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What's the story?
Former Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho, has named his Champions League 'Team of the Season'.
The Background
The Champions League 2018-19 campaign concluded Saturday with Liverpool crowned as the Kings of Europe for the sixth time in the club's history. The Merseyside team beat their league rivals Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in the final of the competition at the Wanda Metropolitano.
With the victory, the Reds overtook Bayern Munich and Barcelona in the list of most successful European teams and are now only behind Real Madrid (13 titles) and AC Milan (7).
The details
Former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho picked six Liverpool players in his Champions League Team of the Season.
He said:
"I go to Alisson, especially because [in the final] he was there when they needed him to be there.
‘The two full-backs also have to be Liverpool players, amazing players, Alexander-Arnold and Robertson. Amazing character and personality.
One [Alexander-Arnold] is a local boy, another [Robertson] is a Scottish boy that a few years ago was relegated with Hull City.
"And both they are physical, they are aggressive, they are what I call in football 'the good arrogance', they are not afraid to play, they go forward, they participate in attack. And even in a game on Saturday under huge pressure they were very, very good."
He added:
"Van Dijk is a king, he is a huge personality. Positionally, a top top player.
‘I think De Ligt. Very young, a great captain for Ajax, great performances, important goals. I think De Ligt belongs to the best of this Champions League.
‘I would go to De Jong and van de Beek from Ajax. Also young players, also great future, also they showed great personality to play the way they did away from home, against Real Madrid, against Juventus. Big personalities and players with a huge future."
The Portuguese only picked players who made it to the semi-final stage of the tournament,
“I didn’t choose a player that was not in the semi-finals, it’s a principle, very objective, very pragmatic.
“Some players did amazing things, but I think it’s fair we focus on the teams that reach the last four.
"In spite of a disappointing second leg at Anfield, Messi. No Ronaldo with an incredible comeback against Atletico [Madrid], no Ronaldo because he didn’t reach the semifinals.
"But Messi did and did an amazing semi-final first leg too."
Mourinho's XI
Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker (Liverpool)
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Andy Robertson (Liverpool), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Matthijs de Ligt (Ajax)
Midfielders: Frenkie de Jong (Ajax), Donny van de Beek (Ajax), Christian Eriksen (Tottenham)
Forwards: Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Sadio Mane (Liverpool), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool).
