Europe’s Team of the Season

Regardless of what happens from here on in, I think these selections are pretty much set in stone. I think I need to quickly address the elephant in the proverbial room: the absence of Kylian Mbappe. How could I not choose Mbappe? I just think that there are enough goals in my side to ignore the French bad-luck charm. Sorry, but two seasons without a trophy at Real Madrid is a borderline treasonable offence. And the club that he departed to join Los Blancos have become the new Kings of European football. Also, Mbappe has scored most of his goals playing through the middle and I already have another man to fill that position.

Oh, and for all those armchair analysts, I will be deploying a 4-2-3-1 formation. Here goes nothing.

Goalkeeper

David Raya (GK)- Arsenal

This is an easy decision. Raya has been a transformative figure at the Emirates, providing Arteta with a formidable shot-stopper who has gradually learnt to dominate his area. Sure, it obviously helps to play behind the most ruthlessly efficient defence in European football. But Raya’s almost psychic ability to anticipate late-game danger has been a marvel to behold (just look at his performance against West Ham last week).

Defenders

Achraf Hakimi (RB)- PSG

I think there’s little doubt about this selection. In fact, you could make a strong argument that Hakimi is the most consistent player- game in, game out- in world football. Whether playing for club or country, the Moroccan Cafu is just the epitome of true professionalism. He is a dynamic two-way fullback, using that seemingly inexhaustible engine to maraud that right-hand touchline. Regularly clocking in as one of the quickest players in Europe, Hakimi is a constant presence in the opposition box. I would say he is like the slightly more attacking version of Kyle Walker. He probably breaks about 60-40 in favour of attacking. while Walker was probably 30-70 the other way. But they share similar athletic gifts.

William Saliba and Gabriel (CB’s)- Arsenal

I figured it would be easier to just cover this in one blurb (I wouldn’t want to separate them in any context). The central defensive partnership of Saliba and Gabriel has been the cornerstone of Arsenal’s evolution as a football club. They dovetail perfectly, with Saliba’s elegance the ideal foil to Gabriel’s more agricultural leanings. Honestly, these are the two guys I would feel the worst for if Arsenal were to fumble their current position. Arteta’s current success has been built on defensive frugality, a recognition that his defensive lineup is more reliable than what he has up front. Also, Arsenal have only conceded six goals in this year’s Champions League! That is an insane number that grants Saliba and Gabriel safe passage into any best of the year conversation.

Federico Dimarco (LB)- Inter Milan

Nuno Mendes came within a whisker of making this team. Mendes- who pocketed the dynamic Olise in the 2nd leg of their Champions League semifinal- is a remarkable athlete and arguably the best one-on-one defender in European football. But you can’t ignore a guy who just broke the Serie A assists record from defence. To be fair, Inter Milan’s Federico Dimarco has largely operated in a more advanced left wingback role (but there is enough defensive solidity in my team to accommodate him in a more traditional role). He quite simply possesses one of the best left-footed deliveries I have ever seen. He has startling variety, whipping it in with pace or gently chipping it behind static defences. Can you imagine trying to contain a side with Hakimi and Dimarco looking to consistently overlap? It would be like trying to contain Robertson and Alexander-Arnold in the Prime-Klopp years.

Midfielders

Declan Rice (CDM)- Arsenal

Arsenal’s midfield colossus could not be more quintessentially English (and I don’t mean that to be reductive). There’s just something wonderfully old-fashioned about Rice’s skillset. He has a never-say-die attitude, knitting things together while simultaneously breaking things apart. There is more than a hint of Bobby Moore is his ability to read the defensive aspects of the game. Rice’s unerring dead-ball accuracy has made him an indispensable part of Arteta’s more controlled, physical approach this season.

Vitinha (CDM)- PSG

It’s weird to see Vitinha split from partner in crime Joao Neves (Rice is obviously doing chief destroyer duty in my lineup). Honestly, it’s hard to separate Vitinha and Neves. I just think that Vitinha’s ability to keep the ball ticking over makes him the perfect foil to textbook No.6 Rice. Vitinha has been the heartbeat of the PSG side, controlling the tempo while offering outstanding technical prowess.

Forwards

Kvara Kvaratskhelia (LW)- PSG

This is possibly my most controversial pick. I could have snuck Mbappe in here; but would he have done the tracking back that Kvaratskhelia does? Luiz Diaz has probably been more statistically impressive. I just think the prospect of a Kvaratskhelia-Dimarco combination was impossible to ignore. Kvaratskhelia’s ability to cut inside would give Dimarco full license to overlap and do what he does best. The Georgian magician has been an integral part of PSG’s Ligue 1 campaign. But he has been particularly impressive on the European stage, scoring ten goals and laying on six assists in just 15 appearances. You just know that he’s going to have some sort of impact at the Puskás Arèna.

Bruno Fernandes (CAM)- Manchester United

If you were to go back a year from now, this would be by far the most unexpected name on this list. The Portuguese playmaker had almost become a figure of ridicule in recent seasons, used as a scapegoat for a failing behemoth. And perhaps he hasn’t always stood up when the going got tough. But he has blossomed again this campaign, showcasing all his creative powers to help guide United back into the Champions League. The amazing thing is that he managed to achieve this while playing under Amorim for the first half of the season. The much-maligned Portuguese coach didn’t understand how to use Fernandes, constantly shifting him like James Milner. Carrick knew right away- like the rest of the world- that Bruno was a No.10 who could cause havoc in those pockets of space outside the box.

Michael Olise (RW)- Bayern Munich

Possibly the most exciting player to watch in European football this season, Michael Olise has terrified left-backs with his technical wizardry and astonishing turn of pace. The Frenchman has nearly 50 goal involvements in this year’s Bundesliga campaign, becoming the most eye-catching member of Bayern’s intimidating frontline of Diaz, Kane and Olise. Kane obviously has the eye-boggling goal-scoring feats to gawk at (and we will get to him soon). But for me, Olise is the one guy you can’t really take out of that team.

Harry Kane (CF)- Bayern Munich

Still, you can’t beat Harry Kane when it comes to goal-scoring pyrotechnics. The English national treasure has obliterated his own previous scoring records, netting an incredible 55 goals for Bayern in 49 appearances. And it’s not all just about goal-scoring for Kane (which earns him this spot ahead of the likes of Mbappe and Haaland). Kane can also dip into those deeper playmaking positions, acting as Kompany’s de facto quarterback (like Brady and Belichick). Now he just needs to come back and break the all-time Premier League scoring record, take that smug look for Alan Shearer’s face.