10 Best Strikers in the Champions League This Season
Champions League football returns this week having been kept off the radar by the latest dose of international football.
The Group Stage is now in its home straight, with each side fighting for six more points to reach the Round of 16 or, as a consolation, the Europa League.
To whet the appetite for the return of Europe's premier competition, here's a look back at the top strikers in this season's format.
All statistics via WhoScored?
Karim Benzema
1 of 10
Games: 4
Goals: 2
Assists: 3
We start with Real Madrid's Karim Benzema, who has two goals in the four games he's played.
The French forward hasn't been as prolific as others thus far, but he's been involved in almost a third of Madrid's goals, registering more assists than any other forward.
Having played a doubleheader against Juventus, Benzema will hope to cash in on games against Galatasaray and Copenhagen to boost his goals haul.
Konstantinos Mitroglou
2 of 10
Games: 4
Goals: 3
Assists: 1
Konstantinos Mitroglou's reputation has soared this season on the back of some potent form at both international and domestic level.
That consistency's yet to translate to the Champions League football, with the Greek forward only scoring in one game, but his eye-catching hat-trick against Anderlecht certainly grabbed attention.
With January's transfer window looming, he's a player that clubs will be monitoring throughout the final two Champions League games.
Robert Lewandowski
3 of 10
Games: 4
Goals: 3
Assists: 1
Robert Lewandowski finished last season's Champions League as second top scorer, hitting 10 goals for Borussia Dortmund on route to the final.
He's a little off the pace in this season's race but has already scored half of his side's six goals and assisted another.
With Dortmund's progression far from guaranteed, Jurgen Klopp's side will be relying on their Polish striker to fire them through.
Gonzalo Higuain
4 of 10
Games: 3
Goals: 3
Assists: 1
Dortmund are so precariously placed due to Napoli's form in Group F, spearheaded by the predatory instincts of Gonzalo Higuain.
The Argentinian's never been prolific in the Champions League, but he's doing his best to rectify that following a summer switch to Italy.
He's struck three decisive goals in the three games he's played, while Napoli lost the only game he missed—further emphasising his value.
Diego Costa
5 of 10
Games: 2
Goals: 3
Assists: 1
Aside from Cristiano Ronaldo, no striker can match Diego Costa's 14 league goals across Europe's major divisions.
The newly converted Spaniard has only appeared twice in the Champions League but has terrorised Austria Vienna on both occasions, scoring three goals and providing an assist.
He's scored every 50 minutes he's played, a ratio only two players can better this season.
Alvaro Negredo
6 of 10
Games: 4
Goals: 4
Assists: 1
Alvaro Negredo is one-half of Manchester City's lethal strike-force that have already combined for nine goals in four games—more than three-quarters of their side's total.
The Spaniard's tally was augmented by a hat-trick against CSKA Moscow, but he also scored against Bayern Munich, and he averages a goal every 51 minutes he's on the field.
Sergio Aguero
7 of 10
Games: 4
Goals: 5
Assists: 2
Sergio Aguero's the other half of Manchester City's dominant forward line, with the Argentinian providing guile alongside Negredo's power.
Aguero has been more consistent than his partner, hitting one more goal, and has been directly involved in seven of his side's 11 strikes.
His form has been the catalyst behind City's overdue progression from the Group Stage.
Lionel Messi
8 of 10
Games: 3
Goals: 6
Assists: 0
Lionel Messi may not be top scorer this season, but he's still matching the best goals-per-game ratio, hitting six in the three matches he's played.
After a hat-trick against Ajax, the Argentinian struck three in the doubleheader with AC Milan and averages a goal every 45 minutes.
Leading scorer for four consecutive seasons, Messi will be desperate to top the scoring charts having relinquished his crown to Ronaldo last year.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
9 of 10
Games: 4
Goals: 7
Assists: 0
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been in typically irrepressible form this season, scoring seven goals in just four Champions League games including four in a 5-0 rout against Anderlecht.
His third in that match was an especially memorable strike, as the PSG forward hit a violent effort from long range that even brought applause from Anderlecht's fans.
Having reached seven goals, this is already Ibrahimovic's best scoring season in the Champions League, and the Swede will be keen to reach double figures.
Cristiano Ronaldo
10 of 10
Games: 4
Goals: 8
Assists: 2
No striker can match the production of Cristiano Ronaldo thus far and indeed throughout the past two seasons of Champions League football.
The Real Madrid striker currently boasts a phenomenal goal-per-game ratio of two per match, having notched eight strikes already, with three coming against Juventus' generally stubborn defence.
He was the top scorer in last season's competition with 12, and he's only four away from reaching that tally with the potential of several more games to come.
