UEFA Champions League 100: Ranking the Top Players Ahead of Last 8

Words can do the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League's round of 16 little justice. From Barcelona's epic comeback over Paris Saint-Germain, to Leicester City upsetting Sevilla, to Manchester City and AS Monaco splitting 12 goals (the latter progressing on away goals), the swings in emotion and expectations were varied and hectic.

What words might have a difficult time describing, perhaps numbers may fare better? Before settling into the UCL quarter-finals, there is still one job left from the opening knockout stage: ranking the best footballers Europe's premier club cup competition had on show.

Many of the usual suspects were amazing, some played below their level and occasionally lesser-known footballers shocked proceedings and arrived from nowhere.

In that sense, Bleacher Report is taking a holistic approach to the Champions League 100; breaking down each position, finding those outstanding footballers and grading each according to his output. With 100 players—from the 16 qualified clubs in the knockout stages—competition for places is tough, but there is enough room for thorough investigation and critique.

Each player is evaluated by your slightly biased but mostly fair author, who will bring you player grades based on the action.

Before presenting the second set of grades for the 2016/17 UCL knockout stage, though, one must understand the methodology.

Methodology

BEN STANSALL/Getty Images

Footballers are graded on a series of four key attributes in their respective positional roles. Using a grading scale, starting at zero and going up to anywhere from 10 to 25, the system is altered by the most recently completed matchday—reaching a maximum of 100 points.

The 100 players are divided into positions and ranked against/with their contemporaries:

• 10 goalkeepers
• 10 right-backs and right wing-backs
• 10 left-backs and left wing-backs
• 15 centre-backs
• 20 defensive, central and attacking midfielders
• 10 right midfielders, right-wingers and right-sided forwards
• 10 left midfielders, left-wingers and left-sided forwards
• 15 strikers and centre-forwards

Domestic form will bear no weight in the Champions League proceedings.

Obviously, no system is perfect, and there are flaws with every conceivable methodology, but giving each group of players a unique grading system—rather than throwing every footballer into the same equation—should offer a truer end result from matchday to matchday.

Grading is a subjective process. We all have things we notice and things we appreciate more than others; in that respect, no ranking is ever definitive.

In the event of ties, we ask: "Who do we think had a better game?" The winner gets top billing.

Goalkeepers

Vladimir Rys Photography/Getty Images

"Spectacular" is a word often associated with offensive players, but it can also find use for goalkeepers and defenders. Case in point: Atletico Madrid's Jan Oblak was spectacular vs. Bayer Leverkusen. The Slovenia international, who missed the first leg, kept a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw and performed one of this season's most heroic save combinations.

Three times denying his German opposition in rapid succession, Oblak was manager Diego Simeone's eraser; for every defensive mistake the Spanish side made, their 24-year-old 'keeper was there to hide any blemish.

Leicester City's victory over Sevilla was largely the work of their No. 1. Kasper Schmeichel saved two penalties in two legs against manager Jorge Sampaoli's outfit, and those two saves were the difference in the Foxes' advancing to the UCL quarter-finals.

Whoever Leicester City's next opponent is, they will possess immense attacking talent—on a level the defending Premier League champions rarely witness; Schmeichel's presence between the sticks for manager Craig Shakespeare (as shown vs. Sevilla) will be required against Europe's heavyweights if their improbable Champions League fairy tale is to continue.

Grading Scale

Hand: Handling (graded out of 25)

Pos: Positioning (graded out of 25)

Kick: Kicking (graded out of 25)

Saves: Saves (graded out of 25)

Ovr: Top possible score of 100

Goalkeeper Rankings | Round of 16

Rank	Player	Club	Hand	Pos	Kick	Saves	Ovr
1	Jan Oblak	Atletico Madrid	23	22	20	25	90
2	Kasper Schmeichel	Leicester City	23	23	19	24	89
3	Gianluigi Buffon	Juventus	22	21	22	22	87
4	Manuel Neuer	Bayern Munich	21	22	23	20	86
5	Keylor Navas	Real Madrid	19	18	22	21	80
6	Sergio Rico	Sevilla	20	19	19	19	77
7	Ederson Moraes	Benfica	20	18	20	18	76
8	Iker Casillas	FC Porto	18	19	19	20	76
9	Kevin Trapp	Paris Saint-Germain	19	17	18	17	71
10	Bernd Leno	Bayer Leverkusen	17	19	17	16	69

Notable Omissions

• Pepe Reina, Napoli
• Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Barcelona

Right-Backs and Right Wing-Backs

Jean Catuffe/Getty Images

On the bench for Juventus' first leg vs. FC Porto, Dani Alves returned to his rightful position in manager Massimiliano Allegri's starting XI in the round of 16's second leg. The Brazilian right-back was an incredible addition to the Italian's defence, making four tackles and providing an attacking outlet.

Juventus' best XI has Alves in the team, and with dangerous clubs on the horizon, Alves' specialised game is a must-have if the Old Lady have any chance of winning their first Champions League crown since 1995/96.

Philipp Lahm was great in the first leg vs. Arsenal, but Bayern Munich boss Carlo Ancelotti required Rafinha in their second leg at London's Emirates Stadium. Lahm's yellow-card suspension (the first of his club career), gave his deputy Rafinha an opportunity to impress, and he did.

The 31-year-old Brazilian assisted Douglas Costa's goal and did a good-enough job on Alexis Sanchez—limiting the Gunners' opportunities and creating chances for his own team.

Winning both games 5-1, the German champions saw little drop-off at the right-back position. Whether that was more because of Bayern's brilliant defending or Arsenal's abject display in nearly every area is left to individual interpretation.

Grading Scale

Tac: Tackling (graded out of 25)

Pas: Passing (graded out of 25)

Dis: Discipline (graded out of 25)

Off: Offence (graded out of 25)

Ovr: Top possible score of 100

Right-Back and Right Wing-Back Rankings | Round of 16

Rank	Player	Club	Tac	Pas	Dis	Off	Ovr
1	Dani Carvajal	Real Madrid	20	24	23	23	90
2	Sime Vrsaljko	Atletico Madrid	22	21	21	22	86
3	Philipp Lahm	Bayern Munich	18	24	21	24	87
4	Dani Alves	Juventus	22	22	22	21	87
5	Rafinha	Bayern Munich	20	22	21	23	86
6	Benjamin Henrichs	Bayer Leverkusen	20	23	18	23	84
7	Nelsinho	Benfica	18	21	19	22	80
8	Mariano	Sevilla	19	18	20	19	76
9	Thomas Meunier	Paris Saint-Germain	20	19	18	18	75
10	Elseid Hysaj	Napoli	19	18	19	17	73

Notable Omissions

• Bacary Sagna, Manchester City
• Hector Bellerin, Arsenal

Left-Backs and Left Wing-Backs

TF-Images/Getty Images

Borussia Dortmund were in a precarious position. Despite playing well in the first leg vs. Benfica, head coach Thomas Tuchel's side had an uphill battle returning to their home confines (or at least it seemed that way). After four minutes, however, BVB had a 1-0 lead and doubled their advantage on 59 minutes.

Two minutes later, Dortmund's right wing-back Marcel Schmelzer found Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for a 3-0 lead and helped push the tie out of Benfica's reach. Eventually winning the match 4-0 at the Westfalenstadion (4-1 on aggregate), Schmelzer was arguably Tuchel's most effective two-way defender over the two-legged affair.

Hitting the underside of the crossbar vs. Leicester City, Sevilla full-back Sergio Escudero must have surely thought his 53rd-minute strike was goal-bound, but somehow the shot bounced out. One minute later, the Foxes' Marc Albrighton scored past Sergio Rico, extending Leicester's lead to 2-0, and Sevilla lost the tie.

A literal inch from getting a tie-altering away goal, Escudero had been quite effective in this Champions League campaign. Manager Sampaoli, on reflection, might regret that his left-back created one of Sevilla's most dangerous open-play chances, not those in advanced positions tasked with unlocking the English champions' defence.

Grading Scale

Tac: Tackling (graded out of 25)

Pas: Passing (graded out of 25)

Dis: Discipline (graded out of 25)

Off: Offence (graded out of 25)

Ovr: Top possible score of 100 

Left-Back and Left Wing-Back Rankings | Round of 16

Rank	Player	Club	Tac	Pas	Dis	Off	Ovr
1	Alex Sandro	Juventus	23	23	23	21	90
2	Sergio Escudero	Sevilla	23	22	20	20	85
3	Filipe Luis	Atletico Madrid	22	21	19	22	84
4	David Alaba	Bayern Munich	21	22	20	20	83
5	Marcelo	Real Madrid	20	20	20	20	80
6	Layvin Kurzawa	Paris Saint-Germain	19	22	18	21	80
7	Marcel Schmelzer	Borussia Dortmund	19	21	19	20	79
8	Christian Fuchs	Leicester City	18	20	20	19	77
9	Lucas Hernandez	Atletico Madrid	20	18	20	17	75
10	Benjamin Mendy	AS Monaco	18	21	17	18	74

Notable Omissions

• Jordi Alba, Barcelona
• Maxwell, Paris Saint-Germain

Centre-Backs

FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/Getty Images

Sergio Ramos is clutch. Whether in domestic, European or international play, the Spanish defender always seems to be in the correct place at the correct time.

Not playing the full match in the first leg against Napoli, the Real Madrid captain completed 90 minutes in the second leg as the La Liga giants travelled to Naples.

Down 1-0 at half-time, Real Madrid needed a spark in the second leg, and Ramos—per usual—was the man to give manager Zinedine Zidane a much-needed lift. Scoring the equaliser, the 30-year-old set in motion Real's comeback, and they won the match 3-1 (6-2 on aggregate).

Los Blancos' local rivals Atletico Madrid were attempting to oust Bayer Leverkusen from Champions League contention. Missing the match in Leverkusen, Atleti centre-back Diego Godin was put back in the starting XI by manager Diego Simeone, and the Uruguay international was his customary world-class self.

An intelligent game-reader on the floor and tenacious aerial presence, Godin made seven tackles vs. the Germans, and Atletico Madrid secured a spot in the quarter-finals after their 0-0 draw (4-2 on aggregate).

Grading Scale

Def: Defending (graded out of 25)

Pas: Passing (graded out of 25)

Dis: Discipline (graded out of 25)

Off: Offence (graded out of 25)

Ovr: Top possible score of 100

Centre-Back Rankings | Round of 16

Rank	Player	Club	Def	Pas	Dis	Off	Ovr
1	Giorgio Chiellini	Juventus	24	21	24	19	88
2	Diego Godin	Atletico Madrid	25	20	25	18	88
3	Sergio Ramos	Real Madrid	23	20	21	23	87
4	Jose Gimenez	Atletico Madrid	22	23	23	18	86
5	Mats Hummels	Bayern Munich	21	21	23	20	85
6	Presnel Kimpembe	Paris Saint-Germain	23	22	19	19	83
7	Leonardo Bonucci	Juventus	20	23	20	18	81
8	Andrea Barzagli	Juventus	21	22	20	16	79
9	Javi Martinez	Bayern Munich	19	21	20	18	78
10	Adil Rami	Sevilla	18	21	19	16	74
11	Luisao	Benfica	19	19	19	17	74
12	Clement Lenglet	Sevilla	20	19	17	17	73
13	Wes Morgan	Leicester City	18	17	17	20	72
14	Raul Albiol	Napoli	17	18	18	16	69
15	Marquinhos	Paris Saint-Germain	18	17	17	17	69

Notable Omissions

• Thiago Silva, Paris Saint-Germain
• Jerome Boateng, Bayern Munich

Defensive Midfielders, Central Midfielders and Central Attacking Midfielders

Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images

Though announcing his retirement from football on March 9, Xabi Alonso still has some juice left. Playing alongside the likes of Arturo Vidal and Thiago Alcantara in Bayern Munich's midfield helps, but the 35-year-old Spaniard is still one of Europe's best central playmakers. Collecting an assist against Arsenal in the round of 16's second leg, Alonso was manager Carlo Ancelotti's on-pitch general (especially with the absence of captain Lahm).

The veteran is close to retirement, but he isn't there yet—great news for Bayern Munich and all involved with the club as they seek their sixth European title.

Paris Saint-Germain's collapse at Barcelona's Nou Camp was one of historic proportions. Three of the first leg's top midfielders, Marco Verratti, Adrien Rabiot and Blaise Matuidi, were missing in action as the Catalan club scored six goals in the second leg.

Manager Unai Emery was embarrassed by Barca's comeback, but more blame should be issued to the players, more specifically a midfield three who seemingly took the power of the La Liga giants for granted—they (and PSG as a whole) were made to pay the consequence.

Grading Scale

Tac: Tackling (graded out of 25)

Pas: Passing (graded out of 25)

Cre: Creativity (graded out of 25)

Pro: Production (graded out of 25)

Ovr: Top possible score of 100

Defensive, Central and Central Attacking Midfielder Rankings | Round of 16

Rank	Player	Club	Tac	Pas	Cre	Pro	Ovr
1	Arturo Vidal	Bayern Munich	24	22	23	24	93
2	Thiago Alcantara	Bayern Munich	19	24	24	24	91
3	Fabinho	AS Monaco	18	23	24	24	89
4	Casemiro	Real Madrid	24	23	18	23	88
5	Toni Kroos	Real Madrid	17	24	23	24	88
6	Marco Verratti	Paris Saint-Germain	22	21	21	21	85
7	Miralem Pjanic	Juventus	18	23	22	22	85
8	Xabi Alonso	Bayern Munich	17	22	22	22	83
9	Adrien Rabiot	Paris Saint-Germain	20	21	21	21	83
10	Steven N'Zonzi	Sevilla	23	21	19	19	82
11	Luka Modric	Real Madrid	20	21	19	21	81
12	Blaise Matuidi	Paris Saint-Germain	21	20	20	20	81
13	Joaquin Correa	Sevilla	17	20	21	22	80
14	Gabi	Atletico Madrid	19	20	20	20	79
15	Kevin De Bruyne	Manchester City	16	21	23	19	79
16	David Silva	Manchester City	17	22	22	17	78
17	Wilfred Ndidi	Leicester City	20	19	17	21	77
18	Marek Hamsik	Napoli	16	21	20	19	76
19	Danny Drinkwater	Leicester City	19	19	18	20	76
20	Thomas Partey	Atletico Madrid	18	18	19	18	73

Notable Omissions

• Yaya Toure, Manchester City
• Mesut Ozil, Arsenal
• Ivan Rakitic, Barcelona

Right Midfielders, Right-Wingers and Right-Sided Forwards

Michael Steele/Getty Images

Raheem Sterling's career could be explained by the two legs he had vs. AS Monaco. In the first leg, a rampant offensive talent; in the second leg, a frustrating offensive talent. Still developing, peaks and troughs are expected for the 22-year-old, but Manchester City are reliant on him to produce, given the positions he usually finds himself.

Manager Pep Guardiola's system makes wide players incredibly important, as the middle of the pitch is usually packed with bodies. It makes Sterling's movement, touch and final decisions imperative for his team's success. When he gets it right (i.e. the first leg), they normally win. When he gets it wrong (i.e. the second leg), they often draw or lose.

After losing to Paris Saint-Germain 4-0, few thought Barcelona would overturn that result, but there was always this thought in the back of the mind that, if any team can, Barca can. Why? Because, in large part, they have Lionel Messi.

Messi was a passenger in the first leg at the Parc des Princes but was at least a factor in one of the greatest comebacks in Champions League history. Scoring a penalty to make the score 3-0, Messi's spot-kick provided added hope for the Nou Camp faithful. The game took several twists afterwards, but without the Argentinian's goal, the 6-1 scoreline (6-5 on aggregate) might have been impossible to replicate.

Grading Scale

Pas: Passing (graded out of 25)

Cre: Creativity (graded out of 25)

Fin: Finishing (graded out of 25)

Pro: Production (graded out of 25)

Ovr: Top possible score of 100

Right Midfielder, Winger and Forward Rankings | Round of 16

Rank	Player	Club	Pas	Cre	Fin	Pro	Ovr
1	Arjen Robben	Bayern Munich	21	23	24	24	92
2	Bernardo Silva	AS Monaco	24	25	16	25	90
3	Angel Di Maria	Paris Saint-Germain	22	22	23	23	90
4	Saul Niguez	Atletico Madrid	21	22	21	22	86
5	Karim Bellarabi	Bayer Leverkusen	21	22	19	21	83
6	Raheem Sterling	Manchester City	21	20	19	20	80
7	Gareth Bale	Real Madrid	20	20	19	19	78
8	Riyad Mahrez	Leicester City	21	20	18	19	78
9	Lionel Messi	Barcelona	18	20	20	19	77
10	Koke	Atletico Madrid	19	19	16	16	70

Notable Omissions

• Theo Walcott, Arsenal
• Juan Cuadrado, Juventus

Left Midfielders, Left-Wingers and Left-Sided Forwards

VI-Images/Getty Images

In one moment, did we witness the changing of the guard?

Neymar scored an outrageous free kick to put Barcelona up 4-1. They needed two more goals to advance. Luis Suarez collapsed in the penalty area; the referee gave a penalty. Normally, in those situations, the only player who takes the spot-kick is Messi, but not this time. Neymar took the ball, placed it on the spot, the whistle blew and he coolly found the bottom right corner.

One can't help but think: When does Neymar take over this Barcelona team from Messi? Is it a gradual transition of power, or does Neymar (in some version of a coup d'etat) take control of the club in one fell swoop? If so, was that seven-minute stretch vs. Paris Saint-Germain—from free kick to penalty to finding Sergi Roberto for the winner—that fell swoop?

Messi took Barcelona from the likes of Ronaldinho, and (much in the same fashion) the Catalan club will eventually be Neymar's. That particular miracle vs. PSG at the Nou Camp showed the takeover is just a matter of when, not if.

Grading Scale

Pas: Passing (graded out of 25)

Cre: Creativity (graded out of 25)

Fin: Finishing (graded out of 25)

Pro: Production (graded out of 25)

Ovr: Top possible score of 100 

Left Midfielder, Winger and Forward Rankings | Round of 16

Rank	Player	Club	Pas	Cre	Fin	Pro	Ovr
1	Neymar	Barcelona	22	23	23	24	92
2	Leroy Sane	Manchester City	21	22	23	23	89
3	Cristiano Ronaldo	Real Madrid	24	22	21	21	88
4	Julian Draxler	Paris Saint-Germain	22	22	22	22	88
5	Douglas Costa	Bayern Munich	23	23	19	21	86
6	Lorenzo Insigne	Napoli	19	20	21	20	80
7	Vitolo	Sevilla	21	21	17	19	78
8	Julian Brandt	Bayer Leverkusen	22	22	16	17	77
9	Marc Albrighton	Leicester City	19	19	19	18	75
10	Thomas Lemar	AS Monaco	20	19	16	19	74

Notable Omissions

• Franck Ribery, Bayern Munich
• Yannick Carrasco, Atletico Madrid

Strikers and Centre-Forwards

VALERY HACHE/Getty Images

Kylian Mbappe was great in the first leg against Manchester City, but some were sketchy on whether the 18-year-old wunderkind was prepared to have back-to-back great games facing Guardiola's side. Those worries were alleviated within the second leg's opening eight minutes. The young Frenchman scored the opening goal for AS Monaco, and the Ligue 1 leaders were off and running on their way to qualification into the quarter-finals.

Having already sold Anthony Martial for a hefty price, at worst, Mbappe is going to get Monaco a handsome transfer fee. At best—should the forward's development continue on its current trajectory—he should win them piles of domestic (and perhaps even European) silverware.

Another player who showed up in the round of 16's last match was former Monaco loanee and current Borussia Dortmund centre-forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The Gabon international was noticeably invisible in BVB's first leg vs. Benfica (other than missing a penalty), but in the second leg, Aubameyang corrected that absence by scoring a hat-trick.

Dortmund are a common dark-horse pick for many to win the UCL. That is fuelled (in part) by Aubameyang being able to trouble opposing defences with his combination of speed, anticipation and finishing. All those were working against Benfica and will be needed in the quarter-finals.

Grading Scale

Pas: Passing (graded out of 25)

Cre: Creativity (graded out of 25)

Fin: Finishing (graded out of 25)

Pro: Production (graded out of 25)

Ovr: Top possible score of 100

Striker and Centre-Forward Rankings | Round of 16

Rank	Player	Club	Pas	Cre	Fin	Pro	Ovr
1	Radamel Falcao	AS Monaco	22	21	24	24	91
2	Sergio Aguero	Manchester City	22	22	23	23	90
3	Kevin Gameiro	Atletico Madrid	23	20	23	24	90
4	Edinson Cavani	Paris Saint-Germain	22	22	22	23	89
5	Robert Lewandowski	Bayern Munich	22	20	24	23	89
6	Kylian Mbappe	AS Monaco	18	24	24	22	88
7	Karim Benzema	Real Madrid	20	20	22	23	85
8	Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang	Borussia Dortmund	20	21	22	22	85
9	Antoine Griezmann	Atletico Madrid	20	20	21	21	82
10	Jamie Vardy	Leicester City	18	18	22	21	79
11	Paulo Dybala	Juventus	19	19	20	20	78
12	Alexis Sanchez	Arsenal	18	19	20	19	76
13	Luis Suarez	Barcelona	17	20	17	20	74
14	Kostas Mitroglou	Benfica	17	16	19	19	71
15	Gonzalo Higuain	Juventus	19	16	18	15	68

Notable Omissions

• Javier Hernandez, Bayer Leverkusen
• Dries Mertens, Napoli
• Olivier Giroud, Arsenal

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*Stats and transfer fees per WhoScored.com, Transfermarkt and Soccerbase where not noted.