Ten of the stand-out performers in this season’s competition.
10. Fernandinho (Shakhtar Donetsk)
Despite only being in the competition for a relatively short time, Fernandinho’s excellent displays for Ukranian side Shakhtar Donetsk have not gone unnoticed. The Brazilian midfielder was in fine form for his side as they battled through a difficult group containing both Chelsea and Juventus, doing well to finish second ahead of last season’s Champions League winners. The 28-year-old is now hot property and said to be a top transfer target for Manchester City this summer.
9. Arturo Vidal (Juventus)
Arturo Vidal and Juventus were somewhat overrun in the quarter-finals by tournament favourites Bayern Munich, though that is no insult. The Chilean midfielder still played a key part in Antonio Conte’s side emerging from a challenging group, scoring home and away against reigning champions Chelsea. Now a target for Manchester United and Real Madrid, the 26-year-old finished the tournament with three goals and two assists from midfield, following some great performances in Serie A to show he can also do it on the biggest stage.
8. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (PSG)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic became the first ever player to score for six different clubs in the Champions League or European Cup this season, netting three times for French side PSG, who had a decent run to the quarter-finals before being cruelly eliminated on away goals by Barcelona. The talented Swedish forward is also the top assist provider of the tournament so far, with seven, showing his all-round quality in this new-look PSG team.
7. Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
It may have been a disappointing season by Barcelona’s standards – they only won La Liga and made it to the Champions League semi-finals – but Messi has still managed an impressive tally of eight goals in eleven games, despite being forced to play through injury in the club’s humiliating semi-final defeat to finalists Bayern Munich. The Argentine’s finest display probably came as he inspired Barca to a great comeback against AC Milan, scoring two beautiful goals early on at the Nou Camp to level the aggregate score at 2-2, eventually leading to a thumping 4-0 win on the night. He has been voted Man of the Match five times, more than anyone else in Europe this season.
6. Burak Yilmaz (Galatasaray)
This talented Turkish striker burst onto the scene in Champions League football this season, scoring an impressive eight goals in the tournament, behind only Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski. His fine performances were not enough to help Galatasaray past Real Madrid in the quarter-finals, but he could now be snapped up by one many admirers such as Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool after showing himself to be a lethal finisher at the highest level.
5. Mario Goetze (Borussia Dortmund)
This superb young player will sadly miss this much-anticipated Champions League final against his future side Bayern Munich due to injury. The 20-year-old has certainly been the young player of the tournament, but deserves his place among the rest of Europe’s best as he is truly a world class performer. The Dortmund playmaker has scored two goals and provided five assists to guide his side to the final in his last season with the club. His move to Bayern in the summer will make him the most expensive German player of all time, and he will surely go on to grace this competition for many years to come.
4. Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)
Arguably the best midfielder in Europe this season, Bastian Schweinsteiger has played a deeper role this season than he is used to, but has flourished in this all-conquering Bayern team. His two goals and four assists don’t tell the whole story, but he is undoubtedly the driving force in Jupp Heyncke’s side, and could be the player that has a big say on the outcome of the final on Saturday.
3. Thomas Mueller (Bayern Munich)
With eight Champions League goals this season, Thomas Mueller is the top scoring midfielder of the tournament, and has a habit of being in the right place at the right time for Bayern Munich, scoring important goals home and away in the club’s incredible semi-final thrashing of Barcelona and being voted Man of the Match three times, more than any other Bayern player. The 23-year-old scored in the final against Chelsea last year and will hope to help his team to victory this time.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
Although Real Madrid will be disappointed by their semi-final exit to Borussia Dortmund, Cristiano Ronaldo has still shone in the Champions League, and is currently the competition’s top scorer with 12 goals in 12 games. The Portuguese attacker is one of the best goal scorers in the world and has continued to show his ability to score out of nothing even in this struggling Real Madrid side this season.
1. Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund)
Arguably the player of the tournament, Robert Lewandowsi has been in great form for Dortmund since day one. His ten goals make him the second highest scorer behind Cristiano Ronaldo, and you wouldn’t put it past him to overtake the Real Madrid man in the final. His excellent four-goal haul in the 4-1 win over Real Madrid in the semi-finals was one of the moments of the tournament, establishing the Polish striker as one of the most talented finishers in the world. Along with Mario Goetze, he now seems likely to be making the controversial move from Dortmund to final opponents Bayern Munich next season, though he will be hoping to condemn them to defeat in this year’s final first.