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Six of the best number 6s in the Champions League this season
They do the ugly work and rarely pick up the plaudits, but the No.6s are the fulcrum of modern elite teams. They protect the back line, control tempo, recycle possession and, when required, thread a defence-splitting pass.
As the 2025-26 Champions League gathers steam, a handful of players have staked their claim as the competition’s leading defensive midfielders or deep-lying playmakers. Here are our top six from this season's competition.
6. Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool)
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Gravenberch arrived at Liverpool with a reputation as a box-to-box talent. Under Arne Slot, he is increasingly asked to sit deeper and add steel as well as invention.
He has already has an assist to his name in Europe this season, laying on a goal for Mohamed Salah in a 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid at Anfield.
The Netherlands international’s size, driving runs and improving defensive skill give Liverpool a flexible option between a destroyer and a creator.
5. Sandro Tonali (Newcastle United)
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Tonali brings a blend of aggression and composure that Newcastle lean on when the heat rises at home and on the continent.
The Italian’s game is about balance: he shields his defence, times the tackles and keeps the team ticking with measured passing.
Tonali’s role in Newcastle’s structure is less about headlines and more about the platform he provides for the front line to operate. That understated influence is exactly why he ranks among Europe’s reliable No.6s.
4. Moises Caicedo (Chelsea)
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Caicedo has the modern No.6’s toolkit – pressing acumen, pace, power and an eye for forward carries. Chelsea use him to plug channels and to launch attacks once possession is won.
The Ecuadorian was a hugely expensive purchase, arriving from Brighton for a then-British record £115 million in 2023, but his ability to win the ball and quickly turn defence into offence makes him indispensable to a Chelsea side rebuilding its identity.
3. Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain)
Vitinha is a classical deep-lying playmaker in a modern mould – he reads the game, circulates the ball with precision and stabilises PSG’s star-filled cast.
A key figure in the Parisian side’s long-awaited Champions League triumph last term, his athleticism, positional discipline and tempo setting enabled the attackers to seek pockets of space.
The Portuguese is undoubtedly one of the continent’s most elegant No.6s.
2. João Neves (Paris Saint-Germain)
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A club and international teammate of the player ranked one spot below him here, Joao Neves – at age 21 – is still young but already imposing.
He has vaulted into the ranks of the world’s best at his position with composed control of big-games and unmatch3ed technical quality.
His blend of youth and maturity – plus PSG’s faith in him to start big matches – puts Neves firmly among the elite players – irrespective of position – in the Champions League this season.
1. Rodri (Manchester City)
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Even after missing most of last season due to an ACL tear, Rodri remains the role model for the position.
The Spanish conductor protects, positions and initiates with unshowy perfection. Crucial to City’s Treble in 2023 and Spain Euro triumph a year later, his status as the top deep-lying playmaker of his generation was recognised with the Ballon d’Or.
Rodri’s reading of the game and the way Pep Guardiola’s team orbit around his discipline make him the benchmark for what every manager wants in a No.6.
Full Champions League fixture list for Matchday Two
Tuesday 30 September
- Atalanta vs Club Brugge
- Kairat vs Real Madrid
- Atletico Madrid vs Eintracht Frankfurt
- Bodø / Glimt vs Tottenham Hotspur
- Chelsea vs Benfica
- Galatasaray vs Liverpool
- Inter Milan vs Slavia Prague
- Marseille vs Ajax
- Pafos vs Bayern Munich
Wednesday 1 October
- Qarabağ vs Copenhagen
- Union Saint-Gilloise vs Newcastle United
- Arsenal vs Olympiakos
- Barcelona vs PSG
- Bayer Leverkusen vs PSV
- Borussia Dortmund vs Athletic Club
- Monaco vs Manchester City
- Napoli vs Sporting CP
- Villarreal vs Juventus
How to watch the Champions League in the U.S. on DAZN
Soccer fans in the US can watch select matches in the Champions League in Spanish language as part of their DAZN subscription package.
Between September 25 - October 3, 2025 new customers can get a 20% discount on annual subscription.
An annual upfront payment is now $179.99 reduced from $224.99, while paying monthly for 12 months is $15.99 (down from $19.99) and also provides access to 185 fight nights a year across boxing, MMA, PFL, BKFC, Glory and much more.
CBS has coverage of every Champions League match in English language this season. You can get more details and subscribe to CBS's Champions League coverage here.
Fans can watch extra Champions League games in Spanish on ViX. A selection of those matches are also available on UNIMÁS and TUDN.
How to watch the Champions League in New Zealand on DAZN
Every Champions League game during the 2025-26 season is streamed in high-definition and comes as part of a DAZN subscription.
An annual subscription costs $14.99 per month for 12 months and also provides access to 185 fight nights a year across boxing, MMA, PFL, BKFC, Glory and much more.
How to watch the Champions League in Canada on DAZN
Watch every game of the Champions League this season in Canada with a DAZN subscription.
There are three subscription options, offering differing selections of sports in each. Access to every Champions League match is included in all three package offerings, ranging from $29.99 to $44.99 per month (for 12 months)
