Top 5 midfielders who can influence UEFA Champions League Quarter-Finals
Midfielders are usually considered as the football team’s backbone. The world’s best midfielders are frequently adept at creating chances, maintaining possession of the ball, and breaking down defences.
The Champions League 2021-22 season now in its knockout phase, is home to a string of great midfielders and the best thing is, there’s a player to suit everyone’s needs. With destructive number fours, playmaking number sixes, dynamic number eights, and silky number tens, only the best and most prolific players remain in the competition.
#1 Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City)
Mahrez has scored six goals in the Champions League this term
Not exactly popular for banging in goals on such a regular basis, the Algerian star has shone in the Champions League this season. In the UCL so far, the athletic dribbler who has either featured as a right-winger or right midfielder for his team has scored a brilliant six goals in seven starts while also providing a single assist.
Much of this has been thanks to Manchester City‘s attractive, high-scoring style of play. The Citizens have scored 23 goals in the Champions League this season. In City’s first-leg fixture against Sporting, where they trounced the Portuguese side 5-0, Mahrez scored a goal and made an assist as well. The Algerian would be instrumental in City’s maiden championship aspirations.
#2 Jorginho (Chelsea)
Jorginho has netted two goals and provided one assist in UCL this term
Jorginho is a technically gifted defensive midfielder who prefers to play as the game’s focal point and tempo setter. The Italian has already netted nine goals in 31 appearances while also setting up three for others. In the Champions League, he has netted two and provided one.
He was a vital cog in Chelsea’s system as they won the UEFA Champions League. Jorginho was also an important member of the Italian side that had a triumphant run at Euro 2020. He was also named UEFA’s Men’s Player of the Year.
Jorginho is excellent at reading the game. This enables him to cut passing lanes and make interceptions regularly. He is very important to his team as far as winning possession back is concerned. But Jorginho’s main strength is his distribution. He keeps things ticking in midfield by playing slick short passes. If Chelsea are to repeat last season’s heroics, Jorginho would have to be instrumental for the club again this term.
#3 Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
Kevin De Bruyne is often regarded as the best ‘attacking midfielder’ in the world currently
Kevin De Bruyne, the Manchester City player, is often regarded as the best ‘attacking midfielder’ in the world. Apart from Cristiano Ronaldo and Thierry Henry, he is the only player to have won the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award two years in a row.
He has scored 12 goals for the defending Premier League champions in all competitions however he is yet to register a goal in the Champions League this season. With five assists also to his name, De Bruyne is an integral member of Pep Guardiola’s side who is aiming to register their first European Championship win. Thus, against Atletico, the Belgian has to bring up his A-game for the English champions to progress to the next round.
#4 Casemiro (Real Madrid)
Casemiro’s positional sense and tactical awareness make him a great asset
Casemiro is the very definition of a midfield destroyer. He is a physically imposing presence in midfield and he loves a tackle. The Real Madrid holding midfielder is a ball recovering machine who pops up with occasional goals. Although yet to find the back of the net this season, his average of 1.3 interceptions per game and 1.4 clearances per game in this UCL campaign reflects the greatness of this player.
He lends a lot of balance to his team. Casemiro’s positional sense and tactical awareness make him a great asset in midfield when the opposition breaks on the counter. He will be an integral player for gaffer Carlo Ancelotti if Madrid is to overcome defending Champions Chelsea in the quarterfinals.
#5 Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)
Joshua Kimmich has a pass success rate of 91% in this UCL term
Joshua Kimmich has been absolutely immense for his club and country. Starting as a full-back, he has transformed into one of the best defensive midfielders in Europe. He is so technically adept that it’s almost reductive to use the term ‘defensive midfielder’ as he is more of a deep-lying playmaker.
Excellent at making tackles, interceptions and recoveries; he is responsible for ticking precise passes to his forwards. The German has a pass success rate of 91% in this edition of the Champions League, while also registering 2.3 tackles and 1.8 interceptions this term. His good performance against Villareal would certainly warrant Bayern’s chance of progressing to the next stage.