End-of-season honours for the 2021/22 Champions League: greatest player, best manager, and more
Real Madrid won the 2021/22 Champions League final 1-0 at the Stade de France, thanks to Vinicius Junior’s title-winning goal. While Los Merengues won their 14th Champions League title, Carlo Ancelotti became the first manager in Champions League history to win four titles. For the first time since Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure in 2018, Madrid has won the Champions League. They did, however, discover a new talisman in Karim Benzema. The Frenchman had a fantastic individual season in both Europe and La Liga, breaking multiple records on his way to becoming a major Ballon d’Or contender.
Karim Benzema was named the best player.
It was rather simple to pick an outstanding player in this season’s competition. It’s been years since Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Robert Lewandowski appeared so far from winning Europe’s most prestigious title. Indeed, Benzema was miles ahead of his peers, almost single-handedly leading Madrid to a record-extending Champions League championship. After scoring an astounding 15 goals, including a record-equaling eleven in the knockout stages alone, the 34-year-old basked in the spotlight as the competition’s star performer. He was a talismanic figure for Los Blancos, assisting them in some of the competition’s most spectacular comebacks. Even if he did not score in the final, his back-to-back hat-tricks against PSG and Chelsea will help him build a strong resume.
Carlo Ancelotti is the best manager in the world.
Ancelotti now stands alone in the pantheon of managerial greats after upsetting PSG, Chelsea, and Manchester City en route to the Paris final and defeating Jurgen Klopp in the title decider. The 62-year-old earned his fourth Champions League trophy, putting him at the top of the list of the competition’s most successful managers. As a result, it’s impossible to argue that any other manager could win the accolade over the legendary Italian tactician. Respect to Mr. Ancelotti.
Team of the Year
Thibaut Courtois; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Antonio Rudiger, Andy Robertson; Fabinho, Luka Modric, Kevin De Bruyne; Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Karim Benzema; Fabinho, Luka Modric, Kevin De Bruyne; Fabinho, Luka Modric, Kevin De Bruyne; Fabinho, Luka Modric, Kevin De Against Dynamo Kyiv, Robert Lewandowski scored the best goal. Bayern Munich dominated Group E, winning all six games and scoring 22 goals, including Lewandowski’s masterpiece against Dynamo Kyiv on Matchday 5. On a cold night in Ukraine’s capital, the Pole’s incredible bicycle kick was an unquestionable highlight of this season’s Champions League group stages. Despite Kylian Mbappe’s scorching solo goal against Madrid in the last-16 and Benzema’s thunderous header against Chelsea in the quarter-finals, Lewandowski’s goal against Kyiv is deserving of the award.
Manchester City defeated Real Madrid 4:3 in the best game of the season.
It’s not every day that a Champions League semi-final ends in a seven-goal thriller, but it happened that night at the Etihad Stadium. The first leg of a thrilling last-four matchup between Manchester City and Real Madrid made headlines as one of the most exciting nights in recent Champions League history. Kevin De Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus scored a rapid double for Pep Guardiola’s side barely 11 minutes into the game, giving City what many thought a tie-breaking lead. Before halftime, Benzema had cut the Cityzens’ lead in half. Only eight minutes after the break, Phil Foden restored a two-goal lead. Throughout the second half, the action remained back-and-forth, with Vinicius Junior, Bernardo Silva, and Benzema scoring in that sequence to keep the tie open ahead of the second leg in Madrid.
Nuno needs to make a big Kane call.
Tottenham Hotspur fans had had enough of Harry Kane as he walked around aimlessly for 90 minutes against Manchester United.Kane has only scored once in the Premier League this season, and he barely broke a sweat when Spurs were thrashed by Manchester United. Nuno Espirito Santo backed Kane after the game, although it’s unclear whether he genuinely believed what he was saying. Nuno will put Kane in the stands until he gets his head out of his buttocks if he has any sense. Choose someone who is willing to put their body on the line for the team.
Tavares should be retained by Arsenal.
Arsenal’s decision to spend about £7 million for Nuno Tavares last summer may turn out to be the best business choice made by a Premier League club. Last weekend, Tavares filled in admirably for Kieran Tierney against Aston Villa, and he backed it up with a confident display against Leicester City yesterday. The 21-year-old is a competent defender who can also score goals, and he doesn’t appear to have Tierney’s bothersome habit of deceiving referees. Arsenal would be wise to make Tavares their first-choice left-back, given the former Celtic defender’s injury record. That was the week, Are you looking for the most interesting football stories over the last seven days? Check out the following:
Today’s most popular song
When we asked Alexa to play Halloween tunes this morning, she took us on a strange and delightful musical journey. AC Milan is a Serie A club based Arsenal Villa Aston Barcelona Rovers Blackburn Chelsea Croatia Crystal Palace is a palace in London. Current Events Derbyshire is a county in the United Kingdom. England Football in England Football in Europe Everton Featured Clubs in the Football League France Germany Gillingham Hearts is a football club based in Gillingham, Holland Italy Juventus Leicester City is a football club based in Leicester Liverpool Managers Manchester City is a Premier League club based in Manchester United is a football club based in England Football is a money game. Newcastle United is a football club based in Newcastle Peterborough Players from the United States Portsmouth Portugal Predictions Premier League is a football league in the United Kingdom Rangers Real Madrid is a Spanish football club based in Sheffield United is a football club based in Sheffield Spain Stoke City is a football club based in the Sunderland Tottenham Hotspur is a football club based in England. West Ham United is a football club based in United Football in the World What was unexpected was the discovery of ‘Witches,’ a hidden masterpiece by Dundee-based indie band The View. Enjoy!