Quick, agile, aggressive and adventurous going forward, the 20-year-old only made his debut for the Portuguese champions last December but seems completely unfazed by the sudden jump in level. He is also able to get himself into the position to put in a cross.Ĭentral defender: Goncalo Inacio, 20, Sporting CP Due to his centre-back-esque build, Kristensen can be hard to assess at first, but once settled into the pace of a game he catches the eye with strong forward runs, a decent touch and ability to navigate narrow spaces. Having struggled with the step up from FC Midtjylland when he joined Ajax in 2019, the Denmark international left after 18 months and has blossomed in Austria. Right-back: Rasmus Kristensen, 24, FC Salzburg Excellent on the line, agile for his size and equipped with wonderful reflexes, he's a traditional shot stopper who thrives under pressure. He also proved decisive for the Moldovan minnows in their qualification for the group stage as he kept two clean sheets against Dinamo Zagreb in the playoffs. Sheriff's incredible 2-1 win over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in the Champions League group stage would certainly not have happened without a string of magnificent saves from the Greek goalkeeper, and the one which denied Luka Modric from close range late in the second half was especially outstanding.Ī loan signing from AEK Athens this summer, Athanasiadis faced an incredible 28 shots in the Spanish capital, of which 11 were on target, and did brilliantly to keep Madrid at bay. Goalkeeper: Georgios Athanasiadis, 28, Sheriff Tiraspol
Some of them are already well established at their current clubs, but their contributions in Europe have taken them to another level. So here are 11 players who have made the step up to shine this season. With the memories of April's failed attempt by 12 clubs to form a breakaway European Super League still fresh, the 2021-22 Champions League group stage is proof that you don't need to mess with the competition. But every new season in the Champions League brings new players who are able to increase their levels of performance. Over the years we have been blessed to see the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe blossom. A few good performances on the biggest club stage in Europe can enhance a player's reputation, get them a new contract, or even attract a host of scouts from opposing teams. The Champions League is a competition that defines careers. You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browserĬhampions League breakout XI: Christopher Nkunku, Darwin Nunez and more
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