Real Madrid defeated Liverpool to win their 14th UEFA Champions League title. Real Madrid’s “A por la 14’ bid started with 31 other teams drawn across Europe’s elite leagues. Still, the difference for Real Madrid was the showmanship and determination of players like Karim Benzema, Vinicius Junior, David Alaba, Thibaut Courtois, Luka Modric, Casemiro, and others on their record-breaking team.
The contenders, Liverpool FC, were also close to winning their 7th UEFA Champions League title as torrents of shots from Mohammed Salah, the departing Sadio Mane, Andy Robertson, and Trent Alexander-Arnold were either denied by the goal post or by Courtois’ brilliance. Nobody could have made picks against the spread of goals in that match, but the football odds favored Real Madrid on the night in Paris.
Indeed Real Madrid players can hold their heads up high. The Liverpool team can also beat their chests knowing fully well that they gave their all towards helping their team win the UEFA Champions League trophy. Liverpool FC fans will also be proud that their team participated in all matches. Unfortunately for some teams, their players’ performance let them down on European football’s biggest stage.
Who are these players that failed to deliver? This article will reveal them.
Five top players who did not meet fans’ expectations at the 2021/2022 UEFA Champions League tournament
Edouard Mendy
The Chelsea shot-stopper nearly won all awards in the 2020/2021 season for his role in Chelsea’s UEFA Champions League triumph. However, the FIFA Best Men’s goalkeeper winner looked like a shadow of himself in this year’s competition. In the first leg of Chelsea’s quarterfinals against Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge, Mendy made an error that gifted Benzema a goal that dented Chelsea’s chances of qualifying. In the return leg at the Santiago Bernabeu, Mendy could not save any of the goals that eventually knocked Chelsea out of the competition.
Neymar
Neymar once again failed to deliver on the biggest stage for Paris Saint-Germain. The Brazilian-born attacker could not perform his magic to deliver the much-coveted UEFA Champions League trophy to PSG. Neymar wasn’t alone this time. He had the support of Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe. Still, their cards crumbled under Benzema’s weight at the Santiago Bernabeu. PSG fans are dying to have the UEFA Champions League in their hands. Still, with performances like Neymar’s, they keep questioning if they have the right players to win them the trophy.
Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi was another PSG disappointment. The 7-time Ballon D’Or winner looked like a shadow of himself all year long at PSG. He could not even form a strong synergy with Mbappe and Neymar to replicate PSG’s reputation on paper on the pitch. The former Barcelona man still has a lot to deliver on Football’s biggest stage. Still, he needs to show the impatient PSG fans that he can bring them to the promised land with their UEFA Champions league in hand.
Erling Haaland
Borussia Dortmund got to the Quarter Finals of the UEFA Champions League in the 2020/2021 season, with Erling Haaland scoring ten goals and providing two assists. In the 2021/2022 season, Borussia Dortmund could not even advance out of the group stage. They dropped to the UEFA Europa League. UEFA Europa League finalists, Rangers FC, knocked out Borussia Dortmund and Haaland’s firing boots. With Haaland’s recent move to Manchester City, one would hope that their partnership will deliver the UEFA Champions League trophy for both player and club when the Champions League’s classical anthem plays next season.
Sergio Busquets
The three-time UEFA Champions League winner failed to produce a spectacular performance in the Barcelona shirt this season. Busquets played all six group games but could not deliver any goals or assists for Barcelona. The 33-year-old also recorded 0% goal participation which rubbed off on Barcelona negatively.
Conclusion
Many other top players failed to perform for their clubs. Notable names include Eden Hazard, who has a UEFA Champions League medal to his name despite only appearing three times for Real Madrid. For next season’s UEFA Champions League competition, fans will be counting on all of these players to play their hearts out and deliver the UEFA Champions league to their teams.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2022.
