Champions League 2013-14: Top 30 Players from This Season

The 2013-14 UEFA Champions League has been an enthralling, exciting competition to watch unwind, with the two Madrid clubs—Atletico and Real—ending up doing battle in the final, in Lisbon, Portugal—with Gareth Bale helping Los Blancos clinch La Decima.
Far from just those two entertaining us, though, 64 clubs have taken part from the group stage onwards, with a whole host of players putting in top performances throughout.
We've looked back over the whole campaign and assessed who fared best—here's our huge top 250 from this season's biggest cup competition.

Criteria and Notes

Form and achievements are considered only for the 2013/14 UEFA Champions League campaign. Domestic success or form from players are not taken into account.
By way of acknowledging players' contribution to the team collective, additional credit will be given to players whose teams progress past the group stage into the knockouts, always supposing they contribute in some way to both sections of the tournament.
Players must also have made a minimum of four appearances in total during this season's Champions League, not including qualifying stage games, to be considered for a top 250 place.
Statistics are drawn from WhoScored.com and Squawka.com Champions League data. Stats refer to group stages and beyond, not qualifying matches.

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30. Arturo Vidal, Juventus

 

Only Juventus' failure to progress past the group stage prevented Arturo Vidal from being ranked higher, after a stunning individual set of performances in the first six games.
He was key to Juve's game plan with his breaks forward from midfield being seemingly impossible to track, while he was Edgar Davids-esque in his terrier-like ability to win back the ball in midfield and aid transitions.
Vidal smacked in five goals in just six games from midfield including a hat-trick against Kobenhavn; only six players managed to score more than the Chilean in the Champions League even though he only played six games.

 

29. Aaron Ramsey, Arsenal

 

Aaron Ramsey was an excellent performer early on in the campaign for Arsenal, scoring twice and claiming one assist in the group stages, including the vital strike in a 1-0 win in Dortmund.
It's not just the numbers which make him a vital player to the Gunners; he's the one player who, driving from midfield, will run beyond the striker and give defences something completely different to deal with, taking the game to the opposition and forcing them to react.
Had he been fit for the last 16 tie with Bayern, he might not have swung the tie in Arsenal's favour entirely, but they certainly would have had more chance with Ramsey in the side.

28.Samir Nasri, Manchester City

 

Not always the most appreciated of Manchester City's attacking talents, Samir Nasri seemed to save up the best of his form this year for the Champions League.
He was the team's best creator of chances, claiming four assists along the way and scoring once, before failing to quite hit those heights against Bayern in the last 16.
If he brought that kind of consistency from the groups into the biggest of games in the way David Silva does, he would be an indispensable player for his side. And probably in the French World Cup squad.

27. Juanfran, Atletico Madrid

 

Juanfran has been a mainstay of the Atletico defence this season, performing to a very high level throughout their run to the final.
He only missed one game, the last group game against Porto after qualification was already assured.
The right-back does everything well: he stops crosses, he challenges aerially, he supports into midfield and even delivers once he gets into the final third—only two team-mates have created more than his 15 chances this season.

26. Branislav Ivanovic, Chelsea

 

Chelsea right-back Branislav Ivanovic produced another campaign of solid, thunderous service down the flank, defending like a hero when it mattered and supporting from deep—certainly not as far upfield as he previously ventured—in attack.

He covered at centre-back at times, too, but most of his time was spent in the full-back role, providing strength and resilience to the Chelsea back line.
Ivanovic did claim one assist, but his most impressive statistics show up at the other end: He won 70 percent of his tackles and 71 percent of his aerial duels.

25. Koke, Atletico Madrid

 

Koke has come to the attentions of the general football public thanks to his remarkable displays in the Champions League this season, mixing his technical qualities with a tenacity and drive which embodies Atletico Madrid’s approach under Diego Simeone.

Playing from either side of midfield more often than not, the young Spanish international can play as a playmaker, a wide forward or a protector of the defensive channels all at once.

With a great future still ahead of him, he has perhaps raised his game rather more for the Champions League this season than his domestic form, certainly showing more consistency in European fixtures, contributing to his high ranking here.

24. Fernandinho, Manchester City

 

Manchester City's star midfielder of the Champions League campaign was undoubtedly Fernandinho.
He played in every game for the Premier League side, most frequently operating in his holding midfield role but on occasion being released to rampage forward as the more offensive central of the duo—something which takes his game up another level.
Even as the more disciplined midfield player, though, he presses and works so hard up the pitch that it is he who is the catalyst for many of the team's attacking movements. Fernandinho is the player City find it hardest to adequately replace.

23. Dani Alves, Barcelona

 

Barcelona right-back Dani Alves is another who saved his best performances of the season for the Champions League.
There are few players who can affect the game from full-back as well as this Brazilian, with his natural position almost as far forward as the front line of attack—yet he still makes up ground to do his defensive work, too.
Alves was the difference in the round of 16, with his performances and goals putting Barca past Manchester City, while he also created 12 chances throughout.

22. Gareth Bale, Real Madrid

 

Gareth Bale started out the season as an impact player in the Champions League, but once form and fitness—and the tactical shape of the team—fell into place, he became one of Real Madrid's most important starters.
He scored his first goal against Juventus in the fourth group game and since then has made it six goals in 10 games, including one in extra time of the final, with four assists in that time to boot.
Pace, direct running, a comfort within his role in the team and deadly team-mates feeding him the ball at every opportunity—Bale has eased into the team and become a great fit, being a big part of the their run to glory.

21. Iker Casillas, Real Madrid

 

Iker Casillas might not have been the Real Madrid No. 1 goalkeeper in league play for the past 18 months, but he has remained their Champions League choice and has fully justified that decision. Indeed, his excellent form in continental play has led to arguments that he should be reinstalled domestically.

The Spanish captain has been consistent, professional and impressive in his performances in Europe, displaying that determination of old to make improbable saves at times, perhaps never more importantly than against Schalke when the scoreline was still tight, a defining moment in Real’s run to the final.

20. Toni Kroos, Bayern Munich

 

Toni Kroos made more successful passes than any player in the Champions League during 2013-14, with a phenomenal total of 1,059. He achieved the ridiculous success rate of 94 percent in doing so.
Such consistency and invention is to be admired, as long as it is with purpose and to the benefit of the team. In creating 21 chances for his team, Kroos can certainly argue that he did exactly that.
He only added one goal, against Arsenal, but his link play, creativity and movement off the ball to find space ensured it was with good reason that Guardiola opted to field him in every single Champions League game, with 11 starts and one sub appearance.

19. Robert Lewandowski, Dortmund

 

Robert Lewandowski only hit 20 shots in nine Champions League games for Dortmund this season, but he still ended up with six goals, finishing as the team's highest scorer and joint-fifth in the competition overall.
The Polish striker hovers on the edges of games, leaves himself out of much of the build-up...and then clicks into gear as soon as the ball approaches the penalty area. Laying the ball off, turning quickly or getting shots off with any part of his body—Lewandowski does it brilliantly and is an excellent final third striker who occupies defenders and punishes them if they ignore him.

18. Eden Hazard, Chelsea

 

Eden Hazard was exciting, if individualistic, during Chelsea's Champions League campaign.
Not the most creative in terms of the team's attacking midfielders by chance creation, he nevertheless troubled defenders and opened up spaces for others with his relentless habit of running directly at the opposition, often dragging defenders out of shape as a result.
He completed an incredible 35 of his 39 attempted take-ons. A couple of goals were added via the penalty spot, though him missing the semi-final first leg through injury may have been pivotal.

17. Diego Godin, Atletico Madrid

 

Diego Godin was the bedrock on which Atletico Madrid’s incredible Champions League season was founded.

His all-encompassing ability to win back the ball for his side prevented crosses, set pieces, through-balls or dribbling opponents from making headway toward the Atleti goal.

Consistent, strong and dominant, Godin was not only a leader for his side but the man who embodied their entire style of play. With the Uruguayan at the heart of their back four, it’s little wonder that Atletico had one of the finest defences the competition saw this season.

Godin's goal in the final had Atletico dreaming of glory, before Real Madrid snatched that away from them at the death.

16. Sergio Aguero, Manchester City

 

Sergio Aguero's importance to Manchester City cannot be emphasised enough. If he had been fit for the round of 16 tie against Barcelona, it could have been a different story—but he only played 45 minutes of the 180.
Fitness has been his big issue all season as he only completed 90 minutes in the Champions League twice, but even so he was an absolute star when he did feature.
Aguero scored six goals in five games in the groups, including both in the 2-1 win over CSKA and goals in both games against Viktoria. The message for next term is clear: keep him fit.

15. Thiago Motta, PSG

 

Verratti and Matuidi might bring their own talents to the PSG midfield party, but the absolute king in the centre of the park is without doubt Thiago Motta.
He protects the defence with vigour and venom, with class and caressed passes, giving no time on the ball to the opposition and setting his team-mates away to good effect.
Motta holds everything together for PSG, dictating from deep, yet he still managed three assists and two goals in his nine appearances, too.

14. Kevin Grosskreutz, Dortmund

 

Having mentioned earlier how several squad players stepped up for Dortmund as a result of injury, no player showed that ability more than Kevin Grosskreutz.
The versatile, hard-working performer played on both flanks and at full-back as he filled in for Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski and the like, not missing a single minute of Dortmund's Champions League campaign in the process.
His endless running, good link play and willingness to work the spaces that others created made him an important member of the attacking plan, while he scored one goal—a priceless late winner over Marseille—and claimed two assists along the way.

13. Karim Benzema, Real Madrid

 

The departure of Higuain left Karim Benzema as the main striker at Real Madrid and he has carried off that role to perfection.
More than just a goalscorer, Benzema has nonetheless hit five goals in 10 Champions League games this season, but the fact he is Madrid's top player by chance creation tells you everything you need to know. He holds the ball up, lets the wide forwards run off him, lays the ball off and finds quick one-touch return passes, racking up 21 chances created en-route to the final.
His selfless running has improved dramatically this season and he is a great foil for those around and beside him.

12. Raul Garcia, Atletico Madrid

 

Raul Garcia played a vital role in Atletico Madrid’s run to the Champions League final, showing the versatility to play a number of different roles as well as the quality to perform brilliantly in each.

Previously more at home as a withdrawn midfielder, he operated just off the striker to great effect during 2013-14, as well as providing a wider outlet in certain matches, showing his work-rate, tactical proficiency and belief in his manager’s system as a whole to do whatever job was required of him.

Garcia managed vital goals against Porto and AC Milan and has totalled four in the Champions League this season overall.

11. Andres Iniesta, Barcelona

 

While many of Barcelona's players failed to shine as much as they might have done as a whole during the Champions League campaign, Andres Iniesta was one of those who would not have that accusation levelled at him.
The playmaker continued with his enormous influence on matches, not only dictating passing and movement around him but also driving at defences, running at opponents and demanding that those around him up their game.

10. Arjen Robben, Bayern Munich

 

Arjen Robben won the Champions League last season with his late goal and seemed determined to have a similarly impressive impact this term.
He didn't quite make it that far in the end, but he was still enormously influential in Bayern's side, a real game-changer for them who could up the tempo in an instant and dribble past opponents almost at will.
Robben scored four, claimed another four assists and looked like one of the few in the final third able to operate outside of the retain-ball-at-all-costs approach in the latter stages.

9. Angel Di Maria, Real Madrid

 

Angel Di Maria’s switch infield to a left-central midfield role has rejuvenated his Real Madrid career and indeed the team’s ability to win the ball and attack at pace, from a much more telling position on the field.

Quite simply, he has added energy and aggression to the team in such a way that instead of seeing the front players racing onto counter-attacks from their own half, Real now begin their transitions a good 30 metres higher up the pitch.

Di Maria’s use of the ball, his ability to support play quickly and his end product in the final third have all been excellent during the Champions League campaign, making him one of the most important players in the side.

8. Gabi, Atletico Madrid

 

Gabi’s remarkable season as Atletico Madrid captain has seen him dominate matches with his intelligent on the ball play and provide his attacking team-mates with a string of chances all year long.

A complete midfielder with a prodigious work-rate, he also brings a solid defensive platform to the team who can sit in front of the back four in a compact double pivot and negate the threat of opposition runners from deep with his positional sense and reading of the game.

A superb performance in the quarter-finals might have been his greatest moment of the competition—so far.

7. Marco Reus, Dortmund

 

Marco Reus started well and got many, many times better as the season went on.
The forward was Dortmund's most impressive performer over the course of their Champions League run, a real stand-out performer and the difference between them and opponents in some matches.
He scored five goals in nine games, including both strikes against Real Madrid as BVB almost mounted a classic second-leg comeback, and he also managed 16 chances created along the way. Growing into one of the most dangerous attacking players in Europe, he's one of very few players who would improve every side going.

6. Philipp Lahm, Bayern Munich

 

Philipp Lahm seems to have become the focal point for people talking about Pep Guardiola’s Bayern Munich side, after his tactical and positional switches during the campaign and his all-round quality on the ball.

Whether from a deep midfield role or his usual impressive full-back starting point, Lahm has demonstrated great ability in possession, a willingness to perform as the manager sees fit and, of course, his great personal hallmark of consistency.

That he couldn’t help his side retain the Champions League trophy will have been a disappointment, but it wasn’t for lack of Lahm’s own contribution.

5. Diego Costa, Atletico Madrid

 

It says much for Atletico Madrid that they managed to get to the final without Diego Costa playing in a third of their Champions League matches. Perhaps it says even more about the striker himself that the team's best displays have come with him fit and firing.
A growly, aggressive, determined and narky character, Diego Costa refuses to accept anything other than winning every challenge, loose ball and argument—you'd think he was a central defender except for his incredible close control, great acceleration and career-best goalscoring tally.
Eight goals in eight games for the Spanish international, including three against AC Milan and one against Chelsea in the knockouts.
He and the club took a gamble in the final, but it backfired as he lasted a handful of minutes before being withdrawn. That should not tarnish his achievements.

4. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, PSG

 

A forward who transcends the gap between playmaker and goalscorer is a precious commodity. Zlatan Ibrahimovic brings both of those traits and much more to the PSG party, creating 14 goals for the French side in the Champions League this season...and scoring 10 goals in eight games.
The variation in goals from the Swedish forward is ridiculous enough, but being one of only three players who managed better than a goal-per-game ratio (and one of two to hit double figures) is extremely impressive.
His all-round game, dropping into channels, allowing runners off him and working hard for the team means it is probable, rather than merely possible, that his absence in the quarter-final second leg cost PSG a semi-final spot.
Oh, and next time someone mentions to you he "only" scored four against Anderlecht, take them outside and challenge them to repeat goals two, three or four.

3. Lionel Messi, Barcelona

 

Have we dispelled the "Messi's poor season" myth yet? No, the Argentine wasn't at his stunning, world-beating best, because of injuries or because of the changes in the team.
But yes, he absolutely did remain one of the world's top players, a pivotal figure in the Champions League for Barcelona and an individual capable of helping his team step up a level when needed.
Messi scored a hat-trick on the opening group day and went on to net eight in just seven games, despite only playing half the group stage. He also created 16 chances for his team, second highest in the squad, and was one of the Barca players probing most for an opening against Atletico in the semi-finals.
Another terrific campaign, albeit a reduced one.

2. Luka Modric, Real Madrid

 

Luka Modric has had the best season of his career, showing a consistency beyond what he has previously managed and a far higher ceiling in terms of how much he impacts on matches.

Playing in a central midfield role has allowed him to dictate the flow of Real Madrid’s play to a far greater extent, with plenty of movement and energy ahead of him to create the spaces the Croatian thrives on, finding the right timing and weight of pass into those gaps.

If he could add a handful more goals to his game from that deeper line he could well be seen as the most complete creative midfielder in Europe at present; even so his involvement in constructing Real’s attacks makes him a formidable opponent.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid

 

Cristiano Ronaldo is the unsurprising No. 1 name on our list after a completely stunning Champions League campaign.

The Real Madrid man broke the goalscoring record for a single campaign in the competition, was the driving force behind the quality of his side going forward and showed great relentlessness with his consistency. Despite missing two Champions League games, he has netted 17 goals—including a penalty in the final.

Whether from the left side or through the centre, Ronaldo’s pace and thrust was once again the key for his side’s success, leading Real through the groups with ease and the knockout stages with increasing intent.