5 U-23 stars who could light up the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League
It is the Champions League season once again. Europe's elite tournament returned yesterday, with the likes of Barcelona, Chelsea, Juventus, Sevilla and Bayern Munich all in action.
As always, all eyes will be on the big names to see how they fare in the competition this season. Will Lionel Messi inspire PSG to claim their first-ever Champions League crown? Can Cristiano Ronaldo help Manchester United return to the summit of European football? There will certainly be many topics to discuss.
WE. ARE. BACK.
Excited yet? 😀
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While we passionately follow the top superstars in the tournament, we'll also be keeping a close eye on young talents. It goes without mentioning that Europe is blessed with many incredible youngsters who will be looking to leave their mark in the Champions League this season.
With their eye-catching performances, these players have what it takes to light up the tournament. This has inspired us to compile a list of five Under-23 youngsters who could steal the show in Europe's most prestigious competition this term. They are as follows:
#5 Ansu Fati
Ansu Fati became the youngest ever scorer in UEFA Champions League history when he found the back of the net for Barcelona against Inter Milan in December 2019. The forward has since made eight appearances in the tournament, scoring twice and setting up another three.
The 18-year-old bagged five goals and four assists for Barcelona in 10 games across all competitions last season before a terrible injury ended his campaign prematurely.
Having spent the last few months on the sidelines, Ansu Fati is now gearing up to return to the pitch. He is expected to feature in the Blaugrana's next Champions League game against Benfica on September 29.
#4 Vinicius Junior
Real Madrid attacker Vinicius Junior is also one of the few U-23 stars Europe should pay close attention to. The 21-year-old has been in sensational form since the new campaign kicked off a couple of weeks ago.
🎙️| Vinicius Jr: "I always knew the goals would end up coming." @diarioas #rmalive
Vinicius currently tops the goalscoring chart in La Liga, having bagged four goals and one assist in the Spanish top flight this season. With his pace, dribbling skills and recent progress in finishing off chances, the Brazilian will pose a huge threat to opposition defenses in the Champions League.
Real Madrid will kick-start their European campaign with a clash with Inter Milan this evening. They'll be counting on the attacker to step up and provide answers in front of goal once again.