The semi-final is by far the most competitive knockout round in the UEFA Champions League. With the four best teams battling it out for a place in the final, the stakes are astronomical; there is no room for error.
Only the very best players manage to thrive in this round, and today, we will meet the finest of the lot. Continue reading to check out the five players who have scored the most goals in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals since its facelift in the 1992-93 season.
#5 Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus) — 5 Goals
Del Piero Lost 3 UCL Finals With Juventus
Legendary former center-forward, Alessandro Del Piero, is kicking off the list, having bagged five semi-final goals for Juventus in six outings. Del Piero played four UEFA Champions League finals during his time with the Bianconeri, losing thrice. Surprisingly, Del Piero could not score in the semi-finals in Juve’s triumphant 1995-96 UCL campaign.
Del Piero delivered a masterclass in a 4-1 first-leg win over AS Monaco in the 1997-98 season. The 2006 FIFA World Cup winners scored a hat-trick and provided an assist as the Old Lady picked up a 4-1 victory over the French side.
#4 Lionel Messi (Barcelona) — 6 Goals
Lionel Messi Is Barcelona’s All-Time Top Goalscorer
The second-highest scorer in UEFA Champions League history (129 goals in 163 matches), Lionel Messi has only scored six goals in 15 semi-final matches. All of his goals have come for his boyhood club Barcelona. Messi, who is currently playing his trade at Inter Miami, has won the competition four times, with his last victory coming in the 2014-15 season.
Messi produced his best semi-final performance in a 3-0 first-leg victory over Bayern Munich in the 2014-15 season. He had a hand in all three goals that night, as he chipped in with a brace and an assist.
#3 Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich) — 7 Goals
Lewandowski Netted Four To Sink Real Madrid
One of the best strikers of the 21st century, Barcelona ace…
Source link : https://sportslens.com/news/uefa-champions-league-most-goals-semi-finals/
Author : Sushan Chakraborty
Publish date : 2024-05-01 07:57:32
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