Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe and GOAL's Team of the 2025-26 Champions League league phase

Arsenal only conceded four goals in the entire league phase, and David Raya kept five clean sheets, the second-highest of all the goalkeepers in the competition behind Tottenham's Guglielmo Vicario. Bodo/Glimt's Nikita Haikin also deserves a mention for pulling off the most saves (49) to help the Norwegian minnows make the play-offs, but for pure consistency, Raya was unmatched.

Of the 20 shots that the Spain international faced across his seven appearances between the sticks, he kept out a staggering 18, giving him by far the best save percentage (90), while he also made 17 high claims, defying the popular narrative that he doesn't command his box.

The Gunners wouldn't have scored the most goals (23) had it not been for Raya's distribution either, and if he keeps up his current level, the 30-year-old could emerge as a leading contender for the 2026 Yashin Trophy.

Raya has also undoubtedly benefitted from having a rock-solid backline in front of him, with Jurrien Timber blocking the path to goal for all the flying wingers he has come up against. Indeed, the Dutchman has established himself among the best one-vs-one defenders in the business, boasting the perfect blend of pace, strength and intelligence.

Timber is also a huge asset in attack, always looking for line-breaking passes and taking any opportunity he can to burst into the box.

"He’s been phenomenal in every department," Mikel Arteta said after Timber's star turn in the Gunners' 3-0 win over Slavia Prague. "I think he’s taken his level and the team’s level to a different dimension." That last sentence is indisputable, and tangible success could be a by-product of the next step in his development.

Virgil van Dijk has shown signs of decline this season at the ripe old age of 34, with arguably his lowest point coming in Liverpool's shocking 4-1 home defeat to PSV. However, in the other seven Champions League games Van Dijk has started, he's been almost flawless, particularly in the thrilling 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid, when he scored a dramatic stoppage-time winner.

That was one of five goal contributions for Van Dijk, who has once again led by example at both ends of the pitch for a Liverpool team that also pulled off huge wins over Real Madrid and Inter on their way to a third-placed finish. An apparent loss of mobility hasn't been as damaging for the Reds captain in Europe as he's proved he can still dominate in the air and on the ground.

Jonathan Tah made GOAL's Team of the League Phase in 2024-25 after his stellar displays for Bayer Leverkusen, and is deservedly back in the line up after making the transition to Bayern Munich look easy. The intimidating German was colossal as the Bundesliga champions swept to a second-placed finish with seven wins out of eight, particularly in their 2-1 triumph at holders Paris Saint-Germain, where he posted eight clearances and three recoveries while completing 95 percent of his passes.

Forging an instant connection with Dayot Upamecano, Tah has been a master at putting out fires and very rarely comes off second-best in his duels. Bayern's fearsome frontline gets all the plaudits, but Tah has given them the base for a run towards their first Champions League crown since 2019-20.

It's fair to say that PSG's title defence has been a big disappointment so far, with Luis Enrique's side having to settle for a play-off spot after winning only four games in the league phase.  Nuno Mendes has, though, managed to enhance his reputation as the finest left-back on the continent, racking up four goal involvements, including a vital assist in PSG's statement 2-1 win away at Barcelona.

The reigning European champions have been reliant on the 23-year-old's pace and athleticism out wide, both in defence and attack, but his best work has come in the half-spaces, because he is also adept at cutting into central areas to link the play. Mendes continues to live up to the "fighter plane" billing bestowed upon him by Luis Enrique, and frighteningly, he still has so much more potential to unlock.

Mendes may have got the better of him in October, but Lamine Yamal has proven that he remains the best footballer on the planet when in full flow, despite battling a chronic injury and Barcelona's struggles for cohesion in the Champions League. The 18-year-old's total of 72 dribbles is 18 ahead of nearest challenger Jeremy Doku, while he also ranks in the top 10 for chances created per 90 minutes.

Indeed, Yamal finished the league phase with six goal contributions, a more than respectable haul considering he missed two games, and he stepped up when Barca needed him most. His spectacular solo goal at Club Brugge ultimately made the difference between a draw and a defeat, while he was simply unstoppable in Barca's 4-1 win against Copenhagen on the final matchday, which booked automatic progress to the last 16. An absolute joy to watch.

Dominik Szoboszlai has carried Arne Slot's dysfunctional Liverpool on his back for much of their spluttering Premier League title defence, and has been the driving force in their bid for redemption in the Champions League. The all-action Hungarian notched a combined eight goals and assists in the league phase, while only five players recorded more shots on target.

When he gets a sight of goal, Szoboszlai is deadly, as evidenced by his long-range strikes against Eintracht Frankfurt and Marseille, while few can match the precision and penetration he offers with his passing. Slot also knows that no one will ever out-work Szoboszlai, who already has 38 ball recoveries to his name and has covered almost 21 miles in his 705 minutes on the pitch.

PSG's Portuguese orchestrator Vitinha has been the most consistent player in Luis Enrique's ranks once again, with Tottenham boss Thomas Frank predicting that "he will be the next Ballon d'Or winner" after seeing the former Wolves flop run rings around his team on matchday five. Vitinha earned a 9.9 rating on Sofascore after scoring a hat-trick in PSG's thrilling 5-3 win over Spurs, and also found the net against Bayer Leverkusen and Newcastle, though goals are not usually his forte. 

He's the man who dictates the tempo for the reigning European champions, always looking to open up new passing lanes and carry the ball forward. It feels like the ball is glued to Vitinha's feet, and he uses it more efficiently than anyone, with the 25-year-old sitting way out in front for passes completed, just as he did during PSG's run to the trophy last term. A repeat success is still a distinct possibility due to his presence alone.

Arteta's obsession with set-pieces has come at the expense of Arsenal's forward players domestically, but they've looked a more fluid attacking outfit in Europe, in no small part thanks to Gabriel Martinelli. The Brazilian has scored six goals in seven appearances, despite three of those outings coming as a substitute, combining dazzling runs with ruthless finishing.

The Gunners were locked at 0-0 at Athletic Club and 1-1 against Bayern before Martinelli was introduced, and had it not been for his immediate impact, they may not have earned the knockout stage privileges that come with a top-two finish, as Arteta's men will now play all of their second legs at home through to the semi-finals, should they get there.

Martinelli has had his critics in recent years, but he still has match-winning magic in his boots and the capacity to embarrass even the very best defenders.

Harry Kane is ageing like a fine wine! The 32-year-old is on course for his most impressive season at Bayern yet, already up to 35 goals in just 31 appearances across all competitions, with eight of those coming on Europe's biggest stage. A brace to down Chelsea on the opening matchday was the high point, but Kane also signed off strongly, scoring both goals in a 2-0 win over Union Saint-Gilloise before coming off the bench to net the winner against PSV.

Bayern have also looked to the former Tottenham man as a leader and talismanic playmaker; he creates chances almost as often as he puts them away and sets the highest standards of excellence. Vincent Kompany has assembled a supporting cast that has brought the maximum out of Kane, helping Bayern reach a whole new level. The England captain is clearly hungry for more silverware, and may also become the favourite for the 2026 Ballon d'Or if he stays on his current trajectory.

Kylian Mbappe seems determined to follow in Cristiano Ronaldo's footsteps at Real Madrid, and there is now a very good chance that the Frenchman will break Ronaldo's single-season Champions League goals record of 17, given he's already up to 13 in just seven appearances for 2025-26.

You never know what you're going to get from the current Madrid team, who finished just outside the top eight after losing their final game against Benfica, but Mbappe is doing everything within his power to mask their collective flaws. He ranks first for shots on target in the competition this season (22) and often manufactures openings on his own, while the former PSG talisman has no equal when it comes to timing runs in behind.

Although a 16th Champions League win seems beyond Real, who are still recovering from Xabi Alonso's ill-fated reign, it cannot be ruled out entirely because Mbappe has the power to deliver at any moment.