After ten long, long months of football, we’ve finally crowned a UEFA Champions League winner.
That winner was Manchester City, who bested a spirited Inter team in the final in Istanbul to bring an end to the 2022/23 season.
Now that the Champions League campaign is at an end, we at 90min thought it was the perfect time to look back at the best performers and performances of the year.
Here’s our Champions League team of the season…
GK – Ederson – It was a toss of the coin between Ederson and Andre Onana, but we had to just give the nod to the Man City goalkeeper for his stunning final performance in Istanbul. His saves to deny Romelu Lukaku and Robin Gosens will go down as two of the most important in his club’s history.
RB – John Stones – The England international played anywhere and everywhere for Pep Guardiola’s side this season, and he was bloody brilliant in every single position. The fact that he’s a defender and yet is the first player to complete at least six dribbles in a Champions League final since Lionel Messi in 2015 tells you all you really need to know.
CB – Francesco Acerbi – Helping his side to nine Champions League clean sheets this season, Acerbi was the leader at the back for Inter throughout their miraculous run to the final.
CB – Ruben Dias – Do Manchester City win the treble if Ruben Dias doesn’t get back his full fitness and his best form? The answer: definitely not. The centre-back was imperious in City’s successful Champions League campaign, earning 90min’s player of the match award for his performance in the final.
LB – Federico Dimarco – Despite being a left wing-back, Federico Dimarco trailed only Kevin De Bruyne and Vinicius Junior in the assists charts in the Champions League this season. His delivery from the left flank was truly fantastic all year.
CM – Ilkay Gundogan – The German enjoyed perhaps a career best season in 2022/23, putting in consistently brilliant performances for City across all competitions. He was crucial to how the Citizens played in the latter stages of the Champions League.
CM – Rodri – Gave Man City the two defining moments of their maiden Champions League triumph with a stunning goal in the final and an even more stunning goal against Bayern in the quarter-finals.
CM – Kevin De Bruyne – While he didn’t the desired impact in the final itself – having went off with a hamstring injury in the first half – De Bruyne was crucial throughout the season for Man City. His Champions League high seven assists was also coupled with some crucial goals, including a great strike against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.
RW – Mohamed Salah – Despite being knocked out in the round of 16, Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah still managed to bag himself eight Champions League goals this season. Ludicrous.
ST – Erling Haaland – Salah’s eight were no match for Haaland’s 12 goals in just 11 games, with five coming in a single game against RB Leipzig.
LW – Vinicius Junior – The Brazilian’s seven goals and six assists in the competition weren’t enough to win another Champions League but they were enough to get in our team of the season, which may actually mean more to him (it probably doesn’t).