Champions League special: Top players of the group stage – Part 4
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Samir-Nasri-c32360 (Arsenal FC)
The French youngster has been in the shadow of Francesc Fabregas at the club level while Yoan Gourcuff used to steal the headlines when the two played for Les Blues, but all that has changed this season. Gourcuff has struggled to reach the other-worldly
levels that he achieved with Girondins de Bordeaux in 2008/09 season. Even a transfer to Olympique Lyon earlier this summer didn’t change things for Gourcuff. Samir Nasri has risen up to the occasion and has taken his rich club to the International level.
Nasri started the season rather modestly as Francesc Fabregas took the league and Champions League by storm. However, following Fabregas’ injury, Nasri was instated as the playmaker-in-chief and the Frenchman has repaid the faith in full. In the Champions
League, despite Gunners’ failure to clinch the top spot in the group, Nasri was class personified; a class apart.
Arsenal now face a mammoth task in the knock-out stage as they face http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/FC-Barcelona-c39078 – a team they lost to by 6-3 on aggregate last season. Even though many have already written off Arsene Wenger’s side, Nasri will be the man to watch for Arsenal. Who knows,
the Gunners might just squeeze through this time.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Xabi-Alonso-c37045 (Real Madrid)
Real Madrid managed to top a group that had the likes of Ajax Amsterdam and AC Milan. Jose Mourinho has been a hit at Bernabeu and there is little doubt about it. The tactician has rated himself 11/10 for the season – typical Mourinho. In the Champions League,
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Cristiano-Ronaldo-c9629 has not hit the same dazzling heights he routinely does on the domestic front and one must say it has been a team effort from Los Merengues.
Sitting in front of the back four and spraying those 60 yarders across the pitch, Xabi Alonso has been one of the best midfielders in the Champions League. His ability to control the tempo for his team and break-up play whenever asked to, will be a lethal
weapon in the knock-out stages.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Lionel-Messi-c22296 (FC Barcelona)
This little Argentine makes all the positive lists there exist. This season, Messi has hit the ground running and scored a fantastic six goals in six appearances. Add a further two assist and the fact the Messi did not start all the games; this kid is an
absolute legend.
Lionel scored four goals against Arsenal at Camp Nou and cruel Lady Luck has pitted Messi against the poor Gunners yet again. Now we wait and see if Messi can better the quadruple he scored last season.
Samuel Eto’o (Inter Milan)
Jose Mourinho’s departure from San Siro has left the Milanese club in tatters. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Inter-c39567 failed to win the top spot in the group while on domestic front, Nerazzurri languish in seventh position – 13 points off pace with two games in hand.
The only bright spot in a dismal Neazzurri campaign has been Samuel Eto’o. The Cameroonian international is playing with fire in his belly and most recently, the striker fired his team to Club world cup glory.
Eto’o has 7 goals in just four Champions League games and had it not been his divine form, Inter would have struggled to make it to the next round.
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