The National's Sport cover for the Wednesday, November 4 issue, featuring Douglas Costa of Bayern Munich ahead of a Champions League match with Arsenal.
Costa, the Brazilian winger arrived from Shakhtar Donetsk in the summer, is proving a worthy replacement to Franck Ribery at Bayern, writes Ian Hawkey:
“Ribery, at 32, may never again have the surge of acceleration that, allied to his dribbling, made him irresistible. He may well struggle to command a regular first-team place at his club again, too.
“Pep Guardiola, the Bayern coach, certainly has no need to rush him back into the team. Principally, that is because Ribery’s position on the left flank is being superbly staffed.
“Costa, the 25-year-old bought for around €30 million (Dh120.7m), has shown already he has much of what even the vintage Ribery brought to Bayern through his eight successful years there.
“The figures speak for themselves. In 10 Bundesliga matches, Costa has provided 11 assists. Bayern may be waltzing through most of their domestic assignments, with Arsenal the only team to have beaten them over 90 minutes all season, but that is still an impressive settling-in, given that Costa is new to the Bundesliga, and was making a step up in class by moving to Germany from Ukraine.
“He can be a dazzling entertainer, with adhesive control, a delight in taking on defenders and a range of clever, original manoeuvres.
“Guardiola has set Costa a high target to aspire to. ‘He can become one of the best five players in the world,’ he said.
“Last week, the Bayern coach gave an indication of how the Brazil international might broaden his game to grow to that status. In the German Cup win over Wolfsburg, Costa took up a role not at outside left, but just behind the central striker, as playmaker or No 10.
“Once upon a time, while coaching Barcelona, Guardiola made a similar decision to redefine the role of a talented young winger. That man’s name? Lionel Messi.”
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