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Following the reveal of the Champions League's best XI, as selected by UEFA's Technical Observer panel, Pulse Sports have chosen a replacement team in Europe’s premier club competition for 2022-23.
There were little grumblings after the Champions League disclosed the competition’s team of the season on Sunday.
While most observers agreed with many of the selections in the XI, other critics did not shy away from listing players they believed deserved a look-in.
The pick that seemed to cause the most debate was Thibaut Courtois’ selection ahead of Andre Onana and Ederson, both Champions League finalists with Inter Milan and Manchester City, respectively.
Who makes our alternative UCL lineup going by advanced metrics?
Goalkeeper
Andre Onana (Inter Milan)
Among the first-choice goalkeepers to have made it out of the group stage, only Courtois made more saves per 90 than Inter’s custodian (4.10-3.62), although Onana’s save percentage (80.7%) outdid the Real Madrid man’s 79.2%.
The Cameroonian’s goals prevention statistic adds another layer of context to his impressive shot-stopping. According to FBref, Onana prevented almost eight goals (7.6) based on the quality of shots he faced throughout the competition — outdoing every custodian.
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21:50 - 09.06.2023
UCL Inzaghi, LuLa and Onana: Inter can put paid to Guardiola's treble dream
Manchester City are the favourites in Saturday’s Champions League final, but the man in the dugout and players at both ends of the pitch could swing the game in the Nerazzurri’s favour.
No goalkeeper had more than the Inter goalie’s eight clean sheets.
Defenders
Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli)
The Napoli captain was one of the competition’s productive full-backs, scoring twice and supplying as many assists in 10 appearances for the Partenopei.
He fashioned five big chances — only two wide defenders created more — and was largely astute defensively.
Di Lorenzo ranked 23rd for tackles plus interceptions (30) and ball recoveries (53)
Kim Min-jae (Napoli)
Like Di Lorenzo, Kim played excellently in the 2022-23 Champions League. The South Korean placed seventh for the percentage of aerial duels won among players to have averaged six games or more and made a respectable 41 ball recoveries.
Only Benfica’s Florentino Luis (27) made more interceptions than the Napoli centre-back (20), who ranked 10th for tackles plus interceptions and was outranked by seven players for total clearances (32).
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Kim was successful in all six attempts to challenge a dribbling player, one of 10 players in the competition without blemish.
Manuel Akanji (Manchester City)
Apart from scoring one of the goals in the eventual champions’ 4-0 thrashing of Real Madrid in the semi-final second leg, Akanji filled multiple roles in a back four and back three.
Only seven players outdid the centre-back’s tackles plus interceptions (36), and the Switzerland international’s 61 recoveries placed him 14th in the Champions League.
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Alex Grimaldo (Benfica)
This could have been Theo Hernandez, but Grimaldo — who scored twice and assisted four goals — edges the AC Milan left-back.
Grimaldo (29) outdid all but Reece James (30) for total shot-creating actions, with Federico Dimarco and Di Lorenzo tied with the Spaniard.
Among wide defenders, only the Inter wing-back bettered the Benfica player’s goal-creating actions (7-6), and both players fashioned six big chances in the tournament.
Midfielders
Florentino Luis (Benfica)
As previously mentioned, Luis made more interceptions than anyone else in this season’s Champions League.
His 53 tackles plus interceptions were 11 more than second-placed Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and 60 recoveries put the 23-year-old in a respectable 15th.
With more of a defensive brief, Luis forms half of our midfield pairing.
Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)
Without a doubt, Kimmich’s place in an alternate midfield was assured.
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The Bayern midfielder made 20 interceptions, placing him behind Luis and Kim, and ranked fourth when tackles are thrown into the mix.
No player blocked more balls by standing in its path (18) than the German, who also made 53 ball recoveries, placing him 30th.
Only four players in Europe’s premier club competition outdid Kimmich’s 20 key passes, but the Bayern star ranked third for progressive passes and passes into the final — bettered by Toni Kroos and Rodri, who went farther than the Bundesliga champion.
Kimmich set up four clear-cut chances and assisted three goals.
Forwards
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Despite Liverpool’s inability to go past the first knockout round, Salah’s eight goals in as many appearances (seven starts) were commendable.
He edges Real Madrid’s Rodrygo for a place in our alternate team.
Among forwards who played significant minutes, only Erling Haaland outdid the wide attacker’s goals scored per 90 (1.28-1.15), and the Reds’ best player scored eight times from expected goals (xG) of 4.0.
Only one goal was from the spot.
Rafa Silva (Benfica)
Silva was especially impressive for Benfica in this season’s Champions League, scoring five times and setting up two.
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The attacking midfielder thrived in the group phase to aid the Portuguese club in pipping Paris Saint-Germain to top place, thus forcing Juventus to settle for a Europa League berth.
Rafa Silva netted the game opener in round one against Maccabi Haifa, netted twice in the 4-3 triumph against the Old Lady, having been menacing in the reverse fixture in Turin and scored the first the club’s 5-1 thrashing of Club Brugge in the first knockout round.
Only Jack Grealish outdid the Benfica man for open-play passes leading to shots (43-34) but the Portuguese outranked everyone for total goal-creating actions (10), level with Lionel Messi for seven live-ball passes leading to goals.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli)
Missed penalties in the first knockout round against Eintracht Frankfurt and semi-final defeat by AC Milan do not prevent Kvaratskhelia from making this alternative XI.
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The wide attacker scored twice and assisted four on his debut Champions League campaign, but his overall involvement was admirable.
Kvaratskhelia placed fourth for shot-creating actions per 90 among players who averaged six games or higher, with his eight take-ons preceding shots bettered by Vinicius Junior and Rafael Leao.
Only Rafa Silva’s 10 goal-creating actions eclipsed the Napoli wideman.
The wide attacker impressed with his aggressive ball-carrying, with Vini Jr. and Grealish outranking Kvaratskhelia for progressive carries and driving runs into the penalty area.
Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Up top is Mbappe, whose fitness issues in the first leg of PSG’s first knockout round loss to Bayern could have swung the tie.
The 2018 World Cup winner scored seven goals from xG of 3.6, with a sole penalty making up his tally.
Among players who played six games or higher, Mbappe ranked third behind Haaland and Salah for goals per 90 in the whole competition.
Mbappe made more goal-creating actions (eight) than everyone except Rafa Silva, with two successful take-ons preceding a goal joint-top.
For total progressive carries, the Frenchman ranked fourth. The PSG superstar placed fifth when limited to carries into the final third and penalty area.
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11:30 - 13.06.2023
FOOTBALL: Mbappe transfer saga Season II: French forward tells PSG he will not extend his contract putting Real Madrid on alert
The 24-year-old has stirred the hornets' nest yet again after informing the Ligue 1 champions that he won’t stay beyond next season
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