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UEFA released the squad for the Champions League season on Friday, in a batch of 23 players considered the best in the latest edition of the competition, according to the technical observer’s office. And the big surprise is the absence of … Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Portuguese Juventus star scored four goals in eight games in the competition, but was hampered by his team’s elimination in the round of 16 against Lyon.
Among those chosen there is only one Portuguese, goalkeeper Anthony Lopes who shone in the service of semifinalist Lyon.
In addition, the European champion Bayern Munich is the most represented club, with nine footballers among those chosen: Manuel Neuer, Alaba, Kimmich, Alphonso Davies, Gnabry, Thomas Müller, Thiago Alcântara, Goretzka and Lewandowski.
The UEFA panel consisting of Pat Bonner, Cosmin Contra, Aitor Karanka, Roberto Martínez, Ginés Meléndez, Phil Neville, Willi Ruttensteiner and Gareth Southgate chose the following 23 players:
Goalkeeper – Manuel Neuer (Bavaria), Jan Oblak (Atlético de Madrid), Anthony Lopes (Lyon);
Defesas – Alphonso Davies (Bavaria), Joshua Kimmich (Bavaria), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Dayot Upamecano (RB Leipzig), Angeliño (RB Leipzig), David Alaba (Bavaria);
Midfielders: Thiago Alcântara (Bayern), Kevin De Bruyne (Man. City), Houssem Aouar (Lyon), Leon Goretzka (Bayern), Marcel Sabitzer (RB Leipzig), Marquinhos (PSG), Alejandro Gómez (Atalanta), Thomas Müller ( Bayern);
Advanced – Serge Gnabry (Bayern), Robert Lewandowski (Bayern), Kylian Mbappé (PSG), Neymar (PSG), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Raheem Sterling (Man. City).