Ahead of the start of the 2015/16 Uefa Champions League, Ian Hawkey picks five players to watch out for in this year’s tournament.
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @NatSportUAE
James Rodriguez (Real Madrid)
The gifted Real Madrid attacker will be out with injury for the first two matchdays, a frustrating interlude for a young man in a hurry to establish his credentials as a true superstar of the modern game. At 24, and with over a year behind now coming to terms with the vast €80m price-tag that brought him to Madrid, he has an important nine months ahead of him.
Douglas Costa (Bayern Munich)
Bayern Munich paid Shakhtar Donetsk E30m for the Brazil winger in the summer and recruited a man with Champions League experience, the sort of wizardry and pace coach Pep Guardiola likes, and now a place in Brazil’s medium-term plans. He will need to fight off competition from within Bayern’s squad for a regular starting berth but is ambitious and motivated.
Sofiane Feghouli (Valencia)
Feghouli, the Algerian attacking midfielder, is much admired by clubs with the sorts of budgets to tempt Valencia into selling, but knows that a series of performances that show off his vision, excellent close control in the elite company of the Champions League can only help his growing reputation.
Blaise Matuidi (Paris Saint Germain)
Who really drives the Paris Saint-Germain juggernaut? Its highest profile figureheads are men like Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva. The midfield grit and poise of Marco Verratti often catches the eye, but few men would be considered as indispensable as Matuidi, quick, tenacious and intelligent. He aims to push PSG, and France to glory in 2016.
Francesco Totti (Roma)
The Roma icon will celebrate his 39th birthday this month, and, evergreen that he has always seemed, the day of his retirement does edge closer. He will start a large portion of Roma matches on the bench this season, and it may well be his last excursion in the Champions League. No one would begrudge him a fitting swansong, even if it’s just one great goal.