We’re at the end of August and still waiting for the Kings of Europe to be crowned with Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich all set to clash horns in the final of the 2020 Champions League. This match promises to be a cracker of a final. There have been many standout teams as well as players in the competition, but who will win the coveted ‘Player of the Tournament’ award this year? Let’s find out.
ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI (Bayern Munich)
Bayern Munich have topped the charts in every sense in the 2020 Champions League. When it comes to most chances created or most goals scored or attempts on targets, Bayern have been the standout team in the competition. So no surprise that a Bayern Munich player is the leading goalscorer this season. Robert Lewandowski has scored 15 times and has six assists in the competition and has had a remarkable year both on a personal front and the team as a whole. He leads both the goal scoring and assists charts and if the Ballon d’Or wasn’t cancelled, then he would’ve been the favourite to win it. It’ll be no surprise if the Pole was to win the Player of the Tournament award and he’d be a deserved winner as well.
KYLIAN MBAPPE (Paris Saint-Germain)
The World Cup winner with France has been another standout player in the 2020 Champions League. The young Frenchman has been influential for PSG and has helped them reach their first-ever Champions League final. His stats reflect that he’ll be a worthy winner of the Player of the Tournament award; with five goals and five assists in the competition. His importance was felt in the quarter-final match against Atalanta where he came off the bench and helped his team to forge a comeback. Will he be able to win the trophy his club so desperately wants? We’ll have to wait till August 30 to get that answer.
ALPHONSO DAVIES (Bayern Munich)
At only 19, Alphonso Davies is already considered as the best left-back going around in the world. He has been important for Hansi Flick’s Bayern Munich to be so successful this season. He is good at tackling, his pace is right up there and his dribbling skills are that of a winger. These qualities make him an ideal full-back in modern football. He has contributed with four assists this season in the Champions League and has helped Bayern keep five clean sheets as well. His skills and his dribble, which led to Joshua Kimmich’s goal against Barcelona, showed what this youngster is actually capable of. A definite contender for the prestigious award.
NEYMAR JUNIOR (Paris Saint-Germain)
When the spotlight is on Neymar, he stands out everytime. His goal tally of just three goals and four assists don’t reflect the real contribution the Brazilan has had on the 2020 Champions League campaign. He has missed his regular composure in front of goal in the knockout stage of the competition but maybe, he is saving his best for the all-important final. Unsurprisingly, he has been the best dribbler in the PSG team and has contributed massively to the resurgence of the French team in the competition. Player of the Tournament award worthy? We think so.
ERLING HAALAND (RB Salzburg and Borussia Dortmund)
Erling Haaland started this season’s Champions League with the Austrian club, RB Salzburg. He netted eight times for Salzburg and twice for Borussia Dortmund. His move to German giants Borussia Dortmund took place in January 2020 and he has been more than a handful since his move to the Bundesliga team. In just eight Champions League appearances, he scored ten times and still stands as the second-highest goalscorer in the competition. An outside chance of winning the Player of the Tournament award? Maybe.
ANGEL DI MARIA (Paris Saint Germain)
An unsung hero in PSG’s journey to the final, Angel Di Maria has six assists to his name and is leading the assists charts. He has netted three times as well, which shows his overall contribution to the team. He was dearly missed in the quarter-final against Atalanta but he returned to display his class in the semi-final against RB Leipzig. Seems like a kind of player who makes others look better on a football pitch, and that quality is sure to help his team in the all-important final against Bayern Munich.
SERGE GNABRY (Bayern Munich)
Who would’ve thought that the player who was described as not up-to-the-mark to play for West Bromwich Albion by Tony Pulis would be in the Champions League final five years later? Gnabry had a wretched time in England before returning to his home country, Germany, for just five million pounds. Can you imagine what his value will be in the current market? Gnabry has been inspirational for Bayern Munich, who are in quest for their sixth European title. The German international has scored nine times in the 2020 Champions League and even has an assist in the competition. Another big performance in the final and the Player of the Tournament could be his.
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