Four Liverpool stars have been included in the Champions League Team of the Season - but there is no place for star forward Mohamed Salah.
The Egyptian netted eight goals in the competition but seven of those strikes came in the group stages and none past the Round of 16. The Reds were defeated by Real Madrid in the Champions League final on Saturday – their third final in the competition in the past five years.
Four of Salah's Liverpool teammates were included in the UEFA-selected side; defenders Andy Robertson, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold were all picked in the backline alongside holding midfielder Fabinho. The team was selected by UEFA's Technical Observer panel based on performances throughout this year's competition.
There were also four players included from competition winners Madrid, who secured their 14th Champions League crown after securing their 35th La Liga title last month. Karim Benzema was naturally selected in attack – the Frenchman netted 10 goals in the knockout stages of the competition including remarkable hat-tricks against Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea.
Benzema – named as the Player of the Tournament by UEFA and whose header in the victory at Chelsea in the quarter-final was named as Goal of the Tournament – is joined in the side by Vinicius Junior, whose goal just before the hour mark decided the final against the Reds at the Stade de France. The Brazilian was crowned Young Player of the Tournament due to his performances alongside Benzema in attack.
Thibaut Courtois, whose imperious goalkeeping performance helped keep Salah and his teammates out during the showpiece, was also included alongside midfield maestro Luka Modric – who continually defies his 36 years with supreme performances.
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Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger – who is set to join the Spanish champions as a free agent this summer – was also selected in defence, while Manchester City playmaker Kevin de Bruyne and Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe, who has rejected a summer move to Madrid, complete the side.
It was arguably the most memorable Champions League in recent years, with Real Madrid's path to success an incredible story of comebacks against those teams most highly fancied to lift the trophy. Their defeats of Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Man City and Liverpool saw them defeat each of the competition favourites.
English sides were the victims of Madrid's mentality and self-belief, with the Blues losing their crown at the quarter-final stage while City's wait for Champions League glory continues and Liverpool's incredible season ended on a disappointing note.
