Messi and Iniesta, both of whom are up for the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award, travel to Monaco

Leo Messi and Andrés Iniesta will attend UEFA’s Champions League group-stage draw this Thursday in Monaco. The ceremony starts at 17.45. The two Barça players are on the shortlist for the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award 2012. The winner will be announced during the ceremony. Messi, the winner of the inaugural edition of the award, and Iniesta, are competing with Cristiano Ronaldo for the accolade.

Live voting

The three finalists were selected by a jury made up of 53 sports journalists from UEFA’s member federations. In the first round of voting, each journalist turned in a list of his/her five favourite players; the first name on the list received five points, the second received four, and so on. The final voting process, which will be done live via an electronic system, will begin during the UEFA Champions League group stage draw.

Second time for Messi; Iniesta’s first

FC Barcelona are once again represented by two of its players in the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award. In the first edition of the award, Messi, Xavi and Cristiano Ronaldo were the three finalists. Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are back on the shortlist for this year’s award, while Iniesta makes his debut as a finalist.