The Champions League returns on Tuesday night with household names and lesser known stars looking to take the tournament by storm. All eyes will be on defending champions PSG as they look to make it a hat-trick of titles.
And their latest attacking star Mika Godts will be looking to introduce himself in the grandest way possible. The left winger arrived from Ajax in the summer for £50million after notching 32 goal involvements in 44 games last season. The 21-year-old will take up the role left by Bradley Barcola and will look to prove himself as another one of the Parisians’ electric attackers.
Another speedster looking to make his mark after a club-record £120m switch to Real Madrid in the summer is Yan Diomande. The 19-year-old snubbed Liverpool and PSG to join Los Blancos and will be looking to vindicate that massive price tag.
Tournament debutants Como are sure to make themselves known on the continental stage under Cesc Fabregas, and 22-year-old talisman Nico Paz has big expectations to live up to. Paz was named the best midfielder in Serie A last season and Como beat off plenty of rivals to sign him back from Real Madrid.
He feels like he’s been around for ages, but Lamine Yamal is still only 19. The Barcelona winger has started the season with four goals in four games but he will be desperate to land the Catalan club their sixth Champions League crown, and his first.
Another man dying to get his hands on Old Big Ears is Harry Kane. The England captain joined Bayern Munich to win titles, but most importantly, the Champions League. Kane is in the running for the Ballon d’Or and a superb start to the league phase will put him as one of the firm favourites.
Looking to help Kane and Bayern on their quest, Ismael Saibari is one of the most exciting transfers of the summer. The Moroccan winger impressed at PSV and Morocco in the World Cup, earning him a £45m move to Bayern. He marked his Bundesliga debut with two assists in less than half an hour and could be the difference maker this time around.
Talking of the Ballon d’Or, another star who is firmly in the conversation, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, is out to fire PSG to a third Champions League crown on the bounce. Arguably the most mesmerising player in world football, he makes the corny ‘he’s worth the entrance fee alone’ saying real.
After a poor individual season last campaign, Martin Odegaard has started this one on fire with two goals in his first three league games, already surpassing his entire tally from last season. Arsenal are dying to go one further this year and lift the trophy, and his form will prove crucial.
Oskar Pietuszewski is one of the most thrilling, and difficult to spell, names that will grace the Champions League this season. Signed last season for £9million from his native Poland, the Porto winger defies his age of just 18 and has caught the eye of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United.
Borussia Dortmund rarely ever get it wrong with young talents, and splashing £30m on 18-year-old midfielder Konstantinos Karetsas from Genk is a huge statement of intent. The creative spark scored just three times last season, but his 18 assists show exactly where his priorities lie on the pitch.