European champions Madrid have six players nominated including Cristiano Ronaldo for the new UEFA positional awards.
Rival Lionel Messi is the only player from Barcelona on the list, as a forward. And he will compete along with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, for the maiden award.
Also on the list is Madrid keeper, Keylor Navas, now faced with the prospect of being downgraded with the arrival of Thibaut Courtois from Chelsea.
Ronaldo since helping the Spanish giants win a third straight UEFA title in Kiev has joined Juventus.
Liverpool, runners up in the UEFA championship last season also have a newcomer Alisson Becker, former Roma keeper, gunning for the award as the best goalkeeper.
There are three nominees per position, with the winners set to be announced during the 2018/19 group stage draw in Monaco on Thursday 30 August.
Positional award nominees for the 2017/18 UEFA Champions League season
Goalkeepers: Alisson Becker (Roma, now Liverpool), Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus, now Paris), Keylor Navas (Real Madrid)
Defenders: Marcelo (Real Madrid), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Raphaël Varane (Real Madrid)
Midfielders: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Luka Modrić (Real Madrid)
Forwards: Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid, now Juventus), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
The positional awards were introduced last year to recognise the season’s best player in each position in Europe’s premier club competition.
This year’s winners will be named – along with the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year and UEFA Women’s Player of the Year – during the UEFA Champions League group stage draw in Monaco on Thursday 30 August.
