MY ACCOUNT
The battle to secure a place in the Champions League knockout stages is heating up — and so is the race to be the competition’s top scorer.
While lifting the iconic trophy will be the priority for players and their teams, finishing as the best marksman is an accolade any forward would be proud of.
Read on as we pick out the current leaders and assess who is best placed to take the crown.
Sebastien Haller, Ajax (nine goals, one assist)
Sebastien Haller’s maiden Champions League campaign has been simply stunning so far.
The former West Ham man has hit an incredible nine goals in five games to help Ajax maintain a 100% record in the group stages.
That tally includes four in the 5-1 dismantling of Sporting, while a match-winning double brought him level with Robert Lewandowski at the top on Matchday 5.
His rival forwards star for some of the favourites to win the trophy, so he will know keeping up with the big hitters will be a difficult task.
But with Ajax exceeding expectations and among the best-performing teams in the group stage, there is no reason why they and Haller cannot continue deep into the tournament.
Robert Lewandowski, Bayern Munich (nine goals, one assist)
With Lewandowski and Bayern Munich continuing to fire on all cylinders, the Polish striker is a smart bet to pick up a second Champions League top scorer gong.
The 33-year-old has scored in each of Bayern’s five group matches, plus a further four consecutive games stretching back to last season’s competition.
The Bavarians were knocked out somewhat prematurely by Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals despite his run and will be determined to wrestle back the crown they won in 2020.
If Julian Nagelsmann’s men can continue their flawless form during the knockout stages, expect Lewandowski to be firmly among the goals.
With so many candidates still in the running and a chance of some finishing on the same amount of goals, the star striker may have to improve on the one assist he has currently in order to edge his competitors in a tie-breaker.
Christopher Nkunku, RB Leipzig, (seven goals)
Cristopher Nkunku will bow out of the running once the group stage is concluded following RB Leipzig’s elimination but his goalscoring exploits mean he is well worthy of a mention.
The French attacker has managed five goals in seven games — made more impressive by the fact that he rarely operates as an out-and-out striker for the Bundesliga outfit.
Playing on the left, right or in attacking midfield, the 24-year-old is developing into one of Europe’s most exciting talents.
The former PSG man managed a hat-trick despite going down 6-3 against Manchester City in the first game and also added a goal against his old club.
He will hope Leipzig can secure a Europa League place tonight so he can continue to shine on the European stage.
Mohamed Salah, Liverpool (six goals)
Mohamed Salah has been at his brilliant best as Liverpool ran away as Group B winners.
Despite being down in fourth on this leaderboard, Salah’s record six goals in five outings is not one to be sniffed at.
The Egyptian has been on the scoresheet in all but one game, with his match-winning double in a 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid the highlight of an excellent European showing so far.
Jurgen Klopp’s men will have eyes on once again lifting the trophy they last claimed in 2019 and will need Salah to be as instrumental now as he was during that victorious season if they are to do so.
The 29-year-old will surely have to better his best-ever tally of 10 in the competition to take the individual accolade but with the form he is in this season, you would not bet against him doing just that.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United (six goals)
Manchester United have had a difficult season but rule the all-time Champions League scorer out of this prize at your peril.
Cristiano Ronaldo sits level with Salah on six strikes, taking his overall total to a simply extraordinary 140.
United, now managed by Ralf Rangnick, are safely through to the last 16 thanks largely to late Ronaldo goals in group victories over Atalanta and Villarreal.
While his group-stage tally is impressive, the phenom’s record during the knockout stages is even more astonishing with 67 strikes to his name when the going gets tough.
Do not bet against Ronaldo catching up with the leaders and in turn dragging the Red Devils through to the tournament’s latter rounds.
Karim Benzema, Real Madrid (five goals)
Karim Benzema placing sixth despite boasting a goal-a-game record shows how strong the competition is in the goalscoring department this season.
Like so many in this list are to their teams, the 33-year-old is crucial to Real Madrid’s hopes of going all the way and re-establishing themselves as champions of Europe.
Amid the club’s financial troubles off the pitch, the goalscoring exploits of Benzema have kept Los Blancos firing in both LaLiga and Europe.
With 17 goals overall this season, the France striker has netted five in his last four Champions League outings as Carlo Ancelotti’s men look to top Group D with a victory over Inter Milan this evening.
He has his work cut out to keep up with the rest but Madrid’s tendency to feature in the later rounds of the competition means he could have plenty of opportunity to do so.
