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It didn't start all rosy for Real Madrid this season. But, here we are, the Los Blancos are edging closer to a third consecutive Champions League trophy, after making it to the final of the tournament once again. What some people predicted to be a bad campaign has come out all good for the Spanish giants.
After they started the campaign poorly in La Liga as well as suffering a humiliating defeat against Tottenham in the Champions League, the club endured a period of great embarrassment and intense scrutiny. But, with their persistent efforts and determination, everything has quickly transformed and the Los Blancos can think of glory once again.
Real Madrid is a club with great players in all areas of the pitch, therefore, it is quite logical to believe that they would overcome any tough period. And that is exactly what they did this season. The Spanish giants have put all those challenges behind them as they charge towards European glory. They have been really impressive, defeating many European powerhouses on their road to the final of the Champions League this season.
They might not have won the La Liga or the Copa Del Rey, but they have made up for their failures with a lot of spectacular displays in the UEFA Champions League. Their brilliant form has established them as one of the most impressive teams on the continent.
While we are acknowledging the brilliance of the club this season, it is important we also give credits to those superstars who worked hard to influence the campaign. Therefore, let's look at the top 5 most influential players in the squad during the season:
#5. Marcelo
Marcelo has proved that he is a big-game player with his blistering performances in the Champions League this season. The defender stood at the vital moments and helped his club to achieve important results in the European tournament. He scored against many European giants, including the likes of Paris Saint Germain, Juventus and Bayern Munich on their way to the final of the competition.
Despite his exploits in the attack, the Brazillian has never forgotten his defensive duties, combining with his fellow defenders to keep the defensive line intact. He has also served as a source of relief at the back, with his incredible ability to suppress pressure by holding on to the ball, making amazing runs and starting dangerous attacks.
This season, Marcelo has bagged 5 goals and 7 assists in all competitions. He has also recorded 4 blocks, 67 tackles and 42 interceptions for the Los Blancos. The left-back has contributed enormously to Real Madrid's campaign, helping the Spanish giants to the third position on the La Liga table as well as pushing them to the final of the Champions League.
All stats via whoscored.com
#4. Toni Kroos
By virtue of his incredible displays, Toni Kroos is actually one of the stand-out performers in the Real Madrid squad this season. In fact, the midfielder has been at an amazing level, serving as a driving force in the middle of the pitch and enabling Los Blancos' attackers to flourish up front.
The German contributed massively towards Real Madrid's progress during the campaign, bagging 5 goals and 8 assists in all competitions. He has also completed 2763 passes, 25 dribbles and 48 shots for the Los Blancos in both the Champions League and the La Liga this season.
The midfielder has been a real threat to opposition teams since the beginning of the campaign, with his amazing long-range efforts and fantastic deliveries. A great player and a hard worker, The German has been really influential this season.
All stats via whoscored.com
#3. Sergio Ramos
Real Madrid would not have progressed to the final of the Champions League without a solid defense, especially given that they met some of the best attacking teams on their way. In fact, their defense has been quite pivotal in the campaign, with a lot incredible and error-free displays.
Let's give honor to whom honor is due, Sergio Ramos deserves a lot of credit for his spectacular efforts at the heart of Real Madrid's defense this season. The Spaniard has been rock-solid at the back, putting up great efforts to stop some of the finest attackers on the continent. The likes of Neymar Junior, Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Muller, Paulo Dybala and Kylian Mbappe were all limited by the incredible Spaniard.
He has been at an amazing level, recording 22 blocks, 56 tackles, and 62 interceptions to his name during the campaign. Though a defender, Ramos can also surprise anyone with his amazing goalscoring exploits. He has been a real threat to opposition defenders with his incredible headers, having nodded the ball into the back of the net 5 times this term.
Such is the relevance of the 32-year old that Los Blancos suffer anytime he is absent. That is evident if you remember their recent 3-1 defeat against Juventus at the Santiago Bernabeu. His leadership skills, motivation, and hard work have played pivotal roles in Los Blancos' resurrection this season.
All stats via whoscored.com
#2. Luka Modric
If Real Madrid were an automobile, Luka Modric would definitely be an indispensable component in the engine. The Croatian has been the heartbeat of Madrid's midfield this season, dictating play and influencing the overall performance of his teammates.
His magical abilities have been on display, every time he featured for the Los Blancos during the campaign. Holding on to the ball, making intelligent moves into the final third and sending killer passes into the box, the playmaker has been creating the perfect atmosphere for the attackers to operate.
He also served as a source of relief to the defenders, dropping deep at vital moments to mark, steal the ball, holding on to it and restarting attacks. With this effort, he was able to cool the pressure on his team when they faced Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu recently.
One of the best midfielders in the world at the moment, Modric has bagged 2 goals and 7 assists for the Los Blancos in all competitions this season. He also has 2115 passes, 58 dribbles as well as 42 shots to his name.
All stats via whoscored.com
#1. Cristiano Ronaldo
To every moving object, there is a driving force. Cristiano Ronaldo has been the force driving Real Madrid towards another successful campaign this term. The Portuguese has consistently justified his tag as the best player in the world, with his unmatchable level of performance for the Los Blancos this season.
He has been a real nightmare in the opposition box, tearing defenses apart and scoring almost at will. The Portuguese single-handedly led Real Madrid to the final of the Champions League once again, scoring 15 goals and bagging 3 assists in just 12 appearances. He also put up extraordinary performances as the Los Blancos edged past the likes of PSG, Juventus and Bayern Munich in the competition.
His 25 goals and 5 assists have also led the Spanish giants to the third position on the La Liga table, securing their place in the European tournament next season. With such incredible efforts, Ronaldo is definitely the most influential player in the Real Madrid squad this season.
All stats via whoscored.com
Honorable Mentions: Rafael Varane, Casemiro, Marco Asensio, Lucas Vazquez, Karim Benzema.
