Europa League Team of the Season: Torres & Cardozo star in prolific attack

Europa League Team of the Season: Torres & Cardozo star in prolific attack

May 16, 2013 9:00:00 AM

After Chelsea won the final, Goal runs through the finest footballers from the competition in 2012-13 and picks a team of 11 players from the campaign

Chelsea's dramatic victory over Benfica on Wednesday night rounded off another long season of Europa League football which first started way back in August.

With a play-off round, group stages and a final 32 rounded down to our eventual winners after a gruelling knock-out phase, it has certainly been another eventful ride that has given us plenty of top players to choose from in going for our Team of the Season.

Below, Goal list our selection of the tournament's best XI players this season in a 3-4-3 formation. Check out our line-up and then be sure to give us your own judgement!

GOALKEEPER

YANN SOMMER

BASEL

APPS: 14

Basel had an impressive run to the semi-finals of the competition, with the performances of goalkeeper Yann Sommer proving vital. The 24-year-old produced a number of outstanding displays, particularly in helping his side past Tottenham on penalties in the last eight.

DEFENCE

BRANISLAV IVANOVIC	FABIAN SCHAR	JAN VERTONGHEN
CHELSEA	BASEL	TOTTENHAM
APP: 6  GOALS: 1	APP: 13 GOALS: 4	APP: 12 GOALS: 1

Branislav Ivanovic's Europa League-winning header could have been enough to guarantee him selection in any case, but he also played a part in the Blues' run to the final and figured in both legs in the semi-final victory over Basel.

Basel's own performances in the competition were undoubtedly boosted by the performances of promising 21-year-old stopper Fabian Schar, who also chipped in with four vital goals at the other end of the pitch.

Tottenham's failure to qualify for the Champions League last year meant they had a large number of games to play before making it all the way to the quarter-finals. Jan Vertonghen played in 12 of those and replicated the strong showings he has also produced in the Premier League.

MIDFIELD

DIRK KUYT	HERNANES	FREDY GUARIN	JUAN MATA
FENERBAHCE	LAZIO	INTER	CHELSEA
APP: 14 GOALS: 4	APP: 14 GOALS: 1	APP: 12 GOALS: 4	APP: 7 GOALS: 1

Dirk Kuyt was a key part of Fenerbahce's superb progress to the semi-finals. The ex-Liverpool man was on target to help his side through the quarter-finals and also netted in the losing effort against Benfica in the last four.

Hernanes' all-action performances in Serie A and the Europa League have earned him admiring glances from across Europe again this season. A key part of Lazio's charge to the quarter-finals, his all-round performances earned him a spot in our side along with the multiple assists he provided.

Inter's tournament ended at the hands of Tottenham in the round of 16, but there was still enough opportunities for Fredy Guarin to stamp his mark on the competition before the San Siro side's exit. The Colombian midfielder was a real threat going forward with four goals and four assists, the highlight being his double against Cluj in the last 32.

Two assists in the final capped an impressive tournament for Juan Mata as he helped Chelsea to glory and added another trophy to his ever-growing honours list. The Spaniard may have only scored once but his creative talents saw him finish joint-top of the assists table with six, despite the Blues only joining the latter stages of the competition after dropping out of the Champions League.

ATTACK

LIBOR KOZAK	FERNANDO TORRES	OSCAR CARDOZO
LAZIO	CHELSEA	BENFICA
APP: 11 GOALS: 10	APP: 9 GOALS: 6	APP: 9 GOALS: 7

Libor Kozak may not have been prolific at all in Serie A this season but, in the Europa League, he more than took his chances for Lazio. Ending as the tournament's top goalscorer, he netted 10 times from eight starts and three substitute appearances from the play-off round onwards, including a hat-trick against Stuttgart.
It has not been a vintage few years for Fernando Torres since he moved to Chelsea, but his impressive goal in the final capped what has been an improved season for the Spaniard. He netted six times in this competition and was a consistent contributor in each round, scoring in the last 16, quarter-final, semi-final and then again in the Amsterdam showpiece.
Benfica forward Oscar Cardozo also scored in the final and has enjoyed another prolific campaign in front of goal. Netting seven goals from as many starts and two appearances of the bench in the tournament, the Paraguayan's double against Fenerbahce in the semi-finals saw his side through after a first-leg defeat. ------------------ goal.com