Aitana Bonmati, Lena Oberdorf and GOAL's team of the 2022-23 European women's football season

One of the most difficult positions to pick in this XI, Maria Luisa Grohs earns the starting goalkeeper spot thanks to her outstanding performances for Bayern Munich. With the experienced Laura Benkarth out injured, Grohs began the season as Bayern's first-choice shot-stopper and has taken to the role like a duck to water, playing a key part in the club's league title triumph.

No goalkeeper conceded on fewer occasions in the Frauen-Bundesliga, with the 21-year-old having the best save percentage in the league of any shot-stopper to make five or more appearances.

Picking a right-back was a little easier thanks to Ona Batlle's quite dominant form for Manchester United. Her ability to be so impressive both defensively and offensively has been a key feature of her game since she arrived at the club from Levante, but never has it been more impressive than this term, helping the club to reach a first ever Women's FA Cup final and secure Women's Champions League football for the first time, too.

It looks like it might have been Batlle's final season in Manchester red, with her seemingly set to seal a return to Barcelona, but she's certainly gone out on a high.

Alongside Grohs' displays in between the sticks, Glodis Viggosdottir's form in the heart of defence was another big reason why Bayern were so hard to break down this year. The Iceland international has been playing the best football of her career to help the German giants win just their fourth Frauen-Bundesliga title, with pipping Wolfsburg to it no mean feat.

Viggosdottir is someone who can often slip under the radar when discussing the best defenders in the game, but there should be no doubt that she is incredibly worthy of a place in this XI.

The best and most complete centre-back in the women's game, Mapi Leon has been exceptional once again this season to help Barcelona win the league and reach another Champions League final.

In the Women's Champions League this term, no player has won possession back more often than the Barca star. No player has completed more passes than her, either. Those two statistics are a good way to underline how well-rounded her game is.

With a wonderful left foot that can whip in a dangerous set-piece or split open the most stubborn of defences, Leon is a truly sublime footballer as well as being tough to beat.

Fridolina Rolfo has long had the potential to be one of Europe's biggest talents and, after some injury-plagued years, she is finally proving that on a consistent basis at Barcelona.

That it is as a left-back is certainly new, with her having moved into that role soon after arriving in Catalunya, but given Barca's dominance it is often more like a second winger that she operates. Don't underestimate Rolfo's defensive attributes, though, which have got better and better the more she has played in the role.

One of the most important players in Wolfsburg's team, Lena Oberdorf has excelled at the base of their midfield again this year to help the club have another shot at Champions League glory. A dominant player off the ball with her desire to get stuck into a tackle and ability to read play well and intercept, Oberdorf is also excellent when she is in possession - and not just at the simple stuff.

She's been as classy as ever in a Wolfsburg team that won the DFB-Pokal in May, and she might have scored the Frauen-Bundesliga goal of the season, too, with a thunderbolt from 30 yards out against Cologne.

One of the best players in the Women's Super League this year, Frida Maanum so often stepped up when Arsenal needed a match-winner. The Norway international is another player in this XI who is very well-rounded, with her strengths certainly on the offensive side of the ball, though her defensive attributes have grown steadily throughout the year, too.

It was a difficult year for Arsenal given the number of injuries they had, but that only made Maanum's contributions more impressive, with her consistently impressive in an ever-changing XI.

Barcelona's little magician, Aitana Bonmati only seems to be getting better and better with each year - and she is still only 25 years old. The midfielder buzzes around the pitch as if she will never tire, popping up almost as often in the opponent's box to score a goal as she does in her own box to prevent one.

That she has more direct goal involvements in the Champions League this season than any other player highlights how good she is at stepping up in the big moment - something she'll hope to prove again in the final.

Kadidiatou Diani is one of the best wingers in the world. This season, though, she was so often one of the best centre-forwards in the world. With Marie-Antoinette Katoto recovering from an ACL injury, Diani regularly operated through the middle of Paris Saint-Germain's front three and did it so well that she picked up the French league's Golden Boot.

She could not have stepped up more for her team just when it was imperative for someone to do so.

One of the deadliest goalscorers on the planet, Ewa Pajor has played a huge role in firing Wolfsburg to the Champions League final, scoring a competition-best tally of eight goals along the way.

For years now, the Poland international has been one of the best players in the world. Sadly, though, it feels like she's yet to get the recognition she deserves. Perhaps after a barnstorming season like this, and having shone so often on the biggest of stages, she finally will.

It's almost unfair that Wolfsburg have two of the best strikers in the world. While Pajor tops the scoring charts in Europe, it's Alex Popp who won the Golden Boot in Germany's Frauen-Bundesliga.

Yet, it's common to see Popp in a variety of positions. She can play up top but she can also play out wide, as a No.10 and even as a deep-lying midfielder. Her versatility and leadership are other key assets for her team alongside her goalscoring, with them huge in Wolfsburg lifting the DFB-Pokal trophy and reaching another European final.

Picking a team of the season for one particular league is difficult enough. To do it across an entire continent is even harder - and means there are always going to be some notable omissions.

For many, Wolfsburg's Merle Frohms is one of the best goalkeepers in the world but she was just pipped to a place in this XI by her compatriot, and club rival, Grohs. Leon's centre-back partner at Barca, Irene Paredes, is another who was close to being included.

In midfield, there were a lot of options to choose from. Chelsea's Erin Cuthbert was outstanding to help the Blues claim a league and cup double, while Caroline Weir's exploits at Real Madrid were incredible - the Scot ending the Spanish league season with 19 goals and 12 assists.

The front three almost picked itself given all of Diani, Pajor and Popp have been so dominant offensively and had huge moments on big stages. However, there should still be honourable mentions for both Lea Schuller, key in Bayern's title triumph, and Guro Reiten, who was magical on all fronts for Chelsea.