Champions League Best XI: Messi gets perfect 10 rating in Manchester United rout
Here we run through the best WhoScored rated XI from the Champions League quarter-final second legs, with additional information about their Football INDEX share prices
Goalkeeper: Marc-Andre Ter Stegen (Barcelona) - 7.48 rating
Football INDEX share price - £0.44
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen was a bystander for the majority of both legs of Barcelona’s quarter-final triumph over Manchester United, but unlike the first leg, he was at least forced into action on Tuesday night. It can be easy to switch off when your side are so totally dominate but the Germany international illustrated the hallmarks of all the very best goalkeepers when he pulled off a stunning save to deny Alexis Sanchez a late consolation goal against his former club. Ter Stegen was also the only goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet over the second leg ties.
Right-back: Eder Militao (Porto) - 7.80 rating
Football INDEX share price - £0.91
Eder Militao’s final European game for Porto ended in defeat but the Real Madrid-bound defender did at least score the goal than his side’s persistence deserved in a 4-1 defeat to Liverpool on Wednesday. The 21-year-old headed in Alex Telles’ corner to score his second Champions League goal of the campaign with just over an hour played. It was one of four aerial duels won by the young right-back, while he also completed three dribbles and won four fouls. The Brazilian had two attempts on goal in total and also registered one key pass.
Centre-back: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) - 8.30 rating
Football INDEX share price - £2.62
Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk turned in another imperious showing for the Reds in a dominant 4-1 win over Porto. The 27-year-old scored for the second Champions League away game in a row to round off the rout. Van Dijk has a great nose for danger and always seems to be in the right place at the right time, illustrated by the fact he completed nine clearances in midweek. The Dutchman also made three tackles and interceptions combined and won five aerial duels.
Centre-back: Matthijs de Ligt (Ajax) - 8.05 rating
Football INDEX share price - £2.49
Ajax’s fairytale European season continued in midweek after dumping Juventus out of the competition with a 2-1 victory in Turin. Ajax captain Matthijs de Ligt scored the tie-winning goal for the Dutch side and the 19-year-old unsurprisingly finished as the WhoScored Man of the Match. Only in one Champions League game this season has De Ligt won more aerial duels than he mustered against Juventus (5), while also making 10 clearances on Tuesday night, more than double his previous best in a European match this term.
Left-back: Jordi Alba (Barcelona) - 7.95 rating
Football INDEX share price - £0.69
Jordi Alba spent the majority of Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Manchester United playing as a left winger. United failed to get a hold of the rampaging full-back across both legs and he was a constant source of threat down Barcelona’s left flank. Only Sergio Busquets (114) had more touches than Alba (111) at the Camp Nou, with the 30-year-old registering three key passes, including an assist for Philippe Coutinho’s long range stunner. Alba completed 96.6% of his passes and made three tackles and interceptions combined.
Right midfield: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) - 10.0 rating
Football INDEX share price - £5.01
Manchester United defender Chris Smalling called for Lionel Messi to ‘bring it on’ prior to their first leg meeting and the Barcelona star certainly did that at Camp Nou. Messi arrowed in a typical Messi long range goal into the bottom corner before benefitting from some atrocious goalkeeping from David De Gea to net his second. Messi had seven shots in total on Tuesday night and three of those hit the target. The 31-year-old was unplayable for United’s defenders, winning four fouls and completing six dribbles. He registered over 100 touches of the ball, which is never a good sign for opponents and garnered the only WhoScored 10 rating of the week.
Central midfield: Miralem Pjanic (Juventus) - 7.76 rating
Football INDEX share price - £0.74
Juventus looked to be on their way into the last four of the Champions League when Miralem Pjanic’s corner header was converted by Cristiano Ronaldo but it wasn’t meant to be for the Serie A leaders. Pjanic finished the match as Juventus’ highest WhoScored rated player in the defeat, registering four key passes in total on Tuesday. The 29-year-old also hit the target with his only attempt on goal and chipped in with four tackles and interceptions combined.
Central midfield: Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City) - 8.89 rating
Football INDEX share price - £2.36
It seems inconceivable to think someone that registered three assists in a single game ended up on a team that didn’t progress to the next round of the Champions League but that is exactly what happened for Kevin de Bruyne. The Belgium international set up three of Manchester City’s four goals in a 4-3 win over Tottenham but it wasn’t enough as they crashed out on away goals. De Bruyne is the fourth player in this season’s Champions League to manage the feat.
Left midfield: Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) - 8.39 rating
Football INDEX share price - £5.05
Raheem Sterling netted two wonderful goals in Manchester City’s 4-3 win over Tottenham and thought he’d scored his hat-trick in injury time to send Pep Guardiola’s side through to the last four only for VAR to intervene and chalk off his late strike. Sterling has developed into one of the most influential Premier League players this season and that proved no exception on Wednesday. The England international scored twice from three attempts against Tottenham and also created one goalscoring opportunity for a team-mate.
Striker: Sadio Mane (Liverpool) - 9.07 rating
Football INDEX share price - £2.41
Sadio Mane has now scored in every round of the Champions League knockout stage since the beginning of last season after getting on the scoresheet in Wednesday’s victory over Porto. The Senegal international opened the scoring for Liverpool, which effectively ended the tie courtesy of the away goal rule. Mane went on to register his first assist of the Champions League campaign in setting up Virgil van Dijk for Liverpool’s last goal. Mane completed more dribbles than any other Liverpool player (3) against Porto and also weighed in with the most tackles (6).
Striker: Sergio Aguero (Manchester City) - 9.24 rating
Football INDEX share price - £1.61
Sergio Aguero hadn’t scored in seven matches against Tottenham prior to Wednesday’s meeting in Europe and the Argentina international picked the perfect moment to rediscover his goalscoring form against the Lilywhites. Ultimately, City fell short in their bid to reach the last four but Aguero was unplayable at times for Tottenham’s defence. He scored a typically venomous near post effort midway through the second half having already assisted Bernardo Silva for City to make it 2-2 in the 11th-minute. No City player had more shots than Aguero against Tottenham on Wednesday (four), while the 30-year-old also won two aerial duels and completed five dribbles.
