12 Players We'll Miss Not Seeing in the Champions League Knockout Stages
The Champions League knockout stages will begin in February 2015, but several of our favourite players won't be there because their respective teams have been eliminated.
We have to admit, we're going to miss them.
Over the following slides we take a look at 12 of these players, explain how they've impacted on this season's competition and discuss why their absence will be felt in the final 16.
Arranged from 12 to 1, we build up to the player we will miss the most on slide No.1.
Read on for more!
12. Cosmin Moti, Ludogorets Razgrad
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He's a defender whose stand-in goalkeeping heroics against Steaua Bucharest saw him attain cult hero status in the qualifying rounds of the 2014/15 Champions League.
Of course we're going to miss seeing Cosmin Moti play in this season's competition.
His team, Ludogorets Razgrad, were taking part in the Champions League for the first time in their history this term, largely thanks to the centre-half's efforts in this penalty shootout, in which he scored his side's opening spot kick and saved two of Steaua's, after goalkeeper Vladislav Stoyanov had been sent off.
Drawn in Group B alongside Real Madrid, Basel and Liverpool, no one expected much from Ludogorets. However, Moti bagged an assist in a 2-1 loss against Madrid and was solid in defence as the Bulgarian team took three points from Basel. Although he was at fault for one of Liverpool's goals on November 26, Moti's side managed to take a point away from their meeting with the Reds thanks to a 2-2 tie in Sofia.
According to ESPN's Michael Yokhin:
"Razgrad is crazy about their superstar. Team owner Kiril Domuschiev promised to name a stand at the club's new stadium in his honour. Local restaurants are naming dishes after him; there were also reports of a newborn child named Cosmin, even though it's not a Bulgarian name.
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They may have suffered four defeats and finished dead last in Group B, but we'd like to have seen a little more of the Romanian defender.
11. Youri Tielemans, Anderlecht
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Youri Tielemans has a lot of people talking. Aged just 17, the Anderlecht midfielder is being tipped for big things.
Despite his age, Tielemans is an automatic starter for Besnik Hasi's team and this season played every minute of his side's opening five games in Group D, clocking up 21 minutes during Anderlecht's final group game against Borussia Dortmund.
Recently linked with Liverpool, as reported by Neil Moxley in the Sunday People (h/t the Mirror), Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich have also been credited with interest.
The teenager's confidence and composure is a sight to behold, and we're going to miss being able to watch him in action when the knockout stages of this season's Champions League roll around.
To be filed under "one for the future," we're already looking forward to seeing Tielemans in the 2015/16 competition.
10. Pajtim Kasami, Olympiacos
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Sharing a group with Atletico Madrid and Juventus, it was always going to be hard for Olympiacos to progress to the next round of the Champions League.
However, the Greek side can hold their heads high as they drop into the Europa League, after several good results in Group A left them just one point behind Juve in the standings.
As we know from watching countless replays of that strike against Crystal Palace in the Premier League, former Fulham midfielder Pajtim Kasami is capable of scoring wonderful goals. He was also effective in this season's Champions League, and it would have been interesting to see if Olympiacos could have pulled off more upsets.
Still only 22, Kasami contributed to his side's three home victories in the group stage with an assist in the victory over Atletico Madrid and the only goal of the game in a huge 1-0 win against Juventus. Two assists in Olympiacos' final group tie against Malmo contributed to their 4-2 win.
The reigning Greek champions could go far in the Europa League this season, and Kasami will play a big part if they do.
9. Enzo Perez, Benfica
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With only two goals scored and just one win, Benfica were a huge disappointment in this season's Champions League.
The club's struggles in Europe are well known—twice Europa League finalists in recent years, they have not won silverware on the European stage since the 1961/62 season. This term, they finished bottom of Group C and did not even qualify for the Europa League.
The trouble is, Jorge Jesus' side have some genuinely talented players, ones we'd like to see more of outside of the Portuguese league.
Getting our vote as the player we'd most like to have seen in the next round is last season's Primeira Liga Player of the Year, Enzo Perez.
With a number of clubs, including Manchester United and Valencia eager to sign him (h/t talkSPORT), Perez is an excellent midfielder, who played on the wing in the 2014 World Cup final against Germany.
8. Aleksandar Mitrovic
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Serbian striker Aleksandar Mitrovic's stock is on the rise, and he turned in some excellent displays for Anderlecht in this season's Champions League.
Since swapping Partizan Belgrade for the Belgian side in summer 2013, Mitrovic has scored 26 goals in 61 games in all competitions at the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium.
On as a second-half substitute against Arsenal, Mitrovic was influential in Anderlecht's fightback against the Gunners on Matchday 4. In that game, he registered an assist and a goal, as Besnik Hasi's team drew 3-3 against the north London club, who let their three-goal lead slip.
He also rescued the point for Anderlecht in their 1-1 draw with Borussia Dortmund on December 9, scoring an 84th-minute header.
According to Metro, the 6'2" striker has been dubbed "the new Zlatan Ibrahimovic," and though we think that is taking things a bit too far, Mitrovic can lay claim to being a strong and powerful target man and certainly holds plenty of promise for the future.
We'll miss seeing more of what he's got to offer for Anderlecht as we enter the last 16.
7. Lasse Schone, Ajax
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Despite his side's failure to progress into the knockout stages, Ajax's Lasse Schone impressed in the 2014/15 Champions League.
Drawn with Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and APOEL in tough Group F, the 28-year-old rescued a point in his side's 1-1 opener against PSG with a 74th-minute free-kick.
In Ajax's following game, Schone provided the assist for Lucas Andersen's goal in another 1-1 draw, this time against APOEL.
Three defeats followed, but Schone was instrumental in his side's first win of the group, against APOEL on Matchday 6. The Dane scored his side's opening two goals in their 4-0 win against the Cypriot club, cementing Ajax's passage into the Europa League.
With nine goals and six assists in all competitions this season, we would've loved to have seen what Schone could have done in the knockout stages.
6. Seydou Doumbia, CSKA Moscow
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His performances for CSKA Moscow in the Champions League have seen Seydou Doumbia linked with a move to Chelsea by Anthony Chapman of the Express.
It's not surprising, considering the impact the Ivorian striker had both home and away against Manchester City this season—bagging a goal and an assist at the Arena Khimki and a brace in the return fixture at the Etihad Stadium.
Top scorer in the Russian Premier League last term, the 26-year-old has registered seven goals and four assists in 13 games this season.
After his side finished bottom of Group E, we won't even be seeing Doumbia in the Europa League this season. We won't enjoy waiting until 2015/16 for this in-form striker to return to the European stage.
5. Nani, Sporting Clube De Portugal
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On loan at Sporting Clube de Portugal, where his career began, Nani has raised more than a few eyebrows this season.
Barely able to get a game with Manchester United last term, the 28-year-old was farmed out to the Lisbon club over the summer, as part of the deal that saw defender Marcos Rojo go to Old Trafford.
The 28-year-old has been revived by his move.
In Europe this season, Nani impressed on Matchday 1, scoring in the 80th minute against Maribor. Two goals and an assist followed in home and away ties against Schalke. He also notched this incredible individual effort in a 3-1 home win against Maribor—a game in which he also bagged an assist.
Nani's performances in Europe have led to rumours suggesting that the player could be recalled by United in January, as seen on Goal.com. However, the winger recently told The Guardian's Jamie Jackson that he would be reluctant to make a return.
Injury saw the Portugal international ruled out of Group G's final game against Chelsea and, with Sporting now out of the Champions League, we're going to miss being surprised by Nani, who's proving he's still got it.
4. Gervinho, Roma
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Gervinho's assured, attacking displays for Roma have ensured that any memories of his disappointing time at Arsenal are long gone.
A misfiring striker at the Emirates, the Ivorian has thrived under Rudi Garcia—his former manager at Lille—and last season he bagged 12 goals and 12 assists in all competitions during his first term at the Stadio Olimpico.
In Group E this season, the 27-year-old continued to impress, scoring two goals, registering an assist and turning in a Man of the Match performance against CSKA Moscow on Matchday 1.
In Roma's two ties against Manchester City, Gervinho was again a constant menace. Quite often his side's biggest threat, it's a wonder he didn't manage to find the back of the net in both meetings with Manuel Pellegrini's side.
Oozing confidence and a joy to watch, we'll miss seeing Gervinho run at opposition defences in the next stage of the competition.
Over to you, Europa League.
3. Davy Klaassen, Ajax
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Last season, Davy Klaassen took part in just three Champions League group games, as he continued his rehabilitation from a recurring groin injury that kept him sidelined for the entire 2012/13 campaign.
A regular starter by the end of last term, the 21-year-old played every minute in Group F this season, coming up against Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and APOEL.
In Ajax's penultimate group tie, Klaassen scored his side's only goal of the game in the 3-1 defeat against PSG. In the following game against APOEL, he scored once and set up another for Arkadiusz Milik in a 4-0 win.
Following the game, OptaJohan tweeted: "4 - Davy Klaassen has scored one goal from one shot in each of his last four games for @AFCAjax (all competitions). Roll"
Branded an "Ajax wonderkid" by Simon Jones in the Daily Mail last year, the cool and composed Klaassen is one of the Dutch side's most exciting young talents. We'll miss being able to watch him play in the Champions League, but he'll be a big threat in the Europa League.
2. William Carvalho, Sporting Clube De Portugal
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William Carvalho, we're told, is a star in the making. Constantly linked with a move away from Estadio Jose Alvalade, the holding midfielder has received rave reviews since returning to Sporting Clube de Portugal from a loan spell with Cercle Brugge in summer 2013.
This is the 22-year-old's first season in the Champions League, and it started well, with Carvalho providing the assist for Nani's goal in Sporting's 1-1 opener against Maribor.
The Portugal international played the full 90 minutes in defeats against Chelsea and Schalke and in subsequent wins against Schalke and Maribor.
Last term was his breakout season in the Portuguese league, and it was impossible not to be impressed. Carvalho has also adapted well to international football, after being called up for Portugal's two-legged World Cup play-off against Sweden in November 2013 and subsequently traveling to the 2014 World Cup with Paulo Bento's side.
But a shadow of doubt remains. Is he really worth his reported £37 million buyout clause (h/t Metro)? If his lackluster performance against Chelsea on Matchday 6 is anything to go by, that answer is no.
One match does not make or break a player, and we'll miss seeing Carvalho play in the next round. He comes with a lot of hype, and we would have liked to have continued seeing if he's got what it takes against top-level opposition.
1. Francesco Totti, Roma
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A 23rd-minute strike scored against Manchester City in a 1-1 draw on Matchday 2 saw Francesco Totti become the oldest goalscorer in Champions League history.
The 38-year-old, who has racked up more than 700 appearances for Roma, will not be progressing to the knockout stages of this year's competition, with his side winning just once in six Group E games.
For fans of any team, it's hard not to love Totti, the one-club man whose career just keeps on going. He's won several trophies at club and international level but the Champions League still eludes him.
"I am proud to have achieved [the oldest goalscorer record], without any doubt, but I hope to carry on and not stop here," Totti told UEFA.com.
As we would with any true great, we'll miss Totti's presence in the knockout round. As we don't yet know if this was his last career appearance in the group stage, we'll miss him that little bit more.
