Barca and Real dominate UEFA Team of Year
Reuters - Wednesday 18 January 2012, 13:42
Players from Barcelona and
Real Madrid took eight of the 11 places in a 2011 Team of the
Year voted by subscribers to UEFA's official website.
Just as in 2010, Spain-based talent dominated with five of
Barca's La Liga and Champions League winning side selected to
three from their great rivals Real Madrid.
European football's governing body UEFA, which announced the
results of the poll on its website on Wednesday,
said 4.5 million votes were cast.
Barca's goal-machine Lionel Messi would line-up alongside
Real's Cristiano Ronaldo up front in the fantasy selection while
Barca's Xavi, who received the most individual votes, and
Andreas Iniesta would pull the strings in midfield.
Right-back Daniel Alves and centre-back Gerard Pique
complete Barca's representation in the back four where they are
joined by Real's left-back Marcelo.
Real goalkeeper Iker Casillas gets the vote between the
posts and like team mate Ronaldo was included in the selection
for the fifth consecutive year.
Only one player from the English Premier League was
included, Tottenham Hotspur's Welsh winger Gareth Bale rewarded
for some stunning performances which have helped the North
Londoners mount a title challenge this season.
Bale is the first Welshman to feature in the UEFA.com Team
of the Year since it began 11 years ago.
AC Milan centre-back Thiago Silva and Bayern Munich's
right-sided Dutch playmaker Arjen Robben completed the side with
Barca's Pep Guardiola voted as the year's top coach.