Here are the seven most frightening players in the Champions League quarter-finals.

The Champions League is home to some of the world’s most frighteningly good players, and this season’s quarter-finals will be no different. 

However, whilst neutrals will be looking forward to seeing this talent on show, certain players will be dreading coming up against them.

Here are the seven most frightening players in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)

If you’re a centre back who is looking for an easy afternoon, you would have been praying not to be drawn against Tottenham. It is Manchester City who will have to prepare themselves to face Harry Kane – one of the most terrifying prospects in world football.

The 25-year-old takes no days off. From the first whistle to the last, Kane will do all he can to terrorise opponents and score goals. He already has five in this season’s ​Champions League, but you can be sure he’s not done yet.

Defenders simply cannot afford to make even one mistake, as Kane will be there to pounce. His instincts in front of goal are second to none, and City will not be looking forward to trying to contain him.

Hakim Ziyech (Ajax)

Hakim Ziyech has been starring in the Eredivisie for many years, and this season has given him the chance to bring his talents to Europe’s biggest stage for the first time in his career. He is certainly taking his chance. Just ask Real Madrid.

The Ajax man is one of the most influential players in the Champions League this season, using his creativity and vision to record goals and assists. He ghosts past players as if they were not even there, and has made plenty of defenders look foolish.

Cutting in from the right wing, the Moroccan netted in both legs of Ajax’s triumph over Los Blancos, and he has made his team one of the most exciting prospects in the tournament.

Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)

If you are in any doubt over just how good Cristiano Ronaldo is, go watch his performance against Atletico Madrid. Diego Simeone’s men did all the could to stop Ronaldo, but they were powerless against his brilliance. It was just another day at the office for the Juventus man.

Ronaldo has made a career out of doing the impossible, and there is simply nothing he cannot do. As well as scoring an unfathomable amount of goals, the 34-year-old brings an unrivalled level of competitiveness which drags his teammates up to another standard, and it is Ajax who will have the task of containing him.

There’s a reason Ronaldo is the top scorer in the history of the competition. He is just that good.

Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City have become one of the finest club sides we have ever seen, and they are led by Argentinian superstar Sergio Aguero. Despite the Citizens’ embarrassment of riches in attack, Aguero remains a constant in the side, and with good reason.

Not only does he score goals for fun, but his impact can be felt all over the pitch. He makes runs which many defenders cannot even comprehend, and he always knows where to position himself. Whether he is creating or scoring, Aguero is a constant terror to defenders.

He has racked up five goals from just four starts this season and, with an unparalleled quadruple in sight, expect Aguero to step his game up even further in the quarter-finals. 

Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

The best players in the world are those who can make you question reality, and there is nobody better at that than Lionel Messi.

At 31 years old, players are not supposed to be able to do the kind of things that Messi can do. He has ​humiliated many of the world’s finest defenders, as his dribbling and control allow him to pull off moves that nobody expects. At any given moment, Messi can wave his wand and inject some magic into a game.

The ​Barcelona star sits atop the scoring charts this season with eight goals, but he also has three assists to his name. Few can stop him, and facing Messi is the stuff of nightmares.

Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)

Liverpool were already good before they signed Virgil van Dijk, but they have reached new heights since recruiting the Dutchman from Southampton.

The Reds do not concede many goals, and that is largely due to Van Dijk. Even the greatest forwards in the world struggle to match his physicality and ability to read the play. Before you can even think about making a run, the 27-year-old has stopped you from doing so.

He leads by example, and has turned Liverpool into a resolute animal. The whole team mirrors his determination, meaning goalscoring opportunities for the opposition are few and far between.

Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)

Talent is one thing, but raw athleticism is another. You could be the best defender in the world but, against a player who boasts a new level of speed and power, you could be made to look foolish. Unfortunately for Barcelona, they will face that very issue in the shape of Marcus Rashford.

The 21-year-old has looked like a man possessed since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer arrived at ​Manchester United. He runs with speed and power, leaving even elite defenders chasing shadows, before relying on his technical ability to score goals. He managed a goal and an assist against Paris Saint-Germain in the last round, showcasing a frightening level of composure to net the decisive penalty.

You cannot stop Rashford if you cannot catch him, and few can manage that. On the rare instance that someone does, they then have to subdue his creativity, which is a whole new test. He does not give defenders a chance to catch their breath, and expect to see that against Barcelona.​

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