Benzema named Champions League player of the season

Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema has been named as the Champions League player of the season.

The France international, 34, won the competition for a fifth time as Real beat Liverpool 1-0 in the final.

He scored 15 goals in 12 Champions League games and is a leading contender to win this year’s Ballon d’Or.

Benzema’s team-mate Vinicius Jr, who scored the only goal in the final, has been selected as the tournament’s young player of the season.

The 21-year-old scored four goals and made six assists in the 2021-22 campaign.

The pair are joined in the Champions League team of the season by Real midfielder Luka Modric and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who was man of the match in Paris.

Runners-up Liverpool also have four players included, with defenders Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson and midfielder Fabinho featuring.

The team of the season is completed by Paris St-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe, Manchester City’s Kevin de Bruyne and Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger.