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Centre-back: Marquinhos
Marquinhos had a great Champions League group stage campaign. Although PSG conceded eight goals, Marquinhos went about his business as usual.
The PSG captain made 30 ball recoveries, won all attempted tackles, and cleared the ball a whopping 32 times. His passing was also top-notch. The 27-year-old completed 387 passes with a 92% success rate. He also bagged an assist.
Marquinhos is a big-game player; he’s only the third player ever to score in the Champions League quarter-final and semi-final in consecutive seasons. Cristiano Ronaldo and Antoine Griezmann are the other two.
Marquinhos was not only PSG’s best defender, but also ranked highly in each metric when compared to other centre-backs. His defensive ability, combined with his passing and leadership, helped him make this hypothetical XI.
Left-back: Joao Cancelo
Joao Cancelo is traditionally a right-back, but he is versatile enough to operate at left-back. Due to Manchester City’s left-back woes and Kyle Walker’s success on the opposite flank, Cancelo has tied down his place on the left side of City’s defence.
Having conceded ten goals in the Champions League group stage, Manchester City weren’t among the best defensive teams in the competition. Like Trent Alexander-Arnold, Cancelo’s attacking prowess earns him a place in this hypothetical team, though.
The Portuguese defender registered three assists, the same as Alexander-Arnold, albeit in two more appearances. Cancelo made 34 ball recoveries in the 2021-22 Champions League, more than any of his Manchester City teammates.
Right Midfielder: Mohamed Salah (2019 Champions League winner)
Mohamed Salah’s exploits this season have earned him plaudits from fans and critics alike.
Considered one of the best players in the world, Salah has scored seven goals in the Champions League this season. In the process, he became the first Liverpool player to do so.
The Egyptian winger ranks joint-third for goals this Champions League campaign. He has made 23 dribblers, 17 more than the next-best Liverpool player. The Liverpool No.11 has made the seventh most dribbles as well.
In this hypothetical team, the Liverpool forward slots in on the right side of midfield. He has a history of tracking back to help out Trent Alexander-Arnold, and he would have to do just that in this setup.
Central Midfielder: Toni Kroos (four-time Champions League winner)
Toni Kroos could stake a firm claim for a place in the Champions League team of the 2010s. A four-time Champions League winner, Toni Kroos seems to be back to his best this season.
With a passing percentage of 92.2 in the Champions League this season, Kroos has run the midfield with stupendous efficiency. For a midfielder with close to 400 attempted passes, having a successful passing rate in excess of 90 is hugely commendable.
The German technician has scored a couple of goals this season, one with each foot. Real Madrid have been impressive in 2020-21, leading La Liga and winning their Champions League group.
