CHampionsLeague | BreakoutStarS
Jonathan David
(Lille)S
tilloncloudnineaftersensationally
breaking PSG’sLigue 1 stranglehold
lastspring,FrenchchampionsLille
willbe banking on theyoungCanada
strikertobuildonhisexcellentworkinthe
first sixmonthsof 20 21.
David,snappedup by LillefromBelgian
sideGentinthesummerof 2020 foraclub
record€ 27 million,initiallyfoundthe going
tough in France,outoftouch,a fewpounds
overweightand distinctlyshort of end-
product.Hedid notmanageonegoalin
hisfirstdozengameswithLesDoguesand
inevitablyfoundhimselftargetedbyfans
andcriticsalike.Butas soonashisscoring
droughtendedinDecember, he suddenly
camealive,rackingup 12 goalsandfive
assistsasLilleclaimedonly theirfirst
leaguetitleina decade.
The 22 -year-old,a Canuckinternational
sinceSeptember 2018 , endedupgiving
fullvalueforhistransferfee.Accordingto
statisticians,hewasdirectlyresponsiblefor 2 0
ofLille’spoint-haullast term,andmorethan
onceheproved theteam’s saviourwith late
game-
changing
goals- the
perfect
example
beingthe
injury-time
bracehenettedin the2-0homewinover
Marseillein March.
Borninthe NewYorkboroughof Brooklyn
toHaitianparentsbutraisedintheCanadian
capitalOttawa,heisrenownedforhislaid-
backattitude.IndeedsomeLilleinsidersclaim
hecanbetoo relaxedfor hisowngood.Let’s
lookonthebright side:theChampions
Leaguewillnotdisconcert him.
Pepe
(Porto)TheDragonsshouldnotbeshortof guileand
unpredictabilitynow thattheyhavesignedthe
littleBrazilianplaymaker. Aconsummate dribbler,
andcomplete contrasttohis namesake at the
club,hecost Porto€ 15 millionfromGremioof
Porto Alegre,hishomefor thepastfiveyears.OmarRichards
(BayernMunich)It’srareforBayern to go shoppinginanother
country’ssecondtierfortheirnexttalent,but
that’swhattheBavariansdid thissummer,
enrollingthe 23-year-oldReadingleft-back.
Bayernparticularlyadmirehisdistribution
andabilitytoplayunderpressure.NunoMendes
(Sporting)Teenageleft-backorwing-backwiththeworld
athisdancingfeet.Hasasuperengine,gets
forwardat everyopportunityandoftenleaves
markersfordeadinone-on-one duels.Went
tothe Euroswith Portugalinthe summerand
alreadyhasPremierLeaguescoutsonhiscase.Accordingtostatisticians,
hewasdirectlyresponsible
for 20 ofLille’s[Ligue 1 ]
point-haullastterm