FedEx Performance Zone: Players to watch out for this season

The FedEx Performance Zone has offered a whole new dimension to the UEFA Champions League in recent seasons, but which players could follow in the footsteps of former ranking-toppers Karim Benzema and Erling Haaland in 2023/24?

Players' displays are tracked throughout the competition, with the data fed into a specially designed algorithm to create rankings based on performances which are updated every matchday.

Points for some actions, such as goals, assists and ball recoveries, are the same for all players, but other data is considered depending on each player's specific position. For example, clean sheets, successful tackles and attempts blocked are considered key statistics for defensive players, while shots and completed passes are important metrics for midfielders and forwards.

Points are awarded in every match a player contests and are added to their scores from previous games in the competition, meaning whoever has the most points across the whole season heads the rankings. Performances in the group stage are weighted equally, although matches in subsequent rounds of the competition are weighted incrementally higher.

UEFA.com picks out six to watch as the FedEx Performance Zone returns to European football's premier club competition.

André Onana

The goalkeeper was one of the stars of the competition for Inter last season, playing a huge role in his side making it all the way to the final and finishing fourth in the FedEx Performance Zone rankings – eight places and 88 points ahead of any other custodian. The Cameroonian racked up 27 saves in the Nerazzurri's four group stage games against Bayern and Barcelona, then kept five clean sheets in the knockout stages. No wonder Manchester United were keen to snap him up this summer.

Milan Škriniar

Paris were determined to revamp their defence following a tame round of 16 exit at the hands of Bayern last season and the acquisitions of Lucas Hernández and Škriniar could be transformative. Both were injured for large parts of the 2022/23 campaign but their ability is unquestionable. Škriniar's five group stage starts contributed 19 clearances and at least one key blocked shot in every game, while he weighed in with six ball recoveries in just a 14-minute cameo at Bayern on Matchday 6.

António Silva

If clearances and ball recoveries are the mark of a top-quality defender than look no further than the Benfica prospect. The centre-back managed to make 36 clearances and won back possession an astonishing 61 times in his ten games last term as the Eagles soared all the way to the last eight. Goals against Juventus and Inter swelled his overall points total to 261, making him the highest-scoring teenager in the competition across the season.

İlkay Gündoğan

At the other end of the experience spectrum is the new Barcelona recruit. The 32-year-old featured in all 13 possible matches as Manchester City finally got their hands on the trophy, and his all-round game highlights why he ended the season in the top 20 of the rankings. As well as chipping in with goals/assists and shots on/off target, the German midfielder boosted his points tally through his passing statistics in 12 games, while 39 ball recoveries confirmed his ability to profit from Pep Guardiola's famous high press.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Napoli were the great entertainers in the 2022/23 group stage – no other team could match their 20 goals at that stage – with the 22-year-old Georgian one of the most eye-catching newcomers to the competition. Of the ten forwards who outscored him across the season, only Mohamed Salah and Kylian Mbappé played less than his nine games. Two goals and four assists in his maiden tournament is some foundation to build on for last season's Champions League Young Player of the Season.

Jamal Musiala

The 20-year-old scored 16 goals in all competitions last season and if he can translate that domestic haul into the Champions League then the German international will be a stand-out player for Thomas Tuchel. His passing last term was a joy to behold as he scooped FedEx Performance Zone points in that metric in six of his seven starts, his 97% and 100% completion rates against Paris and Manchester City respectively showing the midfielder feels at home in the biggest games.