CHampionsLeague | BreakoutStarS
NickBidwellhighlightstheplayerswhocouldmakea
nameforthemselvesinthisseason’sChampionsLeague
20 breakout stars
ArnauComas
(Barcelona)
A solidever-presentwithBarcelonaB last
term, thefair-hairedcentre-backcouldwell
emergeasthe heirapparenttoGerardPique
atthe heartoftheBlaugranaback-line.
A calm,composedandveryintelligent
stopperwithfaultlesspositioning.
BoulayeDia
(Villarreal)
ThereigningEuropaLeagueholderswon the
raceforthesignatureofthein-formSenegal
striker, sealinga€ 15 milliondealwithLigue 1
outfitReims.Thearchetypallate-developer,
hewas playingfor Jura Sudinthe French
fourthtierjustthreeyearsago.
SebastiaanBornauw
(Wolfsburg)
Anoff-seasonacquisitionfromCologne,the
combativeBelgianstopper, 22,hasgonefrom
a Bundesliga relegationscraptothe Champions
Leagueinthe blinkofaneye.Ultra-confident
andbristlingwith ambition,facingEurope’s
eliteforwardswillnotfazehimonebit.
38 WRLSCCER
RodrigoDe Paul
(AtleticoMadrid)
T
hesepastfewweeks,the gods
mostdefinitelyhavebeenonthe
sideoftheoutstanding 27 -year-old
Argentinamidfielderwho,besides
featuring in hiscountry’striumphatthe 2 021
CopaAmerica,alsocelebrated thebirthof
hissecond childand competed a dream
€ 35 millionmovefromUdinesetoAtletico.
After five strongseasonswithUdinese,it
wassurprisingthatnoneofthebigItalianteams
madea concerted effortto bring himonboard.
NotthatAtletiwill be complaining;theArgentine
shouldimprovetheSpanishchampionsfrom
topto bottomin theengineroom.Hehas
thewidestof skill-sets:creative,incisivein his
passing,superbasa drivingball-carrierand
fullof energyandcommitment.Justthe sort
ofindefatigableall-rounderthatAtletico
coachiegoSimeonelikestogotowar with.
ePaulwill be on somethingofa revenge
missionintheSpanishcapital. In a previous
spellin La LigawithValencia ( 2014 -2 016 ),
hewas forthemostpartusedas a substitute,
a squarepegina roundhole.Then-Valencia
coachGary Nevilledidnotratehimatalland,
earlyin 2016 , senthimonloantoRacingClub,
theArgentine sidewhere he startedout.It
wasduringhistimeatValenciathathehad
hisonlytaste of theChampionsLeagueto
date,appearingtwiceinthecompetitionin
2015 -16.Thisishismomenttostepforward
andshowhe belongsinexaltedcompany.