Joe Hart: Hart’s consistently excellent displays were one of the main reasons why City ultimately managed to top their group ahead of Juventus.
David Alaba: Only played in four of Bayern’s six games, but defended well and not for the first time, made a case for being Europe’s top attacking full-back down the other end.
Diego Godín: Commanding as ever as a regular part of an Atletico Madrid backline that conceded just three goals in total.
Thiago Silva: Featured in five out of six matches for a PSG side that conceded just once in the entire group stages.
Jordi Alba: Not the most obvious Barca player to pick, but Alba has been effective in both defence and attack in his five appearances in the competition so far.
Willian: A rare bright spot in Chelsea’s miserable season, Willian’s five goals were crucial in helping his side successfully navigate the group stages.
Sergio Busquets: Every side needs a solid defensive midfielder and there are few better in Europe than Barca’s Sergio Busquets, who played five times as the Catalan side comfortably progressed through the group stages.
Douglas Costa: It’s quickly becoming apparent that the €30million Bayern paid for Douglas Costa in the summer was money well spent. The Brazilian winger was a revelation for the German side as he managed two goals in five appearances.
Cristiano Ronaldo: An easy choice after Ronaldo managed a phenomenal 11 goals in six appearances.
Robert Lewandowski: The competition’s second top scorer after Ronaldo, Lewandowski chipped in with an impressive seven goals for Bayern.
Olivier Giroud: Often underrated, Giroud was invaluable for Arsenal at times, scoring some key goals, including a hat-trick last night, to help the Gunners progress.
Formation (4-4-2)
Hart
Alaba Silva Godín Alba
Ronaldo Willian Busquets Costa
Giroud Lewandowski
Subs: Jan Oblak, Raphaël Varane, Gabi, Antoine Griezmann, Luis Suarez, Thomas Muller, Artem Dzyuba.
