Messi, Salah, Ronaldo make UEFA Champions League awards shortlist

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, Cristiano Ronaldo of Juventus and Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, have all made UEFA’s shortlist for the best forwards who played in its Champions League last season, UEFA announced on Thursday.

Ronaldo, who won the award last year, topped the goalscoring charts with 15 goals in the competition, as Real Madrid won it for the third consecutive time.

Salah led Liverpool’s remarkable run to the final with 10 goals and four assists, while FC Barcelona’s Messi netted six goals.

The best defender will definitely be a Real Madrid player, as the trio of Marcelo, Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane, are the only names shortlisted for the award.

Real Madrid’s duo of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric will compete with Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne for the midfielder award.

New Liverpool signing, Alisson Becker, Real Madrid’s Keylor Navas and Gianluigi Buffon, who completed a switch from Juventus to Paris St Germain (PSG) last month, will slug it out for the goalkeepers’ prize.

The winners will be announced during the 2018/2019 UEFA Champions League group stage draw in Monaco on August 30.