3 best performers from the Champions League semifinals

The UEFA Champions League semifinals produced some memorable, thrilling encounters that kept the competition’s reputation shining bright. Real Madrid and Manchester City played out an absolute classic, being involved in two action-packed games in which Los Blancos came out on top.

Real Madrid saved their best for last, scoring twice in stoppage time of the second leg to force extra time — in which Karim Benzema’s penalty won them the tie. Liverpool also survived a scare against Villarreal and didn’t have it easy after winning the first leg 2-0.

The La Liga side took a 2-0 lead in the second leg before Liverpool capitalized on some goalkeeping errors to win it 3-2, and the tie by an aggregate of 5-2, sealing a spot in the final against Madrid. A few individual players played key roles in their teams’ success in the semifinals, as we look at the three best performers from the Champions League semis.

Karim Benzema: Madrid’s Champions League hero

Karim Benzema is making the case as the MVP of this season’s Champions League with his incredible work for Real Madrid. He went into the semifinals against City with 12 goals in just nine games, but his hunger didn’t disappear in the semis.

Benzema operated like a leader for a Madrid side who were willing to allow City to dominate possession and put them under pressure. He scored a smart goal from close range for his first in the first leg, before going on to convert a beautiful Panenka penalty to bring the score to 3-4 heading into the second leg.

At the Santiago Bernabeu, Benzema showed a willingness to drop deep in order to defend as well as link up nice attacking moves for his side. He displayed a never-say-die attitude even as his side were on the verge of elimination, making a clever flick-on to assist Rodrygo’s first goal.

The Frenchman kept pegging his side forward to force extra time, in which he earned a penalty by drawing a foul from Ruben Dias. Benzema converted the penalty perfectly, helping Madrid record a famous comeback win and take his tally to 15 Champions League goals this season.

Sadio Mane makes his mark

Sadio Mane is a strong contender for the Ballon d’Or alongside Benzema for the impressive campaign he’s been having. He proved his class across the two legs against Villarreal, keeping a cool head when the pressure mounted for him and his teammates.

Mane operated as a centre-forward in the first game and took his time analyzing how to break down the Villarreal backline. He did so in the second half, expertly breaking past his marker to produce a superb finish to make it 2-0.

But after Liverpool saw their lead destroyed in the first half of the second leg when Villarreal took a 2-0 lead of their own, Mane decided to lead from the front. His clever movement and link-up play helped Liverpool build up prominent attacking moves, eventually helping them bring the game level to 2-2.

Mane then produced the icing on top by capitalizing on a goalkeeping error. He moved the ball past goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli and proceeded to dribble past another defender before scoring into an open goal. That took Mane’s tally to 21 goals this season for Liverpool and five in the Champions League, with two of those goals coming in the semifinals proving he’s keeping the best for last.

Bernardo Silva: Man City’s brightest?

Man City will probably be ruing their fortunes after suffering that dismal last-minute loss to Real Madrid, but Bernardo Silva is one player who can keep his head high after the semis. The Portuguese midfielder was almost unplayable for the majority of the two legs, tormenting the Madrid midfielders and defenders with his excellent movement.

He scored a brilliant goal in the first leg to help give his side a 4-2 lead after the referee played an advantage from a foul. Even in the second leg, Bernardo never looked nervous under the pressure. His link-up play was superb, as he progressed the ball forward with ease and efficiency.

Bernardo completed five dribbles (as per WhoScored) in the second leg and even assisted Riyad Mahrez’s goal with a cheeky late pass. He also did his defensive duties, making two tackles and one interception. He obviously couldn’t do much about what transpired toward the end.

Despite being on the losers’ side, Bernardo was a joy to watch in the semifinals and one of the best players to feature in them.