5 players top clubs should drop from their starting lineups in the Champions League

With the Champions League knockout stages just around the corner, top teams have been trying to consolidate their positions in their respective leagues in the past two months. Most of them are also in the running for a domestic cup, especially English teams who have been kept busy in the winter months. But with European competition back on the schedule, fixtures will now come thick and fast and managers will be mindful of making sure their key players are fit for the two legs of the Round of 16 clash. At the same time, there are players who have been regulars in the lineups and must be dropped to the bench.We look at some players who deserve to start from the bench.

#1 Chelsea - Pedro

Looking back to the summer transfer window, one must question why Chelsea signed Pedro for £21.4m. While fans understood his decision to leave Barcelona, what with Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar preferred over anyone else in the attacking trident at the Camp Nou, joining Stamford Bridge had everyone scratching their heads.

The Blues already had Juan Cuadrado at the time before the former Fiorentina winger was eventually farmed out to Juventus where he has thrived. With Eden Hazard making the left wing position his own, Willian consolidating the right and Oscar capable of playing across midfield, where was the need for Pedro?

His contributions this season have shown he has performed poorly. It is not to do with only adapting to the league, but the fact that he has been unable to make use of the opportunities presented to him. The Spanish forward has taken 44 shots on goal so far and scored only 3 goals – a conversion rate of less than 7%!

For a team that plays direct football as opposed to a possession game a la Barcelona, he averages only 0.8 dribbles a game in the Champions League. In contrast, Hazard averages 3.3 dribbles while Willian averages 3.2 dribbles per game.

Hazard is also slowly starting to make an impact despite the bad start to the season while Willian’s set-piece capabilities and tireless defensive contributions make him undroppable. The result? Pedro gets no chance to start against PSG where Chelsea’s right winger will be tasked with keeping left-back Maxwell also in check.

#2 Bayern Munich - Arturo Vidal

Although he disappointed many clubs with a move from Juventus to Bayern Munich last summer, that is about the extent of headlines he has made at the Bavarian club – at least on the pitch. The Chilean midfielder has struggled to adapt to Pep Guardiola’s tactics and his career trajectory seems to have plateaued in the Bundesliga.

Guardiola’s formations have depended on a tactically astute midfielder to hold the side together but Vidal’s indiscipline to position himself correctly has seen the Spanish manager get frustrated on more than one occasion.

Vidal had started his career at Bayern brightly, putting in a shift in defence while keeping the ball with authority. At the time, it seemed they had found an able replacement for the ageing Bastian Schweinsteiger who had made the move to Manchester United.

But apart from his seemingly bare-minimum performances on the pitch, the Chilean’s off-field activities is what may lead to his downfall. A drunk-driving accident before the Copa America was just the start. He was then accused of being the mole in the Bayern dressing room for leaking Guardiola’s strict travel regulations after most players returned from the winter break out of shape.

Bayern face Juventus in the Round of 16 – Vidal’s former team. Currently on a 12-match unbeaten run in all competitions (18 wins in their last 21), last year’s UCL finalists now have a midfield led by the indomitable Paul Pogba along with the experienced Sami Khedira and Claudio Marchisio.

Should Guardiola look to bring Philipp Lahm back into midfield alongside Xabi Alonso instead?

#3 Arsenal - Mathieu Flamini

If reports are to be believed, Mathieu Flamini was asked to find a new club in the summer of 2015 itself. But the 31-year-old French midfielder stayed on with his contract set to expire at the end of the season.

Francis Coquelin was Arsene Wenger’s go-to man in defensive midfield. Flamini’s compatriot had been the main link between attack and defence while also providing the rearguard with an extra layer of protection but it was all undone by the knee injury he sustained in November.

Flamini may have been Arsenal’s hero with a brace in the north London Derby in the League Cup, but he has been a liability in Arsenal’s midfield. He is prone to rash tackles early in the game which keeps him at bay for the rest of the match.

His poor positioning, leaving the defence vulnerable to counter-attacks, has also seen Wenger get out of his seat and scream at him for leaving the midfield bare.

When the Gunners face Barcelona in the first leg at the Emirates, the last thing fans want to see is Flamini trying to keep the likes of Andres Iniesta and Ivan Rakitic in check. Coquelin has only just returned from injury and is yet to play 90 minutes but with the match still a good two weeks away, he has a chance to regain full match fitness before then.

#4 Manchester City - Jesus Navas

For a change, Manchester City will count themselves lucky to have got one of the easiest draws in the Round of 16. In the past two years, they had been eliminated in the first knockout stage by Barcelona. This time, by virtue of topping their group, they have been drawn with Dynamo Kiev.

They do have a chance to qualify for the quarter-final if they play their cards right. The loss of Kevin De Bruyne to injury will also be a crucial factor in where City finish in the league and how far they advance in Europe.

De Bruyne’s injury only paves the way for Jesus Navas to make his way back into the starting lineup. Pellegrini would be making a mistake if he picks Navas but ultimately he may not have a choice.

The Spaniard’s frustrating lack of end product has failed the Sky Blues time and again. With pace being his only real strength, Navas lacks the creativity to get past organised defences.

The 30-year-old winger’s crossing has also been poor. Once his strong suit, his key passes per game have also dropped this season and the goals dried up long ago. You can only rely on a one-trick pony for so long before he is found out.

#5 Barcelona - Dani Alves

Dani Alves may have convinced Barcelona to give him a new contract last summer but, judging by recent performances, he is well and truly on the decline. His numbers with respect to defensive contributions have nosedived this season.

The 32-year-old has won numerous trophies with the Catalan club but the rise of the young Aleix Vidal will put pressure on the Brazilian full-back to earn his spot in the starting lineup.

The last game against Levante, in particular, showed exactly where Alves is lacking this season. Though Levante lost 2-0 at home, they did trouble Barca time and again, especially with attacks on their left flank.

Alves was beaten numerous times for pace on the right and had a torrid time keeping Levante’s forwards in check. He was also guilty of giving away possession and was saved the blushes only thanks to Gerard Pique and Javier Mascherano mopping up at the back.

In spite of finding advanced positions in Levante’s half, his crossing was never up to the mark. When he was in his own half, his decision-making when it came to either pressing his man or maintaining his distance was also debatable. A yellow card was enough for Luis Enrique to take him off with 20 minutes to go.

On the other hand, the exuberant Vidal shows promise on the right and needs some more game time to convince Enrique that he is Alves’ heir as Barcelona’s full-back. With Arsenal’s supremely quick Alexis Sanchez and Nacho Monreal to face in the Champions League, Alves will struggle to keep them in check on his flank.