UEFA Best Player: Seven Real Madrid players on the list, four from Barça

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UEFA published the list of 32 players nominated for the Best Player in Europe Award 2011/12. Seven Real Madrid players made the list and only four from Barcelona. The Madrid players include: Xabi Alonso, Iker Casillas, Fabio Coentrao, Pepe, Özil, Sergio Ramos and Cristiano Ronaldo, while the Barça contingent only includes Xavi Hernández, Andrés Iniesta, Leo Messi and Cesc Fábregas, with a few classic names dropping off the list. Meanwhile Atlético Madrid are represented by Falcao in a list that surprisingly includes five players from Manchester City and Raúl, who played for Schalke 04 before his move.

UEFA will reveal a shortlist of three finalists on 14 August journalists after journalists from 53 UEFA associations cast their votes. Messi has come out on top in the last two editions, beating Cristiano Ronaldo and Xavi respectively. The awards will take place on 30 August.

Below is UEFA's 32-player list:

Sergio Agüero (ARG) - Manchester City FC

Xabi Alonso (ESP) - Real Madrid CF

Mario Balotelli (ITA) - Manchester City FC

Jakub B?aszczykowski (POL) - Borussia Dortmund

Gianluigi Buffon (ITA) - Juventus

Iker Casillas (ESP) - Real Madrid CF

Petr ?ech (CZE) - Chelsea FC

Fábio Coentrão (POR) - Real Madrid CF

Leslie Davies (WAL) - Bangor City FC

Didier Drogba (CIV) - Chelsea FC (now at Shanghai Shenhua FC)

Cesc Fàbregas (ESP) - FC Barcelona

Falcao (COL) - Club Atlético de Madrid

Joe Hart (ENG) - Manchester City FC

Zlatan Ibrahimovi? (SWE) - AC Milan

Andrés Iniesta (ESP) - FC Barcelona

Shinji Kagawa (JPN) - Borussia Dortmund (now at Manchester United FC)

Vincent Kompany (BEL) - Manchester City FC

Frank Lampard (ENG) - Chelsea FC

Lionel Messi (ARG) - FC Barcelona

Luka Modri? (CRO) - Tottenham Hotspur FC

Mesut Özil (GER) - Real Madrid CF


Pepe (POR) - Real Madrid CF

Andrea Pirlo (ITA) - Juventus

Sergio Ramos (ESP) - Real Madrid CF

Raúl González (ESP) - FC Schalke 04 (now at al-Sadd Sports Club)

Cristiano Ronaldo (POR) - Real Madrid CF

Wayne Rooney (ENG) - Manchester United FC

David Silva (ESP) - Manchester City FC

Fernando Torres (ESP) - Chelsea FC

Yaya Touré (CIV) - Manchester City FC

Robin van Persie (NED) - Arsenal FC

Xavi Hernández (ESP) - FC Barcelona