Seven Real Madrid players have been named in UEFA’s Champions League Squad of the Year – more than any other club in this season’s competition.
Los Blancos won the final 4-1 after extra time against city rivals Atletico de Madrid in Lisbon to secure their 10th European Cup. The success ended the 12-year wait for the much coveted Decima trophy.
And now, a technical studies group at European football’s governing body has chosen seven of the team to feature in a dream squad of 18 – the number of players allowed in a squad for Champions League matches.
Daniel Carvajal, Pepe and Sergio Ramos are named in defence, while the midfield includes Angel di Maria, Luka Modric and Xabi Alonso – who was banned from this year’s final after picking up too many yellow cards. Cristiano Ronaldo is named among the forwards, but there is no place in the 18 for either Karim Benzema, or Gareth Bale, who scored the crucial second goal for Madrid in Lisbon that left Atletico fans broken-hearted.
There is also no room for club captain Iker Casillas, who was used in the competition by Carlo Ancelotti, but not in La Liga, a policy introduced by previous boss Jose Mourinho.
Here is the full squad chosen by UEFA:
Goalkeepers: Courtois (Atlético de Madrid) and Neuer (Bayern Munich).
Defenders: Godín (Atlético de Madrid), Lahm (Bayern Munich), Carvajal (Real Madrid), Pepe (Real Madrid) and Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid).
Midfielders: Gabi (Atlético de Madrid), Iniesta (Barcelona), Kroos (Bayern Munich), Di María (Real Madrid), Modric (Real Madrid) and Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid).
Forwards: Reus (Borussia Dortmund), Diego Costa (Atlético de Madrid), Robben (Bayern Munich), Ibrahimovic (PSG) and Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid).
CR7 The best.