UEFA Best Player: who was the best player of the Champions League quarter-final? Luka Modric’s brilliant pass sparked a turnaround

The Champions League, the world’s most exclusive club competition, has already announced its semi-finalists. The Ruik.cz portal, which represents the Czech Republic in the Best Player UEFA poll of the German magazine Kicker, has as usual searched for the best player of the quarter-final rematch. Croatian midfielder Luka Modric, in a Real Madrid jersey, made a brilliant pass against defending champions Chelsea FC.

It’s a dilemma many times. What is more valuable? An individual performance that leads a team to victory, but which is ultimately worthless as the goal of advancing to the next round is fulfilled by the opponent?

That’s the kind of doubt cup rematches sometimes bring. Someone shines, his team even makes a historical contribution to the annals, yet the opponent cheers because in the sum of the two matches he is better and has advanced to the next round. So he has achieved his goal, everything else seems to be ephemeral at the moment.

This is exactly how international Ladislav Vízek thought. “I was thrilled with the game of Chelsea, who went to Madrid against Real with an almost hopeless 1:3 home loss, and still fought back, played brilliantly,” he says, not hiding his enthusiasm for the dramatic match that went to extra time.

Real’s footballers cheered, but the 1980 Olympic champion was captivated by the defending champion’s performance. “Leading at Real 3-0, another goal disallowed, chances wasted, it was something!” he sighs.

Erich Brabec, a permanent member of the jury, had a similar thought when he gave his vote to Uruguayan legionnaire Darwin Núñez, a striker for Benfica Lisbon in Portugal. “His finish for the equalising goal was a display of cleverness and technical skill,” he praises the South American marksman. “And yet another goal in which he showed similar skills was not recognised,” Brabec points out. “And he scored in the first game as well,” he adds.

But even he acknowledges that advancing to the semi-finals was the main driver for all involved, without it the value of individual performance shrinks after all. “If I had to put this reason first, I would say Pau Torres, the stopper of the unexpected semi-finalist Villarreal of Spain,” he finds a hero. “He did a great job in helping to resist the offensive power of Bayern Munich,” the former Czech national team stopper praises his colleague in the centre of defence.

Karel Brettschneider, bookmaker at the Chance bookmaker, discovered his hero in the Real – Chelsea match. It is Croatian midfielder Luka Modric. “Real did not enter the rematch well and for a long time it looked like Chelsea would complete the turnaround,” agrees Vízek.

“But ten minutes before the end of normal time, Luka Modric froze it with a fabulous pass and Rodrygo sent the game into extra time,” he highlighted the crucial moment. “But it wasn’t just that which led me to choose the Croatian midfielder,” muses Brettschneider.

“At thirty-six, he excels not only in creating chances for his teammates, but also with his excellent movement and combativeness. He notonly equals but usually surpasses younger players in terms of commitment,” he lists the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner’s strengths. “He did a lot of work in a big space throughout the match, was valid in defence and crowned it all with the aforementioned fantastic pass,” Brettschneider returns to the crucial moment of the match.

Milan Štěrba, the chief commentator of the Nova Sport television station, which broadcasts the Champions League and devotes extensive space to the competition, shares the same opinion. “Real were already down after a great attacking run and a three-goal lead for Chelsea FC, few believed they would still get up,” he observed. “ It was Modric’s brilliant pass that kick-started it, it brought about the turnaround and ultimately brought the Spanish team’s progression,” he reiterates.

The two-goal Brazilian goalscorer for England’s Liverpool, Firmino, did not escape his attention. “Two goals in the quarter-finals of the Champions League is always a commendable achievement,” says Štěrba.

Finally, Vízek also found his favourite among the qualifiers “Belgian midfielder Kevin de Bruyne,” points his finger at the 1980 European Championship bronze medallist from Italy. “A nice blond boy who creates the game and can finish,” Vízek recalls his goal from the first match.

“When he had to go down due to injury, Atlético gained the upper hand and it was only luck and almost cowardly defending that kept Manchester City among the semi-finalists,” pointing to the Belgian international’s role in the England team.

Voice of the jury

Erich Brabec:: Darwin Núñez (Benfica Lisbon)

Karel Brettschneider:: Luka Modric (Real Madrid)

Milan Štěrba:: Luka Modric (Real Madrid)

Ladislav Vízek:: Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)

Source: UEFA