There are some glaring emissions from the Champions League team of the season. A strong side, yet missing Liverpool star players.
Sadio Mane and James Milner have been left out of the Champions League team of year. They were both instrumental in helping Liverpool to runner-up status.
Ultimately the Merseysiders lost 3-1 to Real Madrid. Goalkeeper Loris Karius was at fault for two of Madrid’s goals. Gareth Bale’s overhead-kick to take the lead is what many are describing as the best in a cup final.
Since the game, UEFA have named their best Champions League team of 2017/18. Selected by UEFA’s ‘technical observers’, the squad includes a whopping eight Galacticos.
UEFA's Technical Observers have chosen their #UCL Squad of the Season. Do you agree with their selection? pic.twitter.com/BYqyIA0DJ9
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) May 27, 2018
Real Madrid’s Keylor Navas and Alisson from Roma made the cut as goalkeepers. Despite certain questionable displays from the Costa Rican. Unsurprisingly Liverpool’s Simon Mignolet and Loris Karius are uninvolved. Karius was at fault for two goals leading to Madrid’s final win.
Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Virgil Van Dijk are Included. Yet Liverpool fans should rightly feel indignation at Milner and Mane’s team exclusions. This is because of their fantastic records and top performances in the competition all season.
Senegalese Mane was the only player to score in all five rounds. Incredible really, as only three other players have done that this century.
And the fact that two of them are multiple Ballon d’Or winners: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Diego Milito has also achieved that feat since the year 2000.
Firmino, not to mention Salah, also managed 10 a piece this campaign.
Milner set a new competition record for most assists. He beat world-class former owners of the title: Neymar, along with Wayne Rooney.
Nine assists in 11 matches is another reason the Englishman possibly should be coaxed out of international retirement. Thus breathing life into a stagnated England midfield missing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Who selects the team?
According to UEFA, their technical observers’ duties are to:
"“watch the games, to analyse them from a technical point of view and then to report back their findings. These reports then become part of the overall technical report, a document that analyses the competition from a technical and tactical point of view, making note of the important players, goals and moments”(Quote via: www.uefa.com)"
Next: A perfect goalkeeper for Liverpool
The observers include: Sir Alex Ferguson, Ryan Giggs, Fabio Capello, Roy Hodgson, Peter Rudbaek, Mixu Paatelainen, Gines Melendez, Thomas Schaaf, Ioan Lupescu. To be fair, their further selections are mostly exemplary.