Buffon, Real Madrid Stars Sweep Champions League Awards

Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, Luka Modric and Gianluigi Buffon won the awards for the best players of last season’s UEFA Champions League.

The winners were voted for by club coaches and selected European football journalists.

The awards were handed out during the draw for the competition in Monaco, France on Thursday.

The two clubs competed in the final of the competition last season, with Madrid winning 4-1.

Cristiano Ronaldo was named the UEFA Champions League Player of the Season, beating Lionel Messi and Gianluigi Buffon.
Juve goalkeeper Buffon, 39, was named the best goalkeeper of the competition after the 39–year-old’s heroics, which included shutting out Barcelona over two legs in the quarter-finals.

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos was named Defender of the Season after leading the Spaniards to three Champions League trophies in four seasons.

Another Real Madrid star Luka Modric was voted Midfielder of the Season in the competition, while Cristiano Ronaldo, who came alive in the latter rounds and scored key goals against Bayern Munich and Juventus, was named Forward of the Year.

Netherlands and Barcelona star Lieke Martens was voted women’s Player of the Season.