The 12 players who will make the Champions League group stage worth watching.
Follow @Mazana17
Who are the (slightly) lesser known future, and current stars of European football?
Who will light up the Champions League? JJ Bull has investigated.*
1. Ruben Neves (Porto)
Neves became the youngest ever Champions League captain last season and is still only 19 – the Porto youngster is one of those Football Manager wonderkids who might actually become a star in the real world. A holding midfielder with an exceptional eye for a pass, Neves has attracted the interest of most of the top clubs in Europe with Liverpool thought to be extremely keen in particular. He'll cost a tidy penny to whoever wants him though because he's really good.
Neves became the youngest ever Champions League captain last season and is still only 19 – the Porto youngster is one of those Football Manager wonderkids who might actually become a star in the real world. A holding midfielder with an exceptional eye for a pass, Neves has attracted the interest of most of the top clubs in Europe with Liverpool thought to be extremely keen in particular. He'll cost a tidy penny to whoever wants him though because he's really good.
2. Andriy Yarmolenko (Dynamo Kyiv)
Andriy Yarmolenko still hasn’t moved to one of Europe’s biggest (most used on Fifa 16) clubs despite being way more than capable. The tricky winger has been the star of this Kiev team for over eight years and is only 26 years old. He’s brilliant on the counter attack, fast and regularly finds the back of the net. His teammates aren’t the greatest of players you’ll ever see but Yarmolenko raises them to a higher level.
Andriy Yarmolenko still hasn’t moved to one of Europe’s biggest (most used on Fifa 16) clubs despite being way more than capable. The tricky winger has been the star of this Kiev team for over eight years and is only 26 years old. He’s brilliant on the counter attack, fast and regularly finds the back of the net. His teammates aren’t the greatest of players you’ll ever see but Yarmolenko raises them to a higher level.
3. Paulo Dybala (Juventus)
One of the biggest potential (and current) talents in Europe, Dybala lit up Serie A last season and should kick on to do the business in the Champions League this season. A tricky Argentinian dribbling machine, he gives Juventus that little spark of magic needed to decide the tight games.
4. Moussa Dembele (Celtic)
This Moussa Dembele has two Ss in his name, which is how you know he's good. Celtic were the surprise winners of Dembele's signature in the summer and he showed why he's so highly rated in the Old Firm derby on the weekend, scoring a superb hat-trick and wreaking havoc in the Rangers defence. Already looks like he's too good for the SPFL.
5. Joritt Hendrix (PSV)
Joritt Hendrix looks older than a 21 year old, but that's exactly what he is. He's also a very talented defensive midfielder, capable of playing at the back and starting regularly for PSV Eindhoven. He won't do anything too exciting in a match but Mr J Hendrix reads the game very well indeed.
[insert joke about Crosstown Traffic or All Along The Watchtower here. Maybe Purple Haze. He'll be hoping he's not in a purple haze in the Champions League! Something like that]
6. Renato Sanches (Bayern Munich)
If you watched any of Portugal's games during Euro 2016 you'll be familiar with this bundle of energy in the centre of the park. Sanches offers a dynamic attacking threat, is quick and excellent on the ball - he hasn't quite managed cement a place in the Bayern Munich starting XI yet but the season has only just begun in Germany. If he gets, and takes, his chance, he can be one of the young stars of the Champions League.
7. Joel Pohjanpalo (Bayer Leverkusen)
This Finnish forward has spent the last two seasons out on loan in the second division in Germany. After impressing in pre-season this summer, Pohjanpalo was brought into the Bayer Leverkusen squad proper and has scored four goals from only two substitute appearances already. On the weekend he scored a superb hat-trick in 17 minutes and pulled off one of the showboats of the season, taking two players out of the game with an audacious double drag back.
8. Julian Brandt (Bayer Leverkusen)
This attacking midfielder broke into the Leverkusen first team in 2014/15 and kept getting better last season, scoring nine Bundesliga goals. He's of a similar style and build to those other skillful forwards that Germany seems to keep producing. Mario Gotze, Marco Reus and Julian Draxler might have a new challenger.
9. Arkadiusz Milik (Napoli)
Napoli needed to spend some of that sweet, sweet cash they got for selling Gonzalo Higuain to Juventus, and a large chunk of it was spent on this Polish forward. Milik had an excellent Euro 2016 and has started his career in Italy well, scoring two in two.
10. Ousmane Dembele (Borussia Dortmund)
Another Dortmund player, another Dembele. Ousmane is one of the brightest prospects in European football and is capable of dribbling past defenders like they aren't even there. Incredibly skillful, Dembele loves to run at straight defenders. They, in turn, hate it.
11. Thorgan Hazard (Borussia Monchengladbach)
The lesser-known of the Hazards, Thorgan might not have exploded onto the world football scene quite like Eden, but he is a very tidy player. Hazard's three goals in Champions League qualifying helped Monchengladbach qualify in the first place and he looks to be stepping out of the shadow of his more famous brother.
12. Ante Coric (Dinamo Zagreb)
Another of the real life Football Manager wonderkids who should come good in real life, Coric keeps turning down the lures of bigger clubs to learn his trade at Dinamo Zagreb, a club well known for producing serious talent. Coric, for want of a better comparison, is like a young Luka Modric. An attacking midfielder capable of dribbling past defenders and creating chances out of nothing, at 18, he is already one of Dinamo Zagreb's best players.
One of the biggest potential (and current) talents in Europe, Dybala lit up Serie A last season and should kick on to do the business in the Champions League this season. A tricky Argentinian dribbling machine, he gives Juventus that little spark of magic needed to decide the tight games.
4. Moussa Dembele (Celtic)
This Moussa Dembele has two Ss in his name, which is how you know he's good. Celtic were the surprise winners of Dembele's signature in the summer and he showed why he's so highly rated in the Old Firm derby on the weekend, scoring a superb hat-trick and wreaking havoc in the Rangers defence. Already looks like he's too good for the SPFL.
5. Joritt Hendrix (PSV)
Joritt Hendrix looks older than a 21 year old, but that's exactly what he is. He's also a very talented defensive midfielder, capable of playing at the back and starting regularly for PSV Eindhoven. He won't do anything too exciting in a match but Mr J Hendrix reads the game very well indeed.
[insert joke about Crosstown Traffic or All Along The Watchtower here. Maybe Purple Haze. He'll be hoping he's not in a purple haze in the Champions League! Something like that]
6. Renato Sanches (Bayern Munich)
If you watched any of Portugal's games during Euro 2016 you'll be familiar with this bundle of energy in the centre of the park. Sanches offers a dynamic attacking threat, is quick and excellent on the ball - he hasn't quite managed cement a place in the Bayern Munich starting XI yet but the season has only just begun in Germany. If he gets, and takes, his chance, he can be one of the young stars of the Champions League.
7. Joel Pohjanpalo (Bayer Leverkusen)
This Finnish forward has spent the last two seasons out on loan in the second division in Germany. After impressing in pre-season this summer, Pohjanpalo was brought into the Bayer Leverkusen squad proper and has scored four goals from only two substitute appearances already. On the weekend he scored a superb hat-trick in 17 minutes and pulled off one of the showboats of the season, taking two players out of the game with an audacious double drag back.
8. Julian Brandt (Bayer Leverkusen)
This attacking midfielder broke into the Leverkusen first team in 2014/15 and kept getting better last season, scoring nine Bundesliga goals. He's of a similar style and build to those other skillful forwards that Germany seems to keep producing. Mario Gotze, Marco Reus and Julian Draxler might have a new challenger.
9. Arkadiusz Milik (Napoli)
Napoli needed to spend some of that sweet, sweet cash they got for selling Gonzalo Higuain to Juventus, and a large chunk of it was spent on this Polish forward. Milik had an excellent Euro 2016 and has started his career in Italy well, scoring two in two.
10. Ousmane Dembele (Borussia Dortmund)
Another Dortmund player, another Dembele. Ousmane is one of the brightest prospects in European football and is capable of dribbling past defenders like they aren't even there. Incredibly skillful, Dembele loves to run at straight defenders. They, in turn, hate it.
11. Thorgan Hazard (Borussia Monchengladbach)
The lesser-known of the Hazards, Thorgan might not have exploded onto the world football scene quite like Eden, but he is a very tidy player. Hazard's three goals in Champions League qualifying helped Monchengladbach qualify in the first place and he looks to be stepping out of the shadow of his more famous brother.
12. Ante Coric (Dinamo Zagreb)
Another of the real life Football Manager wonderkids who should come good in real life, Coric keeps turning down the lures of bigger clubs to learn his trade at Dinamo Zagreb, a club well known for producing serious talent. Coric, for want of a better comparison, is like a young Luka Modric. An attacking midfielder capable of dribbling past defenders and creating chances out of nothing, at 18, he is already one of Dinamo Zagreb's best players.
For more News and Entertainments, follow Us at our Social Network :
Follow @Mazana17
No comments :
Post a Comment