With the Uefa Champions League quarter-finals now well under way, we reveal the identity of the ten best passers left in Europe’s premier club competition ….
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10) Zoumana Camara (Paris Saint-Germain): 93.5 per cent pass success rate
The Ligue 1 champions’ centre back may not have featured in too may contests for the big-spending Parisians so far in this season’s competition, however, when the former France international has been called upon by PSG head coach Laurent Blanc, the experienced 35-year-old has not let his side down with a pass completion rate of nearly 94%.
9) Javier Mascherano (FC Barcelona): 93.7%
The Argentina international captain may be utilised in an unfamiliar central defensive position by the La Liga champions, as opposed to his favoured holding midfield role, however, that has not seemed to affect the former Liverpool man’s ability to pass the ball to one of his team-mates though.
8) Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain): 93.9%
Anyone who watched the mega-rich Ligue 1 champions beat Chelsea 3-1 in the first leg of their Uefa Champions League quarter-final clash at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night will not be surprised at all to see the name of the Parisians’ Italy international defensive midfielder appear in this list.
7) Alex (Paris Saint-Germain): 94%
The powerful Brazil international is one of the most cultured ball-playing centre backs in world football, so much so that the player is often also deployed in front of his back four as a water carrier due to his impressive ability to pass the ball, as seen by his pass completion rate of 94%.
6) Xavi Hernandez (FC Barcelona): 94.8%
Well, let’s face it, a top 10 list detailing the best passers of a football in the Uefa Champions League would not really be complete without an appearance from the La Liga champions’ veteran Spain international midfielder.
5) Maxwell (Paris Saint-Germain): 94.8%
The Brazil left back bases his whole game around the accuracy of his passing, and in this season in the Uefa Champions League the attacking full back has not disappointed either with an accuracy rating of very nearly 95% for the big-spending Ligue 1 champions.
4) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich): 94.9%
Again, as befits one of the best players in the world, whatever his position, it is no real shock to find the versatile Germany international’s name in this list as anyone who watches the Germany international turn out on a regular basis for the Bundesliga and European champions will know that the defender’s passing abilities are second to none.
3) Sergio Busquets (FC Barcelona): 94.9%
The highly rated Spain international may be best known for breaking up the opposition’s play in his role stationed in front of the Catalan giants’ back four, however, the holding midfielder’s range of passing should not be underestimated either though, as seen by his impressive stats in this season’s Uefa Champions League.
2) Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich): 95.4%
No wonder Premier League champions Manchester United are so desperate to lure the Germany international to Old Trafford come the end of this season, with the Red Devils said to be willing to fork out £40m for the defensive midfielder, judging by his eye-catching passing stats in Europe’s premier club competition so far in this campaign.
1) Sergi Roberto (FC Barcelona): 96.7%
The midfielder may not have featured as regularly as some of his more illustrious team-mates in the centre of the park for the La Liga champions in this season’s Uefa Champions League, however, when new Barca head coach Tata Martino has called upon the Spaniard, he has not disappointed, and none more so than with the accuracy of his passing.