5 players with the most assists in UEFA Champions League semi-finals and finals
The 2020-21 Champions League is nearing its conclusion, with four top teams vying for European club football’s highest honour. An all-English Champions League final between Chelsea and Manchester City on the cards.
Five players with the most assists in UEFA Champions League semi-finals and finals
The best players in the Champions League tend to shine in the semi-finals and final. This is the stage where the elite mentality of top players shines through, and they play a considerable role - either scoring or providing assists and facilitating their team's build-up play.
On that note, let’s take a look at five players with the most assists in UEFA Champions League semi-finals and finals.
#5 Roberto Carlos | 4 assists
Roberto Carlos represented Real Madrid in three Champions League finals, providing the assist for Zinedine Zidane’s magical winner in the 2002 title match.
Carlos has been one of the best full-backs in the history of the game and has revolutionised the role in the 2000s. He is one of the most successful players to have donned the whites of Real Madrid.
In 584 matches, Roberto Carlos scored 71 goals for the club - an astounding number for a full-back back in the day. He won three Champions League titles in 11 supremely successful seasons at Real Madrid, along with four La Liga, three Supercopa de Espana and two Intercontinental Cups.
The Brazilian was brought to Real Madrid as one of the “Galacticos” by Florentino Perez, who signed the likes of Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham, Ronaldo Nazario and Luis Figo around the same time. Roberto Carlos’ 16 goals and 25 assists in the Champions League is evidence that Real Madrid's investment on him was money well spent.
#4 Alessandro Del Piero | 4 assists
A legend of Italian football, Alessandro Del Piero spent 19 years with Italian champions Juventus.
With four assists to his name in the semi-finals and finals, Del Piero played a massive role in Juventus’ 1995-96 Champions League triumph, the Bianconeri's last title in the competition.
The Italian finished was the top scorer in the 1997-98 Champions League campaign, scoring ten goals, including a hat-trick in the all-important semi-finals against Monaco.
Between 1996-98, Del Piero led Juventus to three successive Champions League finals. The Bianconeri lost the 1997 Champions League final to Borussia Dortmund while they came up short against Real Madrid in the 1998 title match.
While his contributions at Europe’s biggest stage endeared him to the Juventus faithful, it was Del Piero's undying loyalty to the club that was quite impressive.
The Calciopoli scandal saw Juventus demoted to Serie B. While most top players left the Allianz Stadium, Alessandro Del Piero captained the club to the Serie B title and helped Juventus return to Serie A on their first attempt.