Top ten unsung heroes

They say in France that there are some who play the piano and some who move it. As the UEFA Champions League takes centre stage this week, uefa.com pays tribute to ten players whose hard work has been key to their side reaching the last 16, even if the headlines and acclaim have tended to elude them.

Matteo Brighi (AS Roma)
After a difficult start to the season Roma coach Luciano Spalletti modified his formation to make room for Brighi and the Giallorossi have not looked back. Brighi scored three times in the group stage and, at 28, he is enjoying the form of his life after a career spent jumping from club to club. Nicknamed 'Matthäus' after the former Germany captain Lothar Matthäus, Brighi once turned down Juventus to continue his schooling. Now in line for an Italy call-up, good things do, it seems, come to those who wait.

Júlio César (FC Internazionale Milano)
Like Dida and Doni, César has done much to enhance the reputation of Brazilian goalkeepers in recent years. He replaced Italian international Francesco Toldo as Inter's No1 soon after joining the Nerazzurri in 2005/06 and has continued to grow in confidence and stature. José Mourinho's team is so packed with talent and power that the 29-year-old's importance is often underestimated. A series of great saves in the derby victory against AC Milan should change that. "At the moment he is the best goalkeeper in the world," SSC Napoli keeper Nicolas Navarro said. "Once it was Buffon, now Júlio César is better."

Darren Fletcher (Manchester United FC)
With the likes of Michael Carrick, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Owen Hargreaves and Anderson jostling for central midfield positions, competition is intense, but Fletcher has still amassed more than 200 appearances for United since making his debut in September 2003. An able deputy with a knack of scoring important goals, the 25-year-old Scotland international provides energy and drive in abundance. This one-club man was rewarded for his loyalty with a new four-year contract in October. "He impressed me from the first moment I saw him," manager Sir Alex Ferguson said.

Fernando Gago (Real Madrid CF)
Injuries this season to the likes of Guti, Mahamadou Diarra and Rubén de la Red have placed a huge burden on the shoulders of the 22-year-old, yet it is a load the Argentina defensive midfielder is carrying with notable maturity. A pivotal link between defence and attack, the former CA Boca Juniors player recently said: "I trust in this team absolutely. We have to go out with the mentality of winners and hopefully we can take the Champions League title."

Seydou Keita (FC Barcelona)
Described by Barcelona technical secretary Aitor 'Txiki' Begiristain as "a real physical presence in the centre of the park who gives us balance", the Mali midfielder has had a major role to play in the success of his side this season. The 29-year-old former RC Lens favourite may not get forward as much as he did for Sevilla FC last term prior to his €14m transfer, given his defensive duties at Camp Nou, but as Begiristain explained: "His capacity for pressing and defending is exceptional."

Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool FC)
For a player who has scored in a UEFA Champions League final, the Dutchman is able to keep a surprisingly low profile. Striker-turned-right midfielder Kuyt's selfless approach is all about what is best for the team. Like Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard, however, the 28-year-old is no stranger to crucial goals, such as the late winner against R. Standard de Liège in the third qualifying round that ensured Liverpool's place in the group stage. "The mentality is very, very positive, he's a worker, he has quality, good movement, he's clever," boss Rafael Benítez said. "He's a player you can trust 100 per cent."

Nicola Legrottaglie (Juventus)
After several seasons in the shadows the 32-year-old centre-back has no doubts about the reason behind his return to the light. "God took me by the hand and changed my life completely," he said. Legrottaglie looked destined for greatness after joining Juventus in 2003 following a terrific campaign with AC Chievo Verona, but things did not work out as planned. He was farmed out on loan and only rejoined Juve after their demotion to Serie B. He was on the verge of being sold the next summer when injury to Jorge Andrade gave him a chance. Since then Legrottaglie has never looked back, becoming a fixture in the Bianconeri defence and returning to the Italy side four years after his previous appearance.

Raul Meireles (FC Porto)
Despite endlessly running from one end of the field to the other, delivering pinpoint passes and scoring goals with a marksman's eye sharpened during countless hours on the training pitch, Meireles's contribution to Porto's success is often overlooked amid the adulation saved for Lisandro's goals or Lucho's leadership. Yet it is this tireless and silent worker – still only 25 – who is the basis for Porto's hat-trick of Liga titles and progress to the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League in each of the last two seasons.

Dimitris Salpingidis (Panathinaikos FC)
The 27-year-old Greek international is a coach's dream – a player who gets on with the job without complaint, whatever is asked of him. A centre-forward by trade, Salpingidis is played by Henk ten Cate as a right-winger, but is still the Greens' joint top scorer in the Greek Super League and is second only to Sotiris Ninis in goals created. While Ninis, Giorgos Karagounis and Vangelis Mantzios win acclaim and imports such as Gilberto and José Sarriegi enjoy the plaudits, the low-key, even shy Salpingidis is happy to put his head down and slip under the radar.

Jérémy Toulalan (Olympique Lyonnais)
Lyon shirt-sellers make their living off the backs of Karim Benzema and Juninho Pernambucano, yet both know just how much their success depends on anchorman Toulalan. The former FC Nantes midfielder follows in the footsteps of the likes of Michael Essien and Mahamadou Diarra whose tough-tackling and tireless displays set the tone for Lyon's rise into the top eight in Europe. Aged 25 but with hair turning grey at the temples, it is for more than simply his playing style that Toulalan is compared to Didier Deschamps.