6 Captains Hoping to Lead Their Team to Champions League Glory
The Champions League is pretty much the trophy that every player wants to get their hands on, and although it eludes even some of the greatest who have ever played the game, it remains a possibility for some to lift.
Looking to the skippers of this season's Champions League participants, here are seven captains who will be hoping to raise aloft the famous trophy come the end of the campaign.
1. Gianluigi Buffon
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Undoubtedly one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, there's probably no one who wants to win the Champions League more than Gianluigi Buffon, Juventus' long-serving 39-year-old captain.
A runner-up on three separate occasions with the Bianconeri, Buffon will have just one last chance to become a European champions, having lost at the final hurdle to AC Milan, Barcelona and Real Madrid in 2003, 2015 and 2017 respectively.
2. Andres Iniesta
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Unlike Buffon, Andres Iniesta has won the Champions League, four times in fact, yet that has not deterred the Spaniard's desire to become a five-time winner, especially since he now dons the captain's armband for his beloved Barcelona.
Admittingly in a more reserved role for the Catalan side as a result of his ageing legs, he still has plenty to offer and his creative ability will be vital if the Blaugrana want to topple Real Madrid's dominance of Europe's premier competition.
3. Vincent Kompany
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With the eye-watering amount of money already invested into Manchester City it is expected that the Citizens will eventually become kings of Europe, and with Pep Guardiola at the helm, that moment could be upon us.
Club captain Vincent Kompany is almost a permanent member of the treatment room, but when fit he still remains a world class centre-back and, having lifted countless trophies as City skipper already, he'll be desperate for the big one.
4. Manuel Neuer
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Bayern Munich look a different side without keeper and club captain Manuel Neuer marshalling proceedings from the back, and upon his return from injury the German stopper will be hoping for another run in Europe.
The Bavarians have not been in the final since 2013, when they beat Bundesliga rivals Dortmund, and with Neuer taking up the captain's armband from the now-retired Philipp Lahm since that win, he will be keen to lift the trophy from his new role.
5. Antonio Valencia
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Clearly on the road back to becoming a European superpower, Manchester United have set their sights on trophies once again following the dismal post-Fergie era, which looks to have subsided now with Jose Mourinho in charge.
Red Devils' captain Antonio Valencia, who deputises for the rarely-used Michael Carrick, has been a reliable performer for United for nearly a decade. He may well join the group of legendary players who have lifted the European Cup for the club that hail from Old Trafford.
6. Thiago Silva
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Much like Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain's wealthy investors demand success on the pitch and success doesn't come much bigger than the Champions League, with the Ligue 1 side making steady progress each season.
With a busy summer seeing both Neymar and Kylian Mbappe join the ranks at the Parc des Princes, captain Thiago Silva may be quietly confident that he will be the man to lift the Champions League trophy come May.
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