World Soccer - UK (2021-10)

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 WRLSCCER

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

coachiegoSimeonelikestogotowar 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.