Liverpool star claims surprise crown of fastest Champions League player

The fastest player in the 2018-19 Champions League has been revealed – and it’s not necessarily the first name that would have come to mind.

Liverpool won the competition after beating Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in the Madrid final, giving Jurgen Klopp his first trophy as Reds manager.

They reached the final after an outstanding comeback against Barcelona in the semi-finals, but it was in the first leg, which they lost 3-0, in which one of their players recorded the fastest speed of the tournament.

However, it wasn’t a member of their star-studded front three of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane who managed it – but rather centre-back Virgil Van Dijk.

The PFA Player of the Year sprinted at 34.5km per hour as Barcelona went on a counter attack in stoppage time, a speed faster than anyone else in the entire competition managed.

The second fastest player was Manchester City’s Leroy Sane, who was recorded at 34.4km/hr, while fellow Citizen Kyle Walker tied with Red Star’s Nemanja Radonjic (who has since moved to Marseille) for third place at 34.2km/hr.

Gareth Bale was the fifth fastest player, as his top speed was clocked at 33.8km/hr.

 

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