Barcelona dominate the selection after their final win over Lyon, but Arsenal still have two players recognised for their European campaigns.
Arsenal have had Emily Fox and Alessia Russo named in the Champions League Team of the Season, with the pair recognised after helping the holders reach the semi-finals before their defence of the trophy ended against Lyon.
The selection is again heavily shaped by Barcelona, who beat Lyon 4-0 in the final and have five players in the XI.
Cata Coll, Mapi León, Patri Guijarro, Alexia Putellas and Ewa Pajor were all included after Barcelona, with Pajor finishing as the tournament’s top scorer on 11 goals and Putellas named player of the competition.
For Arsenal, the inclusion of Fox and Russo is a clear reflection of the level they maintained in a campaign that ended one round earlier than they wanted. Arsenal went into the competition as defending champions after last season’s triumph, but were beaten by the eventual runners-up, who were then swept aside by Barcelona at the weekend.
Russo’s place in the team is no surprise on the numbers alone. The forward scored seven goals in 10 appearances in this season’s competition, continuing another excellent individual campaign. Yet any assumption that such consistency would place her firmly in the Ballon d’Or conversation is already running into the familiar problem of how Arsenal players are judged.
According to the Spanish press, Russo is unlikely to be considered a serious contender because Arsenal did not win the Champions League this season. That argument would be easier to accept had she been rewarded last year, when she did win the Champions League and the Euros, only to be overlooked in favour of a Barcelona player who did not do those things.
The standard, as ever, appears to move depending on the shirt being worn.
Fox’s recognition is also significant. The United States international has become one of Arsenal’s most reliable performers and her inclusion in the Champions League Team of the Season underlines the quality and consistency she brought to the European stage.
Lyon’s representation comes through Wendie Renard, Selma Bacha and Melchie Dumornay, while Bayern Munich, the other semi-finalist, have Pernille Harder included.