thus he ranks very high on our list.


#4 Riyad Mahrez | Manchester City

Manchester City v Paris Saint-Germain - UEFA Champions League Semi-Final: Leg Two
Manchester City v Paris Saint-Germain - UEFA Champions League Semi-Final: Leg Two

Riyad Mahrez emerged as one of the most important players for Manchester City this season. In the absence of regular strikers and Raheem Sterling's struggles in front of goal, the Algerian winger provided a goalscoring threat in the final third.

His quick feet and a wand of a left foot came in handy in the knockout stages of the Champions League. All of his goal involvements came after the group stage games and he either scored or assisted in every single game since the 2-0 win over Borussia Monchengladbach until the final.

Scoring three of the four goals in the semi-finals against PSG, he almost single-handedly got his side through to their first Champions League final.


Also See: 10 best players in La Liga this season (2020-21)

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Edited by Ashwin
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