Top performers in the Champions League this season (part 2)
Wayne Rooney – Manchester United
The fact that Sir Alex Ferguson was willing to let a half fit Rooney take the pitch against Bayern Munich in the second leg of their all-important quarterfinal clash is a glaring testament to the season that the English striker has had.
Ronney has been the epicenter of everything good that his side did this summer; he was their top scorer in the League as well as the Champions league scoring 5 goals while setting up another 2.
Ivica Olic – Bayern Munich
The Croatian may not have gone as the biggest name into this years Champion's league but is certainly one of them now.
Keeping the sharpshooters like Mario Gomez and Miroslav Klose out of the team is a testament in itself but the baby-faced front man repaid his manager’s faith repeatedly with several crucial goals. The Croat bagged seven goals this year and could yet improve on his tally at the Barnabeau in a week’s time. His hat trick against Lyon has put him just one strike shy of Barcelona’s Messi and I would not bet my bottom dollar on the sharpshooter to pull level.
Lucio – Internazionale Milan
Jose Mourinho has always built his sides around his defenders and the Brazilian was the fulcrum of the Portuguese’s rock solid defence this season, his outing against the free scoring Catalans in the semi final of the champion’s league is the best shift put in by any player this season let alone by a defender. The Brazilian moved from Bayern to Inter in the summer and has been a pivot in the inter defence ever since.
Arjen Robben – Bayern Munich
Ignore the dives, the fragility and the moaning, whining and sometimes the selfish style of play; the Dutchman is a sublime talent that has set this year’s tournament alight by some magical individual performances. There is no doubt in the fact that his side would not be in the final without him. He turned certain defeats into ecstatic victories against Fiorentina and Manchester United with two sublime strikes that are contenders of the best goals of the season and no one would be brave enough to bet against the Dutchman to repeat his heroics against Mourinho’s men at Barnabeau in a week’s time.
Jose Mourinho – Inter Milan
Only the special one was special enough to force his way into the top 10 list meant only for players but his contributions to Inter Milan cannot be doubted this season. His tactics single handily turned their semi-final against the Catalans in Real Madrid's favour and had it not been for him, Barca would have been preparing for the final right now. Not only did he mastermind a 3-1 aggregate win over his former employers Chelsea but he also went one better in shutting out the most prolific attacks season when he put paid to the works of free scoring Barcelona. Could Inter have reached the final without him? Certainly not.
Lionel Messi – Barcelona
His team may not have reached the final but there is no doubting the fact that he is the star performer of the season. The diminutive Argentinean is the tournament’s leading scorer with nine goals and had 20 attempts on target, nine clear of his nearest rival. In fact, shutting out the baby-face assassin was the ultimate testament to the tactical noose of Jose Mourinho, who managed the unimaginable in the semi-final. Who better than Arsenal to vouch for the best player of this season after the London club suffered the master class in their 6-3 aggregate defeat in the round of the under-16s?
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