Picking an Elite XI from the Champions League Last-16 Sides
European nights are returning—one cannot conjure a better combination of words.
As the Champions League round of 16 commences on Tuesday and Wednesday, players from around the continent will compete on the biggest stage in club cup competition.
Cutting the field in half from the group stage, most of Europe's top sides remain contenders for the big-eared trophy. As such, a host of world-class footballers will display their talents for millions across the globe.
Were one tasked with creating an elite XI from the pool of players remaining in the competition, who would make the grade?
Glad you asked...
Methodology
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Europe's super teams are usually home to more than one world-class player.
The likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Bayern Munich or Manchester City have an abundance of quality players in their ranks. One could argue entire clubs have "elite" starting XIs all by themselves.
To be inclusionary, however, this XI has one rule: Of the 16 teams remaining in the Champions League, only one player from each club can be selected—with 11 different clubs represented.
Our employed formation will be 3-4-3.
GK: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich)
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Bayern Munich have played 30 games this season. Manuel Neuer has been between the posts each time.
Keeping 19 clean sheets and needing to be switched on at every moment—as his team dominate possession—Neuer has been exceptional this season, conceding just 17 goals.
Munich start their knockout campaign against Shakhtar Donetsk on 17 February and will need more of the same from their 2015 Ballon d'Or finalist.
Victorious at the 2014 World Cup, and favourites to win a hat-trick of consecutive Bundesliga titles, Neuer lifting the 2014/15 Champions League trophy (along with his German international team-mates) would cap a fantastic 11-month run.
CB: Thiago Silva (Paris Saint-Germain)
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Since the turn of December, Paris Saint-Germain have taken a relative downturn. Winning just four of 10 Ligue 1 matches, the two-time-defending French champions are currently third in France's top domestic league.
Cup competitions are often environments for solace, and Les Rouge-et-Bleu have lost just one cup game in 11 fixtures (both internationally and in France). Not getting any easier, though, PSG are tied with Chelsea for at least two hours starting 17 February.
The man marshaling Laurent Blanc's defense is centre-back Thiago Silva.
PSG can only begin to recover vs. Chelsea if their Brazilian captain plays well and controls Diego Costa—easier said than done, of course.
CB: Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid)
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Champions League runners-up and La Liga champions in 2013/14, Atletico Madrid were thought to have taken a hit last summer, losing three key pieces in Diego Costa, Thibaut Courtois and Filipe Luis, but Diego Simeone's project has continued.
Possessing a team fueled by grit and determination, at the heart of both Atleti's character and defence is Uruguayan centre-back Diego Godin.
Given 11 yellow cards this season in all competitions, the 29-year-old defender may not be the most accomplished on the carpet but is rarely beaten aerially.
Godin's heading prowess will be vital in seeing out Madrid's two-legged affair with Bayer Leverkusen.
CB: Benedikt Howedes (Schalke 04)
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Appearing more than 250 times for Schalke 04, Benedick Howedes has transformed into arguably the best defender in the Bundesliga outside of known powers Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.
Drawing Spanish giants Real Madrid in the round of 16, Schalke are massive underdogs but should maintain some semblance of organization at the back from their well-disciplined, 26-year-old captain.
Linked with Manchester United and Arsenal for a potential move this summer, per the Daily Mirror's Adrian Kajumba, how much longer the German international (and 2014 World Cup champion) remains at the Veltins-Arena has become a story to monitor.
RM: Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal)
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Costing Arsene Wenger £30 million from Barcelona last July, there was some chatter suggesting Arsenal had overpaid for Alexis Sanchez.
Producing 17 goals and eight assists in 27 appearances for the Gunners in 2014/15, the move—and price thereof—would appear justified.
An extremely hard worker, the only thing standing in the way of Sanchez at the moment is a knee injury.
The Chilean star should be ready to face Monaco on 25 February; but with Aaron Ramsey, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and others recovering, Wenger will certainly be praying for his newfound talisman's speedy return.
CM: Yaya Toure (Manchester City)
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Away at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations with the Ivory Coast, Yaya Toure has returned to a small crisis at Manchester City.
Before the Citizens' 4-1 demolition of Stoke City last Wednesday, Manuel Pellegrini's side had won just two of six games since New Year's Day, all coinciding with their midfield bulwark's absence.
The Ivorian should be mentioned as the best all-round footballer on the planet. Starting the 2009 Champions League final at centre-back for Barcelona and scoring 20 Premier League goals from advanced midfield last season, Toure's talents are immense.
Facing his old club starting 24 February, City and Barca revive their 2013/14 Champions League clash.
CM: Paul Pogba (Juventus)
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Arguably the most coveted under-21 player in football, Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has the world at his feet. A powerhouse, having all the tools a world-class central midfielder needs, the young Frenchman is one in the next crop of global superstars.
Playing 29 games with Juve this season, Pogba has scored eight goals and produced four assists in a midfield comprised of Arturo Vidal, Claudio Marchisio and Andrea Pirlo.
Juventus missed the knockout stages of the Champions League last season, so their mouth-watering draw with Borussia Dortmund is an opportunity for an exponentially developed Pogba to showcase his skills.
LM: Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
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If Chelsea are to fulfil their lofty expectations, Eden Hazard must as well.
The Belgian has graduated; he is no longer a youth product living on "potential," he must be judged by the sum of his actual performances.
Blessed with pace, balance and an uncanny knack of ghosting past opponents, Hazard is Jose Mourinho's barometer—his level determines that of those around him.
This season the 24-year-old has taken charge of the Blues' attacking midfield; scoring 11 times with seven assists in all competitions, Hazard is on the precipice of making the "world's next great player" predictions true.
RF: Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund)
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Missing chunks of the season with injury, Marco Reus has found himself since returning 31 January. In his last two matches, the German attacker has two goals and one assist.
More important than stats are points, and with six points from two games, Jurgen Klopp's side have pulled themselves from the Bundesliga's relegation zone. If Dortmund are to escape the drop and compete for European glory, Reus must stay fit and play up to his abilities.
Despite penning a new four-and-a-half-year contract (in all probability to remove his cheap buy-out clause) Reus remaining at the Westfalenstadion is likely conditional to them winning the cup.
LF: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
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Cristiano Ronaldo is having one of those seasons.
Now 30, there should be signs of slowing down for the Real Madrid forward, but he has failed to comply.
Netting 29 times in 20 games, with 10 assists to his credit, Ronaldo has asserted his dominance over Spanish football and will have an eye on continuing his Champions League stronghold—where he has five goals in six group-stage fixtures.
The Portuguese left no doubt last season en route to La Decima, but if 10 is great—11 is better; Madrid start their knockout campaign vs. Schalke on 18 February.
CF: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
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Lionel Messi is also having one of those seasons.
Remember the turmoil Barcelona were under? Remember Messi on his way to Chelsea after following them on Instagram?
Didn't think so.
Since the turn of the year, Messi has been on fire; 14 goals and seven assists would amount to an entire career for some—the in-form striker needed just 11 games.
Manchester City are on a collision course with the Argentine forward; having put two past Joe Hart in last year's round of 16, the Citizens may need to consider an even worse outcome this time around.
Comments Section: Who Ya Got?
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With more than 350 players in the Champions League's last-16 teams, terrific players have, unfortunately, been left on the proverbial bench.
Choose your elite Champions League XIs and place them in the comments section, including the formation you would deploy as manager.
Whether Gareth Bale, Arjen Robben, Sergio Aguero, Cesc Fabregas or any number of quality footballers the round of 16 hosts, they are at your disposal—along with the selected options.
The possibilities truly are endless.
*Stats via WhoScored.com; transfer fees via Soccerbase.com where not noted.
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