Every nominee for the men's and women's awards which will be handed out during the Champions League draw. As Europe's elite football clubs get set to embark on a new Champions League campaign, there will be a moment to reflect on the season just gone. UEFA will be handing out individual awards to some of the best players from the 2021 season. Although, with plenty of prestige associated with the continental accolades.

So what are the UEFA awards and which players are nominated for them this year? And also who are the winners of UEFA awards 2021? SportzPoint has all the details for you.

Read Also : Nominees for UEFA Men's player of the year and coach of the year

What are the UEFA awards?

The UEFA awards are a set of annual prizes given to individual players and coaches in recognition of their performances over the previous season. Usually announced at the Champions League group stage draw ceremony. However, there are also categories devoted to the best goalkeeper, defender, midfielder and forward.

Winners are decided by a jury, which comprises the 32 coaches of the teams that competed in the 2020-21 Champions League group stage and 55 journalists from UEFA's 55 member associations.

Although. Coaches are not allows to vote for their own players. You can see all the nominees & Winners below.

UEFA Men's Player of the Year nominees :

The three men's Player of the Year nominees come from the Premier League, with Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne competing with Chelsea duo Jorginho and N'Golo Kante. Jorginho is considered a frontrunner for the award having helped Chelsea to Champions League glory while also clinching Euro 2020 with Italy.

Winner

Jorginho (Italy)

UEFA Women's Player of the Year nominees :

All three of the nominees for the women's Player of the Year award are drawn from Barcelona. All of them won the Women's Champions League, the Superliga Femenina and the Copa de la Reina.

Winner

Alexia Putellas (Spain)

Also Read : Top 10 European teams by UEFA rankings

UEFA Men's Coach of the Year nominees :

Italy coach Roberto Mancini figures in the top three after guiding the Azzurri to European Championship success, while Thomas Tuchel's maiden Chelsea campaign, in which he won the Champions League, earned him a nomination. Pep Guardiola is the final nominee after steering Man City to the Premier League title.

Winner

Thomas Tuchel (Germany)

UEFA Women's Coach of the Year nominees :

Luis Cortes' trophy-laden season with Barcelona sees him in the nominees. Along with Sweden coach Peter Gerhardsson and Chelsea boss Emma Hayes completing the line up.

Winner

Luis Cortes (Spain)

Goalkeeper of the Season nominees :

Winner

Edouard Mendy (Senegal)

Read Also : Medics who saved Christian Eriksen at Euros to receive UEFA President's Award

Defender of the Season nominees :

Winner

Ruben Dias (Portugal)

Midfielder of the Season nominees :

Winner

N'Golo Kante (France)

Forward of the Season nominees :

Winner

Erling Haaland (Norway)

Women's Goalkeeper of the Season nominees :

Winner

Sandra Panos (Spain)

Also Read : Last 20 UEFA Super Cup winners list

Women's Defender of the Season nominees :

Winner

Irene Paredes (Spain)

Women's Midfielder of the Season nominees :

Winner

Alexia Putellas (Spain)

Women's Forward of the Season nominees :

Winner

Jennifer Hermoso (Spain)

The first-leg matchdays of the UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Quarter-final ties have definitely lived up to expectations, offering us some of the most iconic matches and memorable moments to cherish.

Arsenal have stunned Real Madrid at home through Declan Rice's spectacular free-kicks, whereas Barcelona have dismantled Dortmund to practically edge closer to the semi-finals.

Inter Milan and PSG have also earned the desired lead over Bayern Munich and Aston Villa, respectively, before heading on to the return leg next week.

Best first-leg performance? ✨#UCL pic.twitter.com/kebofmm9aD

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 10, 2025

UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Quarter-final First Leg Round Up

Arsenal 3-0 Real Madrid

Arsenal have stunned Real Madrid, the reigning champions in the first leg, by crushing them 3-0 at the Emirates to secure a huge lead in the tie.

Declan Rice's free-kicks have taken all the spotlights and convincingly so, as the Gunners remain unbeaten against Los Blancos on a Champions League night.

Right in the top corner from Rice 😳#UCL pic.twitter.com/ir38EOf6X2

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 9, 2025

After a goal-less first half, Rice rocketed both of his free-kicks into the net in the 58th and 70th minute, and Mikel Merino found a third one in the 75th minute. The North London Club scored three in just 17 minutes!

Arsenal will travel to Real Madrid for the return leg encounter at the Santiago Bernabeu on April 17th.

Read Also | Arsenal vs Real Madrid UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Quater-final 1st leg Highlights: Declan Rice's stunning brace and Merino's goal hand Arsenal a 3-0 lead in the first-leg

Bayern Munch 1-2 Inter Milan

An electric game ended in Inter Milan's favour as the Italian club scored a late winner to earn a 2-1 away victory over Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.

Cesare Augusto and Marcus Thuram combined to set up a beautiful trivela goal from Lautaro Martinez, the Nerrazzuri skipper, in the 38th minute. Inter led at the break, but after a couple of wasted opportunities from both sides, Thomas Muller pulled off the equalizer for Bayern in the 85th minute, only ten minutes after coming off the bench.

Grinta, corsa...𝑭𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒊 🖤💙#ForzaInter #UCL #BayernMonacoInter pic.twitter.com/F21ElElyzX

— Inter ⭐⭐ (@Inter) April 9, 2025

However, Inter did not get startled and snatched a late winner in the 88th minute through Davide Frattesi's flashy strike in the 88th minute following another brilliant Augusto set up.

Inter Milan will welcome Bayern Munich at the San Siro Stadium in Milan on 17 April.

Read Also | Bayern Munich vs Inter Milan UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Quater-final 1st leg Highlights | Frattesi's late goal sinks Bayern at home; Inter lead in the tie | FT BAY 1-2 INT

FC Barcelona 4-0 Borussia Dortmund

FC Barcelona rampaged over Borussia Dortmund at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium, crushing them 4-0 to practically book their berth in the semis.

Raphinha scored a cheeky goal in the 25th minute of the game as the Catalan side led 1-0 at the break. However, the floodgates opened in the second half, with Lewandowski scoring a goal in the 48th minute and completing his brace in the 66th minute. Lamine Yamal netted the fourth one for Barca in the 77th minute, securing a massive lead in the tie.

That wasn't football.
That was poetry. pic.twitter.com/KFbKUJjKia

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) April 9, 2025

The Black-Yellow army will host Barcelona for the return leg on 16th April at the Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund.

Read Also | FC Barcelona vs Borussia Dortmund UCL 2024-25 Quarter-final 1st leg Highlights

Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 Aston Villa

Paris Saint-Germain came from behind to put three past Aston Villa, securing a 3-1 lead in the first leg at the Parc des Princes in Paris.

PSG showed a proper dominance over Villa throughout the match, despite Morgan Rogers drawing the first blood in the 35th minute. Desire Doue, the 19-year-old PSG wonderkid, netted the equalizer only four minutes later with a sublime long-ranger strike.

A first leg full of emotions! 😍

📸 Shot by Elo

pic.twitter.com/ka5eQa0OdO

— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) April 10, 2025

The game remained all square at the break, but Khvicha Kvaratskhelia handed PSG the lead in the only four minutes into the second half. Nuno Mendes secured a two-goal lead in the tie with a marvellous finish in the dying moments of the game.

Read Also | Paris Saint-Germain vs Aston Villa UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Quater-final 1st leg Highlights | PSG dominate over Villa to secure a two-goal cushion in the tie | FT PSG 3-1 AVL

Welcome to our live coverage of the Arsenal vs Real Madrid UEFA Champions League 2024-25 quarter-final 1st leg match at Emirates Stadium.

This is Koushik Biswas, who will bring you the buildup, head-to-head stats, team news and real-time updates of the all-important match from our web desk. 

Real Madrid qualified for the last eight after a controversial penalty shootout win over Atletico Madrid, after losing four games to their road to the round of 16. 

In the meantime, Arsenal thrashed PSV by 9-3 on aggregate to reach the quarter-finals. 

We have an exciting 90-minute game at hand. So, sit back and relax as we bring you all the updates from Sportz Point's web desk.

UEFA has assigned an Ethics and disciplinary inspector to the actions of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Antonio Rudiger, and Dani Ceballos after Real Madrid's dramatic win in the penalty shoot-out over Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 match on March 12.

One of the incidents being examined is a gesture of Antonio Rudiger's cut-throat celebrations towards the Atletico Madrid's fan base. Meanwhile, some video footage is circulating on social media, showing that Mbappe is making a gesture of groin-squeezing during the triumph celebrations. If the investigations lead to charges and a guilty sentence, the players could face disciplinary actions in the form of suspension, fines, or both.

UEFA's Statement:

🚨 UEFA announce they have opened an investigation into celebrations of Rüdiger, Ceballos, Mbappé and Vinicius Jr after the Real Madrid vs Atlético game at the Metropolitano. pic.twitter.com/Ni4D54i71P

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 27, 2025

A UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector has been appointed to investigate allegations of indecent conduct by Real Madrid CF players (Antonio Rüdiger, Kylian Mbappé, Daniel Ceballos Fernández, and Vinicius Junior) during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 match between Club Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid CF on 12 March 2025.

What would Real Madrid's planning be?

Real Madrid will eagerly await UEFA's final statement, as a ban for Vinicius, Rudiger, Ceballos, and Mbappe could significantly impact their preparations for the tie against Arteta. They will face the Gunners on April 8 in the Emirates Stadium, with the return fixture a week later in Santiago Bernabeu.

Previous Incidents:

An example of similar behavior in the past led to financial fines and suspensions, setting an example that could influence UEFA’s decision on the current case.  Last summer, during Euro 2024, England midfielder Jude Bellingham was fined 30,000 euros and handed a one-match suspended ban for a groin-squeezing gesture after scoring a late equalizer in England’s 2-1 win over Slovakia in the tournament’s Round of 16.

Another example occurred in 2019 when Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone received a 20,000 euro fine for a similar act after his team scored against Juventus in the UEFA Champions League.

Let us know your thoughts via our Twitter, moreover, you can follow us on Twitter for all the updates. Join our Telegram and WhatsApp channels to get all the news and scorelines.

Bayern Munich's Canadian left-back Alphonso Davies will miss six months due to a torn ACL, ending his season. The left-back suffered the injury during Canada's 2-1 victory over the United States of America last weekend. As a result, he was replaced after just 12 minutes. Even though the players and coaching staff seemed initially upbeat. It appears that the problem is more serious than previously.

The Club revealed that Davies will now be sidelined for at least six months due to a tear in his right knee's cruciate ligament. This conclusion was made after tests on the issue were conducted in Munich on Wednesday. He is scheduled for surgery, on Wednesday.

Dayot Upamecano will be out for an extended period.

Fight your way back quickly, Upa! 🍀

🔗 https://t.co/ZM2SZfWqRY pic.twitter.com/N3r0B3GfcD

— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) March 26, 2025

Bayern Munich, who continue to be in the running for the Bundesliga and the UEFA Champions League this season were depressed by the news. The team will also need to address Dayot Upamecano's absence for several weeks due to left knee soreness.  So, Alphonso Davies' news is not the only issue for the Bavarians from the international break.

🚨 Bayern confirm Alphonso Davies has suffered ACL injury and he will be out for 6 months.

Dayot Upamecano will also be sidelined for several weeks with loose joints in his left knee. pic.twitter.com/Iai9gdgs9X

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 26, 2025

Alphonso Davies would not participate in the UEFA Champions League or the FIFA Club World Cup this summer. Vincent Kompany, the head coach of Bayern Munich, is disappointed by the news, as his team is trying for both the German title and the European cup this season.

Alphonso Davies has suffered an ACL tear.

Get well soon, Phonzy! We are all with you! ❤️

🔗 https://t.co/ZM2SZfWqRY pic.twitter.com/wGUafP5G8a

— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) March 26, 2025

Alphonso Davies has been a consistent member of the Bayern Munich team, this season. In 30 games across all the competitions, he contributed three goals including two assists. With eight games remaining in the Bundesliga title race, Bayern Munich led Bayer Leverkusen by six points. Next Month, the German giant will play Inter Milan in a crucial UEFA Champions League quarterfinal match.

Sporting Director Max Eberl on the injuries to Alphonso Davies and Dayot Upamecano. 💬

🔗 https://t.co/ZM2SZfWqRY pic.twitter.com/lws2CffBFY

— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) March 26, 2025

The Bavarians have been hit with a massive setback as they will miss Alphonso Davies for the remainder season, which means Vincent Kompany will have to play his alternative. Alphonso Davies has been impressive for the Bavarians under Vincent Kompany. His presence was significant for the team in the matches, helping them maintain their lead at the top of the table and keeping their UEFA Champions League aspiring alive.

UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League are the two pinnacles of European club tournaments, awarding the coveted continental silverware to the top clubs in Europe. 

Borth tournaments are prestigious for clubs competing in these, and hold different merits and various aspects of prizes that come with these silverware. 

However, if you are a fan of a top club that crashed out of the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, you would definitely be disheartened. But, on the other end, if your club clinches the Europa League, would you celebrate it in the same manner when your club reached the UCL semis?

This may be a tough choice for fans who naturally covet the utmost success for their beloved clubs. But this question may always arise in every football fan's mind, which one is better to choose? Crashing out in the UCL semis or winning the Europa League?

Sportz Point delves into this interesting discussion through this article.

Read Also | UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Quarterfinals schedule: Everything you need to know

Crashing out of UEFA Champions League Semis: Pros and Cons

Advantages 

Playing in the UEFA Champions League is already competing at the highest level, and reaching the semifinals is a very significant achievement. 

• If a mid-table club in the top five European leagues manages, or a club that belongs to a league other than the lower coefficients in the UEFA European leagues ranking, reaching this level can also provide valuable experience for the team and contribute to their reputation.
• Reaching the semifinals demonstrates a lot about the team. It means they were able to overcome the best clubs in Europe and reach the knockout stage.
• If looked at from a monetary point of view, the UCL semifinalists receive a prize money of €15 million that helps the teams to look forward to their future. The Champions League also draws more marketing or TV ratings.

UEFA prize money distribution (as of 31 Jan):

7⃣3⃣% to UCL clubs (€2.14 billion)
1⃣8⃣% to UEL clubs (€528 million)
9⃣% to UECL clubs (€265 million) pic.twitter.com/anllbpFPQK

— Football Meets Data (@fmeetsdata) January 31, 2025

Disadvantages 

Losing at this stage can be disappointing, especially if the team had induced high hopes of winning the tournament. For example, Ajax in the 2018-19 UCL claimed attention in the best possible way, beating defending champions Real Madrid on the way, but crashed out of the semi-finals.

• If a team loses in the semifinals without winning anything in the domestic league, it will be considered a disastrous trophyless season. Very few people would be impressed by a club simply for reaching the semifinals.
• On the contrary, a semi-final defeat can disrupt a team's momentum, potentially affecting their performance in domestic competitions.
• This also may lead to a massive exodus of players from the club, especially if the club is not an European powerhouse already. The top European players will go after the players who performed well for the team, leading to the dismantling of the core group, making it harder to repeat the feat in the future continental competitions. 

Winning the UEFA Europa League: Pros and Cons

Advantages 

For most of the clubs, winning a silverware is a huge achievement. Winning the Europa League has its own advantages, considering that most of the mid-table or apparently mediocre clubs compete in this tournament.

• Winning the Europa League guarantees a continental silverware, which is always better than a trophy-less season. It also ensures a direct qualification in the next season's Champions League.
• The winners of the Europa League also meet the Champions League winners in a season-end competition, called the UEFA Super Cup, which presents another opportunity to clinch another silverware.
• Winning a major European trophy significantly enhances a club's global status and reputation. This success can attract sponsors, and elite players as well.

Disadvantages 

• The biggest drawback of taking part in the Europa League, particularly of winning it, is the scheduling of midweek games. This may lead to a congested fixture, resulting in fatigue among the players as well as higher injury risks. Consequently, this affects the players' performance within domestic leagues or other tournaments. The Thursday-Sunday format of the Europa League puts more pressure on players than the Tuesday-Wednesday format of the Champions League.
• Although it is a big silverware, the Europa League is usually less prestigious than the Champions League, and therefore makes it less attractive than the clubs competing in the UCL.
• Comparing to the Champions League, the Europa League offers lower prize money. This will be a downer for the clubs that are reliant on their European competition-generated revenue, more so those operating outside the major five European clubs.

The difference in prize money between 108 clubs playing UCL, UEL and UECL visualized. pic.twitter.com/T5IZwmOhsC

— Football Meets Data (@fmeetsdata) December 14, 2024

Conclusion: Which is better?

To be honest, it is subjective and depends on different contexts.

For a world-class team that can contest the Champions League, playing in the Europa League could be a disappointment or a consolation for the team, the management and mostly, for the supporters.

However, if a team has no practical hope of winning the Champions League but can contest the title for the Europa League, it would be preferable to lift the trophy instead of qualifying to the semi-finals.

In conclusion, the Champions League semi-final defeat is an indicator of greater competition and ability, while the Europa League win is a concrete victory. So, we can say that there is no definite 'better' result between these two.