UEFA Champions League special: Tops of the game
Champions League this week was a true spectacle with a host of players proving their top class pedigree. Bettor.com singles out the performers on the day and brings forth a list for its readers.
Alessandro Nesta
The 34 year old legend continues to put in world class displays this season. The Milan fan favourite was out for 2008/09 season and many predicted an early retirement. The former Lazio skipper fought for his career and returned to the game and what a return
it has been. The player has been a colossus for Rossoneri every time he has taken to the pitch and Tuesday night was no different.
With partner in crime Thiago Silva assisting him, Nesta had Auxerre attackers gasping for space. Should Allegri manage to keep Nesta fit and running until the end of season, Milan have every chance of winning the Scudetto and will go deep in the Champions
League.
Juan Mata
Real Madrid released the player when he was a teenager. Oh how Blancos will be regretting their decision. The player has broken into the Spain National team setup and was a part of the world cup winning squad in South Africa.
Valencia sold the imperious duo of David Villa and David Silva earlier this summer and many expected the club to struggle. However, Juan Mata has filled in the void with utmost aplomb. Against Bursaspor in the Champions League, Mata was in imperious form
yet again. The playmaker scored a goal while assisting another. Apart from his direct contribution, Mata was a constant nuisance for the Bursaspor backline and his majestic play was simply too much for the Turkish outfit.
Jeremy Menez
Luciano Spalletti bought the mercurial French man from AS Monaco in 2008. Spalleti had assured the Romans that he had bought them a gem. However, Menez’s performances were on the contrary. Spalleti never got to see the player in his might and was given the
sack.
Even under Claudio Ranieri, Menez was struggling last year and couldn’t perform. The youngster failed to perform and many expected a French return for the 23 year old. However, Ranieri decided to hang on to the player and his faith has been repaid in full.
Menez has been the best player in a Gilarossi jersey this season and it was more of the same against Bayern Munich.
Menez was the inspiration behind Roma revival. The player put in a sublime shift when assisting Borriello for the opener and was a constant thorn in the Bavarian back.
Klaas Jan Huntelaar
Huntelaar’s adventures with AC Milan and Real Madrid ended in disaster. The player had a decent time in Madrid but his spell with Rossoneri was nothing short of a disaster. Starved of first team football for much of the year, Huntelaar failed to establish
himself as a regular and showed his potential in rare flashes. With arrival of Ibrahimovic to San Siro, Huntelaar was shipped to Schalke for a fee of 13 million Euros. The Dutch International has hit the ground in top form and has been scoring goals left,
right and centre. Hunter has scored 7 goals in eleven league games and has found the back of the net thrice in five Champions League appearances.
Last night, Hunter scored a brace against a highly rated Olympique Lyon side. Where his goals were rather easy, his off the ball play and positioning were sublime throughout. Milan might be regretting their decision of letting this gem go.
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