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After going a few months off, the UEFA Champions League finally came back with aplomb this season. A lot of football fans have been stretching their necks to catch glimpses of their football icons donning their team colours and treating us to exciting matches.
Most of the household names have been doing their thing, while some of our best players are still been stirred from slumber. So far, it has promised to be an interesting and thrilling season with a lot of highlights and incredible moments from our favorite superstars in the European tournament.
This piece, therefore, will talk about some players - most of them still like sleeping giants right now - who are likely to take the centre stage and make the season a very interesting one for us. Be aware though that most of these players are household names, whilea couple of them are players who are just catching attention but are sure to make great impressions in the tournament. They are as follows:
#5 Serge Gnabry
Serge Gnabry is another hot property in Europe at present. Arsenal will be kicking themselves for letting the boy leave some seasons ago. He has been at Bayern Munich for a while and he was having cameo performances every now and then.
However, this season, he appears to be staking his claim as one of the most promising superstars. The four goals he notched away against Tottenham Hotspur should make sure of that. Besides, the German cannot be overlooked when you’re counting players who could light up the Champions League this term - thanks to his brilliant performances in recent weeks.
If he can maintain the kind of performances he's been putting up in the Champions League for the past few weeks, then, the rest of the competition better start watching out for him, else, they’ll get stunned. He has 4 goals and an assist to his name from 4 appearances in the European tournament this term.
#4 Erling Braut Haaland
Erling Braut Haaland is in the form of his life at present. He might be an unknown player to most people because he does not play in one of the top five leagues. He plays for RB Salzburg in the Austrian Bundesliga. The teenager is showing up and ruining the party for the boys in Austria.
With 27 goals and 7 assists in 20 matches across all competitions, the young Norwegian is a beast in front of goal. Another amazing fact about the in-form attacker is that he’s had 8 goals already in 5 matches in the Champions League. Belittle Haaland and his Salzburg team at your peril.
He’s definitely going to be in one of the top leagues soon. Very soon if he keeps up this thrilling performance. At just 19 years of age, he still has a long way to go, but at the rate that he’s going, it won’t be long before he has the football world at his feet.
#3 Cristiano Ronaldo
Who would not recognise him? The king of Europe for many and arguably the best player of this era, we all know Cristiano Ronaldo might start the season silently but he does not end it so. He always takes matches by the scruff of the neck and single-handedly wins them for his team - especially during the latter stages of the Champions League.
Ronaldo is the only player who has scored in every group stage match of the tournament. He also has the most hat-tricks in the knockout stages and the most goals in the final of the competition to mention just a few of his other exemplary records.
At the moment, Ronaldo is just waking up from slumber. Be certain though, that when he does, he is going to take the UCL by storm this season. Coupled with his burning desire to win the trophy to secure his legacy at the Allianz Stadium, we won't ber surprised if he rekindles his prowess in front of goal during the business end of the competiton.
#2 Lionel Messi
Beating his arch-rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, to the FIFA The Best award, to him, is not enough. He always wants to have one over the head of his Portuguese counterpart. What other way to do that this season than taking home the only trophy that ties them together?
Barcelona is struggling because Lionel Messi is not at his best yet but he is steadily coming close. Still nursing the pains of the disappointing defeat to Liverpool the last time out, Messi is sure to start producing the sort of magic we know him to have up his sleeves very soon. Most especially, with the fact that the only trophy that seems to appeal to him now besides the World Cup is the Champions League.
Anyone who wants to be a stumbling block to him towards achieving this success is sure to feel the venom that is still boiling deep down Messi’s belly. Watch out for him or you’ll be taken by so much surprise that your head will spin.
#1 Robert Lewandowski
Robert Lewandowski is tearing the German Bundesliga apart at the moment. What about the Champions League? Those teams who have met with him could not wait to see his back; those who are still expecting him are anticipating his arrival with trepidation.
With 10 goals already in the Champions League this season, he’ll sure take some stopping. The amazing fact is that the Polish has got a few easy games coming up. He’ll be out and dry before other players wake up. It is a given too that he might continue this amazement in the knockout stages of the competition.
If this happens, God bless all opponents who will face him and his merry team. He's already hit double figures even before the knockout stages. At the rate he’s going, we might be having an amazing record on our hands.
