10 potential breakout stars of this season’s Champions League  

The Champions League makes a welcome return this week with some mouth-watering fixtures to look forward to even on matchday one of the group stage.

Paris Saint-Germain vs Real Madrid, Napoli vs Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund vs Barcelona and Atletico Madrid vs Juventus are some of the opening highlights in the elite continental competition.

Each season, there are a number of breakout stars who make a big impact in the Champions League and this edition will be no exception.

We take a closer look at 10 names that could be up in lights this time around.

It was Liverpool who triumphed in the Champions League last season, beating Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in the final at the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid 

Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid)

There won’t be many football fans in Europe yet to hear about the promise of Joao Felix but now the 19-year-old must take the next step and make an impact in the Champions League.

His only involvement in the competition proper came when he played 77 minutes for his old club Benfica against AEK Athens at the tail end of last season’s group phase.

Now, following that jaw-dropping £113million summer transfer to Atletico Madrid, Felix will very much get his chance.

The teenager, who scored 20 goals and contributed 11 assists in all competitions for Benfica last season, has made a solid start to life in the Spanish capital.

But he’ll have to produce a few moments of magic if Atletico are to negotiate a tricky group stage alongside Juventus, Bayer Leverkusen and Lokomotiv Moscow.

Big things are expected of Joao Felix following his £113m from Benfica to Atletico Madrid

Big things are expected of Joao Felix following his £113m from Benfica to Atletico Madrid 

Tammy Abraham (Chelsea)

During his time in Chelsea’s academy, Tammy Abraham won the UEFA Youth League – the under-19 edition of the Champions League – in consecutive seasons.

Now the 21-year-old striker has the chance to make his mark on the senior version as Chelsea return to the competition after their Europa League success back in May.

With Frank Lampard’s side hindered by a transfer embargo, Abraham has seized his opportunity to lead the attack in the opening games of the season, scoring seven times in five Premier League outings so far.

And there appears to be so much more to come from this lethal finisher as Chelsea head into a group containing Ajax, Valencia and Lille.

Tammy Abraham has wasted little time in getting among the goals in the Premier League

Tammy Abraham has wasted little time in getting among the goals in the Premier League

Luka Jovic (Real Madrid)

The goals of Luka Jovic were instrumental in Eintracht Frankfurt’s surprise run to the semi-finals of last season’s Europa League, where they were defeated on penalties by Chelsea.

10 goals in 14 matches highlighted the class of the Serbian and proved sufficient to earn him a £54m transfer from the Bundesliga club to Real Madrid.

Now he makes the leap up into the Champions League, where he will certainly want to add to the two minutes of action he has previously in the competition from three years ago.

Jovic is still waiting to score his first goal for Real and faces plenty of competition for places in their front line but he’ll certainly have a part to play in Europe.

Real open their campaign with a tough trip to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday, though with Club Bruges and Galatasaray also in their group, they should comfortably progress.

Luka Jovic makes the step up from Europa League to Champions League with Real Madrid

Luka Jovic makes the step up from Europa League to Champions League with Real Madrid 

Ansu Fati (Barcelona)

There’s certainly been plenty of buzz around Fati after he became Barcelona’s youngest ever starter against Osasuna before the international break.

And that only increased when he scored in that match and then again in Saturday’s 5-2 home win over Valencia, becoming the new darling of the Nou Camp crowd.

But followers of the Youth League will already appreciate the 16-year-old’s talents after he scored four times in last season’s competition, including twice in their semi-final loss to Chelsea.

That was part of a staggering return of 56 goals in 29 games for Barca’s youth sides that caught the eye of Ernesto Valverde.

Named in Barca’s Champions League squad, the fans will be desperate to see more of him in an eye-catching group that also contains Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan and Slavia Prague.

16-year-old Ansu Fati has become the new darling of the Barcelona fans this season

16-year-old Ansu Fati has become the new darling of the Barcelona fans this season

Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan)

Inter suffered an agonising group stage exit on their return to the Champions League last season, edged out by eventual finalists Tottenham by virtue of a solitary away goal.

Argentine striker Martinez played a mere 53 minutes in the competition last season and will be desperate for more of a chance.

He has featured in all three of Inter’s Serie A matches so far and will hope to develop a lethal understanding with big money arrival from Manchester United Romelu Lukaku.

In a sign of his promising form in front of goal, Martinez also scored a hat-trick for Argentina against Mexico in a friendly last month.

Antonio Conte has ensured his Inter side have plenty of firepower at their disposal and that will be essential if they’re to finish above one or both of Dortmund and Barcelona in their group.

Lautaro Martinez (left) and Romelu Lukaku will hope to shine for Inter in the Champions League

Lautaro Martinez (left) and Romelu Lukaku will hope to shine for Inter in the Champions League

Kai Havertz (Bayer Leverkusen)

Havertz was barely out of school when he took his first steps in the Champions League in the 2016-17 season, playing a grand total of 80 minutes across three matches.

Now Bayer Leverkusen are back in Europe’s big time and the 20-year-old’s name is on the lips of every German football fan.

His 17 Bundesliga goals last season helped power Leverkusen back into the Champions League and Havertz has since gone on to win his first senior caps for Germany.

The attacking midfielder is more than capable of shining on the biggest stage and Leverkusen will need him to produce if they’re to squeeze out of a group also containing Atletico Madrid, Juventus and Lokomotiv Moscow.

Having impressed in the Bundesliga, Kai Havertz is ready for the Champions League

Having impressed in the Bundesliga, Kai Havertz is ready for the Champions League

Jeff Reine-Adelaide (Lyon)

Too young to play any part for Arsenal the last time they were in the Champions League, Reine-Adelaide has since moved on from the Gunners to French club Angers and then to Lyon this summer.

Lyon paid £22.5m for the 21-year-old and he has started their last two Ligue 1 games against Bordeaux and Amiens, both of which have ended up as draws.

Reine-Adelaide, a central midfielder, will be pushing for inclusion when Lyon kick off their Champions League campaign against Zenit St Petersburg on Tuesday night.

With Benfica and RB Leipzig also with them in Group G, the French club look set to face a scrap to make it into the knockout stages.

Jeff Reine-Adelaide takes on the Bordeaux defence during one of his early Lyon appearances

Jeff Reine-Adelaide takes on the Bordeaux defence during one of his early Lyon appearances

Ferran Torres (Valencia)

We saw a little glimpse of the exciting 19-year-old winger Torres in last season’s Champions League – including as a substitute against Manchester United – but they dropped out after the group stage.

Now they’re back again and the local boy who has been in Valencia’s youth set-up since the age of six will be determined to make more of an impression.

He has become a regular starter for the team and has stepped up to Spain’s under-21 side having won the European Championship at both Under-17 and Under-19 level in his young career.

Valencia have a fascinating group to get their teeth stuck in to having been drawn with last season’s semi-finalists Ajax, Chelsea and Lille.

Ferran Torres challenges for the ball with Barcelona's Jordi Alba at the weekend

Ferran Torres challenges for the ball with Barcelona’s Jordi Alba at the weekend

Dani Olmo (Dinamo Zagreb)

The speedy winger – a Spain under-21 international – took the decision to leave Barcelona at the age of 16 in order to chase more regular football with Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia.

It is certainly the path less trodden, but Olmo has indeed become a regular starter and goalscorer for Dinamo and has won four league titles and three Croatian Cups with them.

And over the summer, he scored the winning goal for Spain against Germany in the Under-21 European Championship final.

Now, Olmo has helped Dinamo finally break into the Champions League group stage after suffering play-off round heartbreak against Salzburg and Young Boys in recent seasons.

They have been drawn against Manchester City, Atalanta and Shakhtar Donetsk in Group C.

Dani Olmo celebrates scoring for Spain's under-21 side against Montenegro last week

Dani Olmo celebrates scoring for Spain’s under-21 side against Montenegro last week

Jacob Bruun Larsen (Borussia Dortmund)

Borussia Dortmund have one of the most exciting squads in Europe at the moment and big things are expected as they embark on another European adventure with a home clash with Barcelona.

Danish striker Larsen, 20, did play in a handful of their Champions League matches last season, mostly from the bench, and scored in the 3-0 win over Monaco.

Capable of playing on either flank, he should get some opportunities to make his mark despite competition from the likes of Thorgan Hazard and Julian Brandt.

Dortmund open their campaign with a mouth-watering game against Barcelona at the Signal Iduna Park on Tuesday night.

Jacob Bruun Larsen in action during Dortmund's 4-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday

Jacob Bruun Larsen in action during Dortmund’s 4-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday

 

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