'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
#3 Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)
Since joining Real Madrid in 2018, Vinicius Junior has been widely seen as one of the best young players in world football. Blessed with electric speed, balance and prolific dribbling skills, the Brazilian winger has garnered a lot of attention for his promising displays.
However, he lacked a cutting edge in the final third, missing some absolute sitters. But he has visibly improved on that front this season. Vinicius has looked sharp and lethal up front, netting four league goals in as many games, his best return in a La Liga campaign thus far.
He'll be needed to produce more of the same on a big European night against Inter Milan, Los Blancos will be looking to break forward whenever an opportunity shows up, and there's no one better at sparking a counter than Vinicius.
#2 Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan)
Lautaro Martinez has quietly become a Serie A sensation. Having got his Inter Milan career off to a mediocre start, he burst into life in the 2019-20 season, and hasn't looked back since then.
Forging a fearsome attacking partnership with Romelu Lukaku, the Argentine sniper tore defences apart with ruthless efficiency, scoring 40 goals in his last two campaigns.
He shook off muscular problems at the start of the season to return to action with a bang. Martinez scored once in each of his two league appearances. That's the form he'll look to replicate on the European stage on Wednesday too.
#1 Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
In the post-Cristiano Ronaldo era, very few players at Real Madrid have delivered as consistently as Karim Benzema. The Frenchman has inherited the goalscoring mantle from the Portuguese talisman, and has excelled since then.
With 87 goals in all competitions in the last three seasons, the Frenchman has got his 2021-22 campaign off in similarly prolific fashion. Benzema has netted five times in four league games so far, including an amazing hat-trick in his last outing.
A quintessential big-game player, Benzema has a knack for stepping up in crucial moments with key goals and assists. His record in the Champions League stands at 71, level with former teammate and Los Blancos legend Raul.
The Nerazzurri will have their hands full against Madrid, as Karim Benzema is in a rich vein of form. Having scored against them at home last year, Benzema will be fancying his chances of doing so once again.
