CHAMPIONS LEAGUE | BREAKOUT STARS
Charles
De Ketelaere
(Club Brugge)F
ollowing a stint last term as a
Champions League novice (one start
and three substitute appearances), the
19 -year-oldattackingmidfielderwill
be expected to shoulder more responsibility in
2020-21. It shouldn’t be too much to ask of
someone of De Ketelaere’s calibre. Although
gangly in build, he plays with the soul and
instincts of an artist, exemplary in his close
control, able to thread a needle with a clever
final ball and an audacious dribbler.
The youngster’s apparently physical frailty is,
in fact, not a weakness at all. Aware that he will
come off second-best in direct duels, he has
worked out another way to prosper – taking
advantage of his great first touch, heads-up
awareness and ability to sneak unobtrusively
into the red zone.
He’s had to get
used to rave reviews.
Ex-Belgium striker
Marc Degryse reckons
he will be a domestic
Player of the Year in
the not-so-distant future, while national team
boss Roberto Martinez is already considering
inducting him into the senior squad. So far, he
has impressed for the Under-19s, with two
goals in his last three appearances.
For now, his priority is breaking into Brugge’s
first team. He started eight league matches
in 2019-20, and was restricted to substitute
appearances in each of their first four league
games this season. Coach Philippe Clement
is not short of youthful attacking options, with
18-year-old Youssouph Badji scoring twice in
four games after arriving from Senegalese side
Casa Sports. With De Ketelaere behind him,
the Belgian champions have a teenaged
attacking duo of significant potential.Benjamin Bourigeaud
(Rennes)Few players in Ligue1 strike a crisper shot from
distance than the ex-Lens midfielder. Versatility
is his watchword, comfortable on either flank,
in box-to-box mode or sitting in front of the
back line. Humble and industrious, the
26-year-old is a great team player.Marquinhos Cipriano
(Shakhtar Donetsk)The promising 21-year-old Brazilian started
out as a winger in the youth ranks at Sao Paulo,
but Ukrainian champions Shakhtar successfully
switched him to full-back shortly after signing
him inJuly 2018. With usual left-back Ismaily
on the injured list, he is pencilled in to deputise.Dennis Borkowski
(RB Leipzig)
Prolific for RB’s youth team, the teenager
signed his first pro contract in May, and made
his debut at the end of last season, replacing
Timo Werner. Whether he can fill the striker’s
shoes long term remains to be seen, but under
coachJulian Nagelsmann he is sure to improve.
Roberto Martinez is already
considering inducting him
into the Belgium squad