The UEFA Champions League is set to return tonight after the competition abruptly came to a halt due to the coronavirus pandemic in February.
Atletico Madrid, Atalanta, Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig have already booked their place in the quarter-finals, while four among Juventus-Lyon, Barcelona-Napoli, Chelsea-Bayern Munich and Manchester City-Real Madrid will join them in the last-eight stage.
The quarter-finals and semi-finals will be single-legged affairs this season but that shouldn’t dampen the excitement surrounding the return of the premium continental competition.
On that note, let us quickly take a look at the top five goalscorers in this season’s Champions League.
#5 Dries Mertens (Napoli): 6 goals
Dries Mertens has been a revelation for the Naples-based side since his move from Dutch giants, PSV Eindhoven in 2013. The Belgian international, who has been primarily a winger, now plays as a striker and is Napoli’s all-time leading goalscorer.
Mertens endured a disappointing campaign in Serie A as he failed to reach double figures in front of goal for the first time in four seasons. However, the 33-year-old has been a different player in the Champions League, scoring six goals in seven matches, finding the back of the net every 83 minutes.
He converted a penalty in the 4-0 win over Genk which took Napoli through to the Round of 16 and struck again in the first leg against Barcelona before an injury ended his participation against the Catalan giants.
#4 Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich): 6 goals
Serge Gnabry got away from Arsenal cheaply and is now making heads turn with his performances for Bayern Munich. The German international won his second double of the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal with the Bavarians giants at the end of the domestic campaign.
On the European front, Gnabry has scored six goals in as many Champions League appearances this season, with the former Arsenal man taking a real liking to fellow north London outfit, Tottenham Hotspur, as he scored four times against Spurs and helped Bayern Munich to a thumping 7-2 win.
He has scored a goal every 78 minutes in the Champions League this season and hence is fourth on the list, despite being tied with Dries Mertens.
#3 Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur): 6 goals
Harry Kane is one of the most prolific strikers in the world at the moment. The Tottenham Hotspur captain started the season in fine fashion before a serious injury kept him on sidelines.
The England international has been one of the rare bright spots in an otherwise mediocre season for Spurs.
Kane scored six goals in the Champions League this season, with his two strikes in a comeback victory over Olympiacos helping Tottenham to progress to the Round of 16, where they were eliminated by RB Leipzig.
The 27-year-old, who won’t be able to add to his tally, found the back of the net every 73 minutes in the 2019-20 Champions League.
#2 Erling Haaland (RB Salzburg/Borussia Dortmund): 10 goals
The Norwegian international had an extraordinary debut campaign in the world’s biggest club competition. The 19-year-old prodigy is considered to be the best young striker in Europe, and he has the numbers to back the claim.
Erling Haaland featured for Austrian outfit, RB Salzburg in the group stages and netted eight times in six games.
After securing a January move to Borussia Dortmund, the teenage sensation scored twice against Paris Saint-Germain in the Round of 16, taking his tally to 10 in eight games.
However, PSG eliminated BVB and Haaland, who made history by becoming the first player to score for two clubs in the same Champions League season (group stage onward), won’t be able to add to his already impressive tally.
#1 Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich): 11 goals
Arguably the best striker in the world now, the Poland international has simply been unstoppable this season and has already helped Bayern Munich to the domestic double.
Robert Lewandowski scored 34 goals in the Bundesliga and finished second behind Lazio’s Ciro Immoible, who netted 36 times in Serie A, in the European Golden Shoe race.
The 31-year-old struck on the first five matchdays, and his four against Crvena Zvezda came in a competition-record 16 minutes. In total, he has scored 11 times in the Champions League this season.
Lewandowski is almost certain to win the Golden Boot this season but it remains to be seen if he can lift his first-ever Champions League trophy.
Also Read: Ciro Immobile: The David who beat 3 Goliaths to win European Golden Shoe