PHOTOS: This is the best XI players from the UEFA Champions League round of 16.

The 2016/2017 UEFA Champions League round of 16 is in the history books. This year recorded the highest-scoring edition of that round, which is to say that the stars came out to play. 

These are some of the players that
shined the brightest in the round, assisting propel their various teams as far as the Champions League quarterfinals.

How can the best eleven (11) not feature players likes of 
 Ronaldo and Lionel Messi? Read on to find out.

GOALKEEPER: Kasper Schmeichel, Leicester City

Are there any other bigger names that played in the round of 16? and did any of them play a more pivotal role than Schmeichel did for Leicester City? very unlikely to get. 

 He saved a penalty in each leg and single-handedly kept them in the tie in the first leg. When the second leg rolled around he made five saves as Leicester rallied to advance. It was heroic.

DEFENSE: Alex Sandro, Juventus

Juventus star, Sandro showed zero mercy for his former club in the round of 16. The fullback was ruthless for Juventus, showing the required balance that was needed to both attacks and defend the position.

 Sandro was fantastic on the ball and intelligent in possession, picking up an assist in the first leg. Sandro kept his flank clean and put together a very solid round of 16 performance.
 
Sandro's goal-scoring counterpart, Dani Alves, was also a shout for this team.

DEFENSE: Sergio Ramos, Real Madrid

Madrid captain, Sergio Ramos had a forgettable first leg against Napoli, but he roared back with a vengeance in the second leg. With their first-leg 3-1 lead cut to 3-2 and Napoli on the front foot in the second leg, Real Madrid needed an answer. 

Sergio Ramos did with a trademark header in the second half, giving Real Madrid a vital away goal. The floodgates opened from there.

DEFENSE: Jose Maria Gimenez, Atletico Madrid

Atletico Madrid's offense stole the show in the first leg, but it was an organized and relentless defense that put the tie on the ice at the Vicente Calderon. Gimenez's usual partner, Diego Godin, missed the first edition when Leverkusen managed to put one in on their own. 

The only other goal that Bayer scored in the tie was an own-goal from Stefan Savic. Gimenez was a stalwart for Atletico and helped them Stonewall Chicharito & Co.

DEFENSE: Dani Carvajal, Real Madrid

Dani Carvajal's solid performance might have slipped under the radar, but Carvajal was Mr. Reliable for Madrid. Tasked with slowing down players like Lorenzo Insigne, Marek Hamsik, and Dries Mertens, Carvajal did about as well as one can expect when called upon. 

He also pitched in with an assist in the first leg to open the scoring. Not too shabby.

MIDFIELD: Thiago Alcantara, Bayern Munich

It will be very difficult to find a single player that had a better round of 16 than Thiago Alcantara. 

Nevertheless, Thiago Alcantara utterly dominated in both legs. He scored twice and an assisted in the first leg at the Emirates, bossing the midfield and putting the tie away before they even kicked off at the Allianz.

MIDFIELD: Julian Weigl, Borussia Dortmund

Madrid's Toni Kroos has described Julian Weigl as a player that will be world-class in the near future. That day might not be far off. Julian Weigl's is one of the many young players that Borussia Dortmund deployed, but he might arguably be the most mature of the bunch. 

He's still 21 years old, and the German has all that it takes to put on a display in both legs against Benfica. 

MIDFIELD: Casemiro, Real Madrid

How can a player that plays for Real freaking Madrid be underrated? It's hard to picture, but it's true. In a Madrid team that has a lot of superstars, Casemiro happens to be the guy that runs the show behind the scenes. 

A defensive midfielder in every sense of the word, he's quick to break up attacks and even quicker to initiate them.

FORWARD: Kylian Mbappe, Monaco

What an amazing breakout season for Kylian Mbappe. The young player has been prematurely tagged as " new Thierry Henry," but he's done little to dispel the notion. 

He humiliated Manchester City in the first leg, and with Falcao out injured for the second leg, Mbappe had to shoulder a bigger load. 

Mbappe managed just fine, putting the Manchester City defense on skates for the majority of the match as Monaco rallied to make the quarters. He's one to keep an eye on.

FORWARD: Paulo Dybala, Juventus

When given the freedom to roam around in Juventus' set up, Paulo Dybala tore apart Fc Porto. 

The 23-year-old  player was denied by the woodwork in the first leg, but that proved to be a sign of things to come. 

He picked apart Porto in both matches and finally got rewarded with a cooly took a penalty in front of the home crowd at Juventus Stadium.

FORWARD: Neymar, Barcelona

At first, blush, having a player from a team that lost away to a team like PSG by 4-0 is difficult to justify. Then you remember just how hard the Brazillian worked to get Barcelona back into the game in the first leg, and how incredible he was in the second leg and throw all those doubts out the window. 


With the tie all but dead, the Neymar scored twice and registered the critical last-gasp assist in the span of six minutes. Yeah, he belongs here.