As soon as Valentine’s Day is over, soccer fans will be able to rejoice as one of the biggest club competitions to take place each year returns to the sporting calendar.
The UEFA Champions League will begin the knockout phase of the competition, with the top 16 teams from the Group Stages beginning their adventure in the elimination stage of the competition in the hope that they can do what Chelsea had managed to do last season by going all the way and winning the title.
This year’s competition is perhaps more exciting for Americans than it has been before as they are now able to take advantage of relaxed sports betting rules within certain states. For instance, Unibet’s Arizona sportsbook promos will give punters within the state the opportunity to make the most of the top goal scorer and top assistant markets that have been made available and feature a number of odds, already.
Indeed, the team that is to achieve that honor is going to need to have all of their players playing as effectively as possible whilst on the pitch in each game, including those who can create the chances for those who can put the ball into the back of the net.
So, which attacking duos are perhaps going into the competition as the deadliest, and those opposing defenses will need to be very wary about when they come up against them in the knockout stages? Let’s take a look below!
Sebastien Haller and Antony
Ajax duo Sebastien Haller and Antony have both been incredibly effective in the final third in the UEFA Champions League this season.
Despite having appeared to fail the grade at West Ham United, Haller has become an incredibly prolific forward for the Dutch outfit and his performances in Europe will have impressed many observers. As we enter the knockout stages – in which Ajax will face Benfica – the forward actually leads the goalscoring charts with 10 goals whilst providing one assist of his own.
Antony has been incredibly proficient when it comes down to being the creator, with the 21-year-old having had a role in five goals. Only Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes has more than the Brazilian at this stage.
Robert Lewandowski and Leroy Sane
It was only going to be a matter of time to see a deadly attacking duo appear on this list representing FC Bayern Munich, although many would have perhaps have expected them to appear first.
Nonetheless, Robert Lewandowski and Leroy Sane fail to disappoint as the pair have been nothing short of spectacular in front of goal this season throughout the Group Stage. Admittedly, it may not be a shock, though, given their undeniable qualities as soccer players.
The Poland international is currently second in the goalscoring charts but is expected to be the overall Golden Boot winner once the tournament comes to an end as many expect the Germans to advance deep into the competition. Lewandowski currently has a total of nine goals so far, as well as two assists.
Sane, though, has perhaps been the standout for FC Bayern this season in the UCL, especially as he has been incredibly effective with the ball. The German international has managed to provide four assists thus far in the competition, but remarkably, the creator has also been effective in putting the ball in the back of the net, too!
The winger has managed to score five goals himself, thus showing that the Bavarians have two of the most prolific players in the tournament this season.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes
Manchester United may have left it a little later than they had hoped to qualify for the knockout stages of the UCL, however they did exactly that and have been rewarded with a Round of 16 contest against Atletico Madrid.
Indeed, the English giants will be in for a challenge over the two legs, however with their Portuguese attacking duo, then they will feel that they have a strong chance of being able to find the net when they need to.
Of course, Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes are household names around the world and in soccer, and both have been deadly with the ball. CR7 might not have assisted yet, but he has managed to come up with six goals for Manchester United, whereas the figures are flipped for Fernandes, with the playmaker providing a total of six but yet failing to score. Incidentally, he is expected to be crowned the top assistant of this season’s Champions League.
