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The UEFA Champions League is finally set to return on Friday night as Real Madrid, Manchester City, Juventus, and Olympique Lyon are set to kick off proceedings. The host of active players have all come up with fine displays in the competition so far.
The COVID-19 outbreak forced the suspension of football leagues all over, leaving some Round of 16 ties incomplete at the time. While some teams like Atletico Madrid and PSG have already booked their spots in the next phase of the tournament, others such as Real Madrid, Barcelona and Man City are yet to play the second legs of their ties.
Los Blancos trail City by one goal after their 2-1 defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu, and the Bianconeri also face a one-goal deficit after losing 1-0 in Lyon. Barcelona are set to lock horns with Gennaro Gattuso's Napoli to play out the sequel to their tense 1-1 draw in Naples.
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Bayern Munich's qualification remains merely a formality, with a three-goal lead (all away goals) to rest upon as they prepare to host Chelsea at the Allianz Arena.
With the most coveted competition in European club football set to resume after a long-awaited break, here, we take a look at the UCL Team of the Season so far as per ratings.
Note: Only players remaining in the tournament have been listed.
Goalkeeper
Keylor Navas | Paris Saint-Germain | 7.24
Real Madrid's 'three-peat' goalkeeper Keylor Navas is one of the most criminally underrated footballers in Europe. The Costa Rican left the Bernabeu in search of game time and replaced Alphonse Areola in goal for PSG, and it's safe to say that it's been a splendid move for all parties so far.
The 33-year-old has been immaculate in goal for the French champions, conceding just four goals in his seven UCL appearances. He's managed to keep a clean sheet in five of them as PSG romped through to the knockout stage of the tournament over 630 minutes of football.
PSG parted with just €15m for the South American veteran, and he has looked worth every single penny of it so far. A truly astute acquisition from PSG, and he has been majestic in the 2019/20 UCL campaign.
Defence
Juan Cuadrado | Juventus | 7.39
After a few seasons in Turin, Juan Cuadrado has reinvented himself as a full-back and established himself as one of Juve's most integral players. The Colombian star has been Maurizio Sarri's go-to right-back over Danilo, and has added another dimension to the Bianconeri's build-up play.
The 32-year-old has provided Juventus with a dependable outlet on the right-hand side who holds the width for his teammates to drift inwards. Cuadrado's acceleration and top-speed are crucial to Juventus recovering when they've been caught on the break. He averages 64 passes per game in the UCL, highlighting how much of the ball he sees at right-back.
Apart from his goal and assist in those five games, Cuadrado has been a difficult man to stop in the UCL having drawn an average of 3.4 fouls per game, along with two dribbles. With 1.6 tackles and two interceptions to go with it, Cuadrado has been a critical figure for Juventus.
Kalidou Koulibaly | SSC Napoli | 7.43
Kalidou Koulibaly is widely regarded as one of the best centre-backs in world football after a string of impressive performances on both the domestic and European fronts. The Senegalese, heavily linked with a move to Manchester City, has been Gennaro Gattuso's leader in defence.
Koulibaly's exceptional displays in the Coppa Italia helped Napoli to their first piece of silverware in a long while. His no-nonsense approach to defending, particularly in the big games on the European stage, has been vital to Napoli's push for a good run. The 29-year-old has averaged a whopping 5.2 clearances and 2.2 tackles in the UCL so far, and would hope to help his side go past favourites Barcelona.
The Senegalese could also be set to leave Naples in the coming future and would look to end his time in Italy on a high. He has been one of the standout performers in the UCL so far.
Dayot Upamecano | RB Leipzig | 7.30
One of RB Leipzig's most prized assets, Dayot Upamecano has had a stunning season so far in Europe. The Frenchman has been at the centre of a lot of transfer speculation in recent months. The likes of Arsenal and Manchester United were said to be in for the 21-year-old. However, the Frenchman recently signed a new contract extension with the German club.
Upamecano has been at his sharpest in the UCL this year, averaging 3.2 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 3.5 clearances per game in Europe. With 66 passes per game at an accuracy of 87%, the French star has also been vital to Leipzig's build-up phase. One of the defender's most impressive abilities is his recovery pace as Upamecano is rarely outrun on the counter-attack by the quickest of players.
With the Red Bull-powered giants set to play Atletico Madrid in the next phase of the tournament, Upamecano is sure to play a pivotal role for Leipzig's hopes.
Alphonso Davies | Bayern Munich | 8.32
Arguably the biggest breakout stars of the 2019-20 season, Bayern Munich have truly unearthed a gem in Alphonso Davies. The Canadian international has taken the Bundesliga by storm with a string of stunning performances for the German champions.
Davies, who arrived as a promising young winger from Vancouver Whitecaps, has been converted into a left-back by the Bavarians — a decision that will help them reap immense rewards in the future. At 19, he has already established himself as not only one of Bayern's most impressive players, but that of the entirety of the Bundesliga.
The German top-flight's Rookie of the Year has tallied a staggering 4.8 dribbles per game along with 3.5 tackles, and a 91% pass accuracy in his four UCL games. He will be vital for Bayern's hopes of completing their second-ever treble.
Also read: 5 Best left-backs in world football at the moment
Midfield
Riyad Mahrez | Manchester City | 7.87
Two-time Premier League winner Riyad Mahrez has been one of the most impressive attackers in English football in the 2019-20 edition of the Premier League. The Algerian, one of the slickest players in Europe with the ball at his feet, has begun to earn more plaudits after seeing his game time increase in the wake of Leroy Sane's absence.
Mahrez has been sublime in the UCL so far, chipping in with crucial displays in crucial moments. With a goal and four assists to his name, the right-winger has averaged over two shots, key passes and dribbles per game. He also ended the English season with 20 goal contributions (11 goals, nine assists) in 21 starts for the Cityzens.
The former Leicester City man will undoubtedly be a dangerous proposition for Zinedine Zidane's Real Madrid as the hosts set to look to eliminate the 13-time European champions.
Toni Kroos | Real Madrid | 8.09
It is hardly surprising to see Toni Kroos make this list going by his phenomenal displays across all fronts this year. The German, widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world, has been the heartbeat of Real Madrid's all-conquering midfield for the best part of a decade.
Kroos played a crucial role in Los Blancos' LaLiga Santander title win and has been as crucial as ever to their UCL campaign so far. The former Bayern Munich ace averages 87 passes per game at a staggering 93% pass accuracy and 4.4 key passes per game, reiterating his status as one of the best passers of the ball in the world.
Along with 2.8 tackles, 1.4 interceptions and a sense of unparalleled composure in the middle of the park, Kroos has been one of the most impressive midfielders in this year's UCL campaign. He would be the key man that City would hope to stop.
Thiago Alcantara | Bayern Munich | 8.00
Bayern Munich's midfield controller Thiago Alcantara has undisputedly been the best midfielder in the Bundesliga for some time now, and his performances in Europe have taken it a notch higher. The Spaniard is one of the most well-rounded midfielders in the world and is the engine of the Bayern Munich midfield.
The former Barcelona midfielder has been masterful with the ball at his feet this year, averaging 85 passes at a 90% accuracy, 1.7 key passes and 8.2 long balls per game in the UCL. On the defensive front, Thiago has contributed with three tackles and 2.8 interceptions per game in Europe, working well in tandem with another midfielder next to him in a double pivot.
The Spaniard could be set to play his final European campaign with the Bavarians after he has refused to extend his contract with Bayern. If reports are to be believed, Thiago — who has been the second-highest rated midfielder in the UCL this year — could be on his way to defending champions, Liverpool.
Serge Gnabry | Bayern Munich | 7.85
Former Arsenal star Serge Gnabry has been one of the go-to figures in attack for Bayern Munich apart from their talismanic striker Robert Lewandowski. The German winger has gone from strength to strength at the Allianz Arena and has grown into a dangerous attacker for the Bavarians.
Blessed with devastating pace and superb ability on the ball, Gnabry scored 12 and assisted ten goals in just 26 Bundesliga starts for the champions. In Europe, he has been a tormentor for London Clubs superficially as all his six goals in Europe have come against his former rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea.
Gnabry scored a stunning four-goal haul against Spurs in their own backyard as part of a 7-2 demolition of Mauricio Pochettino's side. The German has had an excellent campaign with Bayern and will hope to take his scoring into the next phase.
Also read: 5 Highest scorers remaining in the UEFA Champions League 2019-20
Attack
Lionel Messi | Barcelona | 8.49
Barcelona's majestic captain Lionel Messi hasn't had the most prolific of UCL campaigns so far, but his playmaking ability has been on full display in Europe. The Argentine has been the driving force behind Barcelona topping a tricky group including the likes of Borussia Dortmund and Inter Milan.
The 33-year-old enjoyed a stellar domestic campaign, becoming the first-ever LaLiga player to reach 20+ goals and assists in a single season. In the UCL, Messi has averaged an astonishing 7.8 dribbles and 4.3 shots per game so far, highlighting the utter dominance that Messi looks to impose when in possession. Although he's managed just two goals in his five games, he's also managed to set up a further three for his teammates.
Barcelona are set to host Gattuso's Napoli at the Nou Camp on Saturday night, a game where Messi would undoubtedly take centre stage in. All eyes will be on the skipper Napoli have proved to be a tricky opposition to face.
Robert Lewandowski | Bayern Munich | 9.20
Undisputedly the best player in the tournament so far, Robert Lewandowski is in the goalscoring form of his life. The Polish striker has been simply unstoppable in 2019-20, being the highest scorer in both the Bundesliga as well as the Champions League.
Lewandowski leads the scoring charts with a staggering 11 (!) goals in the competition, at least five higher than any player currently remaining in the UCL. He needed just six games (527 minutes) to achieve this tally, and could potentially play up to four more games should Bayern reach the final. There is little doubt that the 31-year-old is eyeing Cristiano Ronaldo's record of 17 goals in a single campaign.
With over 50 goals across all competitions in 44 games, Lewandowski gives Bayern Munich the edge over any team in the UCL. The Bavarians would hope that the Pole fires them to the second treble in their history. Lewandowski has arguably been the best player in the world, and is currently the highest-rated player in the UCL.
Also read: Top 10 goalscorers in the race for the European Golden Shoe 2019-20
