Players to Watch in the Champions League's Last 16

So far in the UEFA Champions League, many of the headlines have centred around established and in-form Champions League talent such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Imbrahimović and Mario Gómez. 

However, there are several other lesser-known players whose performances helped to inspire their team to the knockout stage of the competition. 

Here I will profile 12 players hoping to help their team to the final 8.

Gueïda Fofana

Captain of France's title winning under-19 team, Gueïda Fofana, 20, has been drawing inevitable comparisons to Patrick Viera. Despite the curse such titles often bestow on young players, Fofana is providing the performances to justify the comparisons. 

A defensive midfielder, Fofana, like Viera, is tall, strong, and, surprisingly for someone of his size, quick. These athletic attributes have helped to compensate for his inexperience, and his simple and safe passing and playing style has provided the reassuring base from which Lyon can begin their attacks. 

Having been drawn against, what is on paper at least, one of the weakest teams left in the competition, APOEL FC, Fofana will fancy his chances of progression to the last eight.

Ailton

Hoping to dash Fofana's hopes is APOEL's Brazilian striker Ailton, 27.

Despite not being quite as skillful or flashy as many of his compatriots, Ailton's hard work, industry, and—most of all—lethality were vital to APOEL's shock progression from a tricky group containing FC Porto, Zenit St. Petersburg and Shakhtar Donetsk.

Scoring the winner in APOEL's first ever Champions League game against Zenit, the equaliser in Portugal and the opening goal in the team's surprise win in the return leg against Porto, Ailton is deadly despite the limited opportunities provided to him.

Lyon's defence is young and relatively inexperienced at the Champions League level, and Ailton with be hoping to take full advantage of this. 

Sidney Sam

Despite Barcelona's apparent capitulation in recent weeks, they will be favourites to progress against a similarly struggling Bayer Leverkusen.

Teams like Athletic Bilbao have shown, however, that perhaps the best way to counter Barcelona is to press, harry and ultimately attack their intricate passing.

Although he will be injured for the first leg, Leverkusen fans will be hoping right winger Sidney Sam, 24, has fully recovered for the game at the Camp Nou.

Blisteringly fast and possessing great technique and agility, Sam's direct play and willingness to run at players are qualities that have been shown to cause problems to a Barcelona defence more used to retaining possession. 

Sam was in great form in Leverkusen's group games, and he will need to continue with his energetic and inciseive play if he returns in the second leg for his team to have any chance of progressing. 

Isaac Cuenca

Barcelona's injury problems that have led to the aforementioned capitulation have done nothing but help intriguing prospect Isaac Cuenca, 20.

Cuenca began his football development at Barcelona's famous La Masia, but left to join smaller clubs before returning in 2009.

Despite not being at La Masia for this full period, it has still had an obvious affect on Cuenca's playhe fits perfectly into Barcelona's attacking system with his intelligent movement and passing.

Courted by Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal before recently signing a contract extension, Cuenca has been in impressive form in the Champions League so far. He has provided three assists in three games so far, and will be looking to improve on this to cement his position over fellow youngsters Cristian Tello and Gerard Deulofeu.

Nicolás Gaitan

Nicolás Gaitan, 23, is finally proving himself as a worthy successor to Ángel di María.

Signed from Boca Juniors following his fellow Argentine's move to Real Madrid in 2010, Gaitan took time to settle but now looks at home at the grandest stage of them all, the Champions League.

Not as agile or quite as quick as di María, Gaitan is more creative and versatile, able to play centrally as well as on the wing. His creativity has been particularly crucial to Benfica's progress, as he has provided the most assists so far in the Champions League this season, assisting five of Benfica's eight goals.

Having constantly been linked with both Manchester clubs in recent years, Gaitan has said he is not considering the speculation surrounding his future. However, if he continues with his impressive form, expect a long winded transfer tug-of-war come the summer.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Arguably one of the most in form players in the Premier League right now, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, 18, will be hoping Arsene Wenger repays his impressive contribution over Arsenal's last few games with a starting European berth.

Extremely quick both with and without the ball, strong, and able to not only play on the wing but drift inside to cause havoc with his passing ability and shooting, Oxlade-Chamberlain is providing a blueprint for how Theo Walcott's career should have developed.

His far more effective contribution to Arsenal's overall attacking play than Walcott will undoubtedly provide Wenger with a selection headache following Gervinho's return.

However, given the manager's faith in his player's ability to challenge for a place England's Euro 2012 squad, do not be surprised to see Oxlade-Chamberlain improving on his one goal in two games from the group stages.

Seydou Doumbia

Seydou Doumbia, 24, is quickly establishing himself as one of the most dangerous strikers in Europe. He has guaranteed goals wherever he has played, scoring 50 goals in 64 games for Swiss side BSC Young Boys before moving onto CSKA Moscow, where he has managed 29 goals in 41 games.

Blessed with superb acceleration, strength, agility and a great ability to lead the line, Doumbia has carried his league form into Europe. In the group stages, he scored 5 goals, making him joint third top goal scorer. 

The Ivorian will have to be at his best for CSKA has they are poised to face favourites Real Madrid. On his current form, however, he will likely cause the Madrid back line problems throughout both legs.

José Callejón

Upon returning to Real Madrid, Florentino Pérez brought his expected draft of Galácticos into the club.

However, he also made a point of resigning former youth players in an attempt to re-establish a sense of club identity. While Pedro León failed to find his feet at the Bernabéu and Esteban Granero is still trying to become an effective part of the team, José Callejón, 25, has grabbed his opportunity with both hands.

Callejón has been in extremely impressive form in recent games from Madrid's right wing. He has scored four goals in only 187 minutes of play in the Champions League, and has also been scoring important goals in both La Liga and the Copa del Rey.

His intelligent movement, combined with sharp reactions in front of goal, are enabling Callejón to become a vital member of this star studded team, and he may well be talked about in the same breath as these players if he can carry on this form.

Walter Gargano

Napoli's return to European competition has led to a constant focus, from both other clubs and fans, on their impressive attacking trident Ezequiel Lavezzi, Marek Hamšík and Edinson Cavani.

But, as impressive as this trio are, they would not be able to provide such flair without the industry and hard work of Walter Gargano, 27, behind them.

Currently also one of Uruguay's key midfield enforcers, Gargano also adds dynamism and an ability to keep the midfield ticking over with his simple passing.

Despite being only 5'6", he is incredibly strong, and never stops running.

Gargano was ever present in Napoli's group games, apart from their loss to Bayern Munich. His replacement in the team, Blerim Džemaili, had a horrible evening that night, and only highlighted the importance of Gargano to his team.

César Azpilicueta

A player who Chelsea manager André Villas-Boas has identified as a key signing in the rebuilding of the London club's defence. César Azpilicueta, 22, may have endured a nightmare start to his Champions League career, scoring an own goal against CSKA Moscow, but he is now putting in the performances that will likely lead to a move to, if not Chelsea, another big club.

Like most modern full backs, Azpilicueta is equally adept at both attacking and defending, and can from box to box all match.

He initially struggled in Marseille's group games this season, looking easily rattled and lacking in confidence.

However, Deschamps stuck with the young Spaniard, and was rewarded with improved performances and maturity in the later games, prompting the transfer speculation.

As Marseille prepare to face Internazionale, Azpilicueta will likely prove to be a key component in Deschamps's tactical plans, as he looks to exploit the Italian's narrow midfield.

Xherdan Shaqiri

Xherdan Shaqiri, 20, is likely to be the primary focus of the pre-match build up to FC Basel versus Bayern Munich.

Having just signed a contract to join the German giants in the summer, he will no doubt be looking to prove to his future employers just what a talented player they have signed.

Shaqiri has been a target for big clubs for several years, and his performances in the Champions League this season only improved his reputation.

Small and squat for a winger, he is nevertheless an extremely quick and powerful runner. He also boasts a fine range of passing and an exquisite eye for goal, which many England fans would attest to.

After Shaqiri's man of the match exploits against Manchester United, providing two assists, Bayern will be hoping their new signing does not deal them a similar fate.

Granit Xhaka

Finally, we have another Swiss youngster: FC Basel's Granit Xhaka, 19.

Xhaka will be hoping he can follow his compatriot Shaqiri's lead, and use the Champions League to alert Europe's biggest clubs to his innate footballing ability.

Xhaka is an elegant player; an attacking midfielder who always seems to have time on the ball. He is athletic as well though, boasting an impressive turn of pace to complement his superb technique. 

In both group games against Manchester United, Xhaka was highly influential.

Providing constant dangerous movement and threatening passes, there was the air of Paul Scholes about him. Given United's necessary need to entice Scholes out of retirement, he may well prove to be the United legend's replacement.

Conclusion

These 12 players are obviously only a small selection of the talent fans can see in the first knockout phase of this season's Champions League, but they all have the talent to help guide their teams further.

So far, they all have limited Champions League experience, but they will all hope to position themselves amongst the established stars of Europe's premier club competition through their exploits.