The UEFA Champions League round of 16 concluded this Wednesday (March 18), with a whopping 68 goals across 16 matches. The last-16 stage of the tournament saw a number of high-profile stars impressing in the final third, helping their teams reach the quarter-finals.
So, who were the best 5 performers from the recently concluded UEFA Champions League round of 16?
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UEFA Champions League R16: 5 best players
#5 Luis Diaz (Bayern Munich)
Colombia winger Luis Diaz started both of Bayern Munich’s last-16 games against Atalanta, playing a vital role in the Bavarians’ 10-2 win on aggregate. The 29-year-old provided an assist in the 6-1 win at Atalanta before registering one goal and an assist in the 4-1 victory at Allianz Arena. He completed an impressive nine dribbles and also created five chances across two legs.
#4 Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid)
Argentina striker Julian Alvarez led from the front for Atletico Madrid in his side’s 7-5 aggregate win against Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League round of 16. He scored twice on either side of the break and laid out an assist in the 5-2 first leg win, while he contributed a goal and an assist in the 3-2 second leg loss to help his club seal a quarter-final tie against Barcelona.
#3 Raphinha (Barcelona)
Brazil forward Raphinha shouldered most of the responsibility of guiding Barcelona to the quarter-finals after his club were held to a 1-1 draw at Newcastle United. He failed to register a goal involvement in the first leg, but recorded two goals and two assists in the 7-2 second leg triumph at Camp Nou. He also created nine chances, including four big chances, in two last-16 games.
#2 Federico Valverde (Real Madrid)
Uruguay midfielder Federico Valverde produced a captain’s display in his side’s 3-0 Champions League round of 16 first leg win against Manchester City. He scored three goals in the first half at Estadio Bernabeu before his tireless performance in the 2-1 second leg triumph at Etihad Stadium. He created three chances and won 15 of his 28 overall duels across two contests.
#1 Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Paris Saint-Germain)
Georgia winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia turned heads with his excellent goalscoring performances in Paris Saint-Germain’s (PSG) 8-2 aggregate win over Chelsea. He scored a brace and provided an assist in his second half cameo in the 5-2 first leg. He then netted the opener in PSG’s 3-0 second leg victory at Stamford Bridge after starting the match on the left-side of the pitch.
Edited by Debkalpa Banerjee
