The 10 finest players competing at this year’s tournament.
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Now the draw for the 2014/15 Champions League has been made CaughtOffside thought it was the perfect opportunity to pick out the 10 best players who will be featuring in the competition.
10. Yaya Toure, Manchester City
First up it’s a representative from the Premier League, with many considering Toure to be the best box-to-box midfielder in world football currently and he has helped City to great success over the past four years.
The 31-year-old will have his work cut out to help the Citizens to the knockout stages though with Bayern Munich, CSKA Moscow and AS Roma also in their group.
9. Andres Iniesta, FC Barcelona
Although perhaps not quite as influential for Barca as he has been in the past, there is still no denying this 30-year-old possesses world-class ability and will be looking to impress once again this year.
With Xavi nearing retirement and Cesc Fabregas having been sold to Chelsea, Iniesta may be tasked with a more central role than he has been used to of late.
8. Manuel Neuer, Bayern Munich
It’s been an outstanding past couple of seasons for this goalkeeper, winning the treble with Bayern in 2012/13, before another Bundesliga title last term and a World Cup triumph with Germany this summer.
Neuer is widely regarded as the best stopper in world football currently and there is seemingly no weaknesses in this 28-year-old’s games between the sticks.
7. Philipp Lahm, Bayern Munich
Another Bayern and Germany star now and one of the most consistent players the game has ever seen, with Lahm competent whether at right-back, left-back, or even in defensive midfield.
Despite still only being 30-years-old the German hung up his international boots following the 2014 World Cup victory and will now be looking for more success at club level.
6. Gareth Bale, Real Madrid
Became the most expensive player of all-time in 2013 upon completing his £85.3m transfer from Tottenham Hotspur to the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.
Although not considered the very best just yet the Welshman had an impressive first 12 months in Spain and helped Los Blancos to Champions League and Copa del Rey triumphs.
5. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paris Saint-Germain
With expensive superstars arriving all around him the self assurance of the striker means that he is by far the most influential player at the Parc des Princes still.
Ibrahimovic may now be 32-years-old, but the Sweden international doesn’t look like letting up anytime soon and will be desperate to win this tournament having never done so.
4. Luis Suarez, FC Barcelona
The second star from the Nou Camp now and a brand new arrival after Suarez completed his move from Liverpool to Catalonia, for a fee somewhere between £65m and £75m depending on who you believe.
It’s been some time since the 27-year-old played in this competition and he will still have to wait until October due to the four-month ban he is currently serving for biting Giorgio Chiellini.
3. Arjen Robben, Bayern Munich
This winger seems to simply get better with age as even at 30-years-old the Netherlands international is still one of the quickest and most formidable attackers in the game.
Robben is a key figure for both club and country and despite being one of the most one-footed players ever seen, has enough pace and trickery to not let that affect his style.
2. Lionel Messi, FC Barcelona
Still sitting in second place is this undeniably talented Argentine, who after a four year dominance of the Ballon d’Or trophy finished second in 2014.
Messi made the final with his nation at the recent World Cup and was also named the best player at the tournament and still has plenty of time to achieve even more at just 27-years-old.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid
Sitting top of the pile is a forward who won the Champions League for the second time in his career last campaign and finished as top-scorer to boot.
Now 29-years-old it’s difficult to tell how long Ronaldo can keep up his relentless and powerful style of play, but the Portugal captain is certainly one of the best there has ever been.
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