11:00 a.m – The 2021/2022 Champions League season is over. Real Madrid emerged victorious from Saturday night’s clash with Liverpool, lifting the big-eared trophy for the fourteenth time in the club’s history. The lovers of the multi-billion dollar ball can spoil themselves, because in a few weeks the preliminary rounds for the next edition will start. Luckily there is still time to look back. According to FCUpdate.nl, this is the best team of the past season.
Goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois
Normally, a goalkeeper who scores more goals than he played doesn’t have a place in the best team. But if Courtois hadn’t been so good at goalkeeping last season, Real Madrid would have struggled even more and never clinched the overall win. The Belgian goalie played a huge part in Los Blancos’ success. What about his save from a low slip by Jack Grealish in the second leg semi-final against Manchester City? Courtois kept Real Madrid going with his big toe, after which the Spaniards made a great turnaround. Even in the final against Liverpool there was no match for Courtois, who made one beautiful save after the other. The Belgian said afterwards that he didn’t get enough respect. Well, if that hasn’t changed…
Also see: Courtois’ great saves in the Champions League final
Right-back: Dani Carvajal
Admittedly, the choice for the right-back position was not an easy one. Trent Alexander-Arnold is widely regarded as the best right-back on European pitches. The Englishman also achieved a high level in the Champions League, as evidenced by his four assists. But in the most important game, the final against Real Madrid, he didn’t give up. When Vinicius Junior met, Alexander-Arnold was asleep. However, the other right-back on the pitch, Carvajal, arguably played his best game of the season. The little Spaniard was everywhere, from back to front. But even more important: he completely outplayed his direct opponent Luis Díaz, who was one of the trendsetters at Liverpool FC in the second half of the season. When you reach such a high level in such an important moment and also win your fifth (!) Champions League, you belong in our best team.
Central defender: Virgil van Dijk
Is it a coincidence that Liverpool are right through to the final in the season of the Orange captain’s return? Not really. Van Dijk fought his third final fight last Saturday. He cannot be blamed for losing for the second time. The Dutchman was tasked with keeping Karim Benzema at bay and he undoubtedly succeeded. Van Dijk was sidelined for most of last season with a serious knee injury. The question remains how he would do this season. After 51 games we can only say that he did an excellent job.
Central defender: Raul Albiol
Many would probably have preferred to see Éder Militão, David Alaba or Ibrahim Konaté alongside Van Dijk. But we really chose Albiol. The Spaniard is already blowing out 37 candles in September but you really wouldn’t say that after seeing him in action last season. The older the better for Albiol. As the leader of Villarreal’s defence, he led his side to a historic feat. Although Villarreal are stranded in the semi-finals, the adventure of beating Juventus in the last 16 and eliminating Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals will not be forgotten any time soon. Robert Lewandowski needs to reconsider his future. If he chooses FC Barcelona, he will meet the old hand again.
Left-Back: Joao Cancelo
Full-backs who can play both right and left are very rare in modern football. But there is one at Manchester City that shows how important a player like that can be for a manager. Whether he covers the right wing or the left wing, Cancelo always achieves a high level. We even disparage him by calling him a left-back as he spends most of the game in or near the penalty area. The Portuguese provided three assists last season in the Champions League, all at home against Club Brugge. He also scored twice more. Just find a player who also (often) asserts himself defensively.
