UEFA Champions League 2010/11: Top 20 Players To Watch
As another edition of the most prestigious tournament in club football commences, 32 of the greatest clubs in the sport learned their European fate in the UEFA Champions League draw in Monaco.
The draw sprung many surprises and blockbuster matches, most notably AC Milan v Real Madrid, Manchester United v Valencia, and Inter Milan v Tottenham Hotspur.
All those ties, and several others, will be relished and eagerly anticipated by fans and journalists alike across not only Europe, but the entire world.
More importantly, the players themselves will be chomping at the bit to get out there on the biggest stage of all and prove their worth to the watching world.
And so with that in mind, here in this slideshow is a list of the top 20 footballers participating in the 2010/11 UEFA Champions League who are most likely going to seize their opportunity with both hands and make a name for themselves as one of Europe's top talents.
Sercan Yildirim - Bursaspor
1 of 20
Proclaimed to be the Lionel Messi of Turkey, most football fans out there have to use the wonderful world of YouTube to look up the talents of 20-year-old striker Yildirim.
And should one view the multiple videos of the young star, then it would become immediately evident as to why the attacker has garnered such praise.
With explosive pace, intelligently idiosyncratic forward runs, and the clinical finishing ability all elite level strikers crave, Yildirim certainly has the elements required to cause problems for aging defenders no matter their defensive ability, and could easily grab big goals against the likes of Rangers and Valencia in Group C.
His lack of composure, however, and inexperience means he might not shine against Manchester United (not at Old Trafford anyway), but as with the way it is in football, always expected the unexpected.
Yildirim is already off the mark this season in the league, scoring the only goal in Bursaspor's 1-0 victory in the opening match against Konyaspor, and will look to add to his record of 23 goals in 72 games for Bursaspor.
Theo Walcott - Arsenal
2 of 20
He's been promising much for years, and more than anyone, he knows that this is the season to prove to the world that he is capable of being among the best in the world.
After his impressive start to the season, Walcott himself will be full of confidence as everyone waits to see the young Englishman finally progress into the world-class superstar he's been threatening European defences to be.
Simply put, expect big things in the Champions League from the 21-year-old this season.
Vincent Enyeama - Hapoel Tel Aviv
3 of 20
Anybody who watched Argentina's 1-0 win over Nigeria in Group B of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa would've realised just how brilliant of a goalkeeper Enyeama is.
The Nigerian shotstopper proved during the tournament why he is just too good for the Israeli league, as he managed to do something Europe's best keepers can't, i.e. deny Lionel Messi at his best.
In that match against Argentina, Enyeama produced six phenomenal saves, four of which were from sensational efforts by Messi, which would've almost certainly gone in had Enyeama not been the goalkeeper that day.
And at 27 years old, he'll want to prove again to Europe's elite that he is a rock solid shotstopper worthy of a place at a top European club.
With brilliant technique and good command of his area, Enyeama should at least get one or two clean sheets in a group lacking attacking firepower.
Javier Hernandez - Manchester United
4 of 20
Part of moving to a European club for any non-EU player is the opportunity to test themselves in the UEFA Champions League, a competition those players usually see as the best in club football, and rightly so.
Javier "El Chicharito" Hernandez is no different, and will fancy his chances of grabbing goals against some of Europe's top defences.
The world knows, thanks to the World Cup, that Hernandez is a 22-year-old striker with a clinical eye for goal, having superb finishing ability, great energy, and the ability to link up with strike partners in an absolutely lethal fashion.
He'll want to build on that, and prove to Sir Alex Ferguson more than anyone that he deserves the chance to pick off top European defences, just like he's been threatening to do in the past year.
The heir to Hugo Sanchez? With chances in the Champions League this season, quite possibly for young Chicharito.
Marko Marin - Werder Bremen
5 of 20
Linked with a £14 million move to Group A opponents Tottenham earlier this summer, 21-year-old Werder Bremen winger Marin will be wanting to prove his worth in the Champions League, not only to potential future investors, but also the Germany national team, after being frozen out as a bit-part player in the Germans' rather successful World Cup campaign.
Known as the "German Messi" and "Magic Marin," young Marko is blessed with superb dribbling technique, and the general footwork and skill to skip past opponents with ease.
The young midfielder also has tremendous pace, and can run in behind slow or old full-backs easily.
His ball distribution still needs some practice, but in a Champions League group where two of the opponents don't have sensational full-backs, expect young Marin to shine.
An exciting talent, Marin's super skills and fantastic energy might even give boring old champions Inter Milan a run for their money.
Mesut Ozil - Real Madrid
6 of 20
It's one of the most amazing things that in the current transfer market, 21-year-old Ozil was snapped by Real Madrid for only £12 million.
Of course, that sort of money is still a lot for a player, but most certainly not for one like young Ozil, the shining star of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
In a footballing world where coaches start leaning towards the playmaker more and more in their attempt at match winning tactics, there are actually less and less out there who can really make a difference.
But Ozil is one playmaker who can make a difference, as the world found out in South Africa.
With no heavy burden of a massive price tag on his shoulders and the confidence of having a successful World Cup, combined with some of the best players in the world as teammates, and arguably the greatest current coach in football behind him, expect bigger and better things to come from Ozil.
After all, the kid's only 21. He's got at least seven or eight years until he starts to reach his peak.
The young star looks set to light up the UEFA Champions League for not just this season, but at least the next decade.
Thomas Muller - Bayern Munich
7 of 20
Continuing the trend of spectacular young German superstars, they don't come much better than uber-talented, 20-year-old attacker, Thomas Muller, another sensational whiz kid to emerge from the World Cup, winning the Best Young Player at the tournament with five goals and three assists.
Having signed a contract extension at last season's Champions League runners-up, Muller is now part of the very core of the Bayern Munich starting 11, with only the likes of Arjen Robben and Bastian Schweinsteiger holding such esteem at the Bavarian club.
With such guaranteed opportunities now provided for Muller, expect him to fully capitalise on them, just like he did in the World Cup and so far this season for Bayern, already scoring two goals in three games.
Fabio Coentrao - Benfica
8 of 20
Forget Cristiano Ronaldo. Right now, 22-year-old left-back Coentrao is Portugal's best player.
Manager Carlos Quieroz gave the Benfica player his chance at the World Cup, and Coentrao fully grasped it with both hands, putting in stellar displays in all four of Portugal's matches.
A reliable and consistent player, not only can Coentrao tackle with brilliant accuracy and match the pace of super-fast wingers, he can interchange with his wing partner effortlessly, with the ability to put in some sensational crosses into the penalty area.
With impeccable fitness as well, and the confidence after having a successful World Cup, expect the man who is genuinely considered as good as Ashley Cole to prove that in the Champions League this season.
Oh, and expect the likes of Real Madrid and Manchester City to come calling by January as well.
Kevin Prince Boateng - AC Milan
9 of 20
23-year-old Kevin Prince Boateng has hit the big time at long last.
The outstanding talent in a dire Premier League season for Portsmouth in 2009/10, Boateng's shining performances and lethal form at the World Cup has finally landed him a place at Italy's most famous sporting team, AC Milan.
Having never played in the UEFA Champions League before, this is a man with enough talent, drive, and ambition to not only fulfill his dream, but emphatically turn it into a sensational reality.
Big and better things are to come from Boateng, and with the German-Ghanian now in the right place to realise his dream and ambitions, the Champions League could be the perfect stage for the midfielder to fully showcase his talent.
Sotiris Ninis - Panathinaikos
10 of 20
Greek football is in a sorry state at the moment. The national team was awful at the World Cup and showed no desire of becoming anything great, reflecting the defeatist mentality among Greek players at the moment.
But amid the doom-and-gloom emerged a bright star, a 20-year-old attacking midfielder Ninis.
Playmakers are increasingly important in football nowadays, and Ninis is one such playmaker who could well be in for the best season of his career so far, after four seasons of elite-level football already under his belt.
His outstanding eye for a pass and dazzling individual skills mean this young talent is sure to stand out from the rest as his team faces Rubin Kazan and FC Copenhagen in Group D.
Even against FC Barcelona, young Ninis could well step up to the plate and prove to the world that Greek football isn't fully dead and buried.
Expect this kid to move to one of Europe's elite next summer as a direct result of his impact in this season's UEFA Champions League.
Vladimir Weiss - Rangers
11 of 20
Manchester City knows the talent they have on their hands in Weiss, hence why he has only moved to Scottish giants Rangers on loan.
The 20-year-old winger is at the perfect place with the Glasgow Rangers to finally develop into a top quality star, with the chance to play in the Champions League doing nothing but enhancing this man's game.
A free-kick specialist and visionary extraordinaire when it comes to long-range passing, Weiss has all the attributes to be the Rangers' top man in Europe's top club competition this season.
A player who has proven he can do damage in the Premier League, expect Weiss to not only shine against Bursaspor and give Valencia some problems, but also give Manchester United a run for their money too.
Alexandre Pato - AC Milan
12 of 20
Let's keep this one short and sweet.
After a frustrating season hampered by constant injuries in 2009/10, in which he was frozen out of Brazil's World Cup squad, expect Pato's hurt and anger to be taken out on defences in Serie A and the Champions League this season.
Playing against Real Madrid and Ajax will only inspire Pato even more to score goals, so expect the 20-year-old to go absolutely mental on the goalscoring front this season.
Andre Ayew - Marseille
13 of 20
Following several loan spells at lower league clubs, 20-year-old Ayew has finally forced his way into the Marseille first team.
The winger had a stellar World Cup campaign with Ghana, being nominated for the Best Young Player award at the tournament in South Africa.
With 26 caps already under his belt, Ayew has enough experience at the highest level to play a big part for Marseille in the Champions League this season, and having once attracted the interest of Chelsea, the winger will be looking to show the Stamford Bridge club what he can do when the two sides meet in Group F.
Determination, strength, skill, technique, passing, shot accuracy, and tackling are all qualities which Andre Ayew has at extraordinary levels, as proven by his World Cup showings, so expect this young man to light up the Champions League this season, especially against weaker teams like MSK Zilina and Spartak Moscow.
Miralem Pjanic - Lyon
14 of 20
Pjanic, as every football aficionado knows, is one the brightest young talents in world football today.
He had a magnificent Champions League campaign last season, scoring four goals in the tournament, including the equaliser for Lyon against Real Madrid as they drew 1-1 and subsequently progressed to the semifinals.
Having all the qualities of a world-class playmaker, expect Pjanic to become the new Wesley Sniejder as the 20-year-old progresses in his career and builds on the stellar success of last term.
Juan Mata - Valencia
15 of 20
A former Journalism student at La Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, World Cup winner Mata will be hoping the headlines are all about him at Valencia this season following the departures of David Villa and David Silva.
And now Villa and Silva are gone, the onus is on Mata to perform as Spain's third biggest club look to him to take the club forward both in La Liga and the UEFA Champions League.
Mata's intelligent forward runs, lightning pace, and deadly finishing ability for a winger are easily among the very best on this list, and even Manchester United will have massive trouble stopping Mata in their Group C encounter.
Spain are producing the best players in the world right now, and with a terrific Champions League campaign (one which the whole of Valencia expects from him) this season, the table tennis fanatic might well become one of them.
Manchester United, Rangers, and Bursaspor, you've been warned, this 22-year-old is gonna tear your defences apart.
Ivan Rakitic - Schalke
16 of 20
The 22-year-old Rakitic hasn't hit top gear since the promise he showed a few seasons ago.
Always a top quality playmaker with the potential to be a great, Rakitic just hasn't found the winning formula these past few seasons.
However, with a fairly easy group in which Schalke could well progress, could this finally be the season in which Rakitic proves to the world what he's truly made of?
Matheus - Braga
17 of 20
The 27-year-old Brazilian forward Matheus is facing a race against time to seal a move to one of Europe's elite, but if his performances this season for SC Braga in the Champions League qualifying rounds are anything to go by, this man could well become a star this season.
He may have been disappointing last season as Braga qualified for the Champions League for the first time in the club's history, but this time round, he is back with aplomb.
Four great goals in five games have already given the watching world an indication as to what to expect from Matheus this season.
He followed up a sensational 35-yard free kick goal against Celtic with the opener in a league game which Braga won 3-1, before scoring the only goal at home to Sevilla and then grabbing the opener away in Seville to end the contest and send Braga into the Champions League proper for the first time ever.
Matheus is one of the few strikers left in the game who actually have that proper "striker's instinct," and he's always on hand to capitalise on mistakes by defenders and goalkeepers with exceptional finishing ability.
With a hunger and desire to become a great, Champions League football could well propel Matheus into the Brazilian national team, or at least alert Europe's elite about his sensational abilities.
Christian Eriksen - Ajax
18 of 20
At 18 years old, Eriksen is the brightest young prospect in football at the moment, having already played 21 times for Ajax, made six caps for Denmark, and having been the youngest player to play at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
A brilliant midfield goalscorer from long range and short range, Eriksen has the all the attributes of a top-class playmaker, knowing where his next pass is going to be before he's even received the ball.
Given the No. 8 shirt at Ajax this season, the young Dane is set to be a full fixture in the Ajax starting lineup as he looks to build on last campaign and further his footballing career.
Games against Real Madrid and AC Milan will give young Eriksen the chance to become the next Wesley Sniejder or Michael Laudrup, and like all future superstars, Eriksen could well shine on the biggest stage in club football if he makes the most of his opportunity.
Judging by his performances so far, young Eriksen looks as if he will indeed thrive on such opportunities, as he gets ready to take the UEFA Champions League by storm.
After this season, Eriksen might well be a name synonymous with football followers everywhere.
Welliton - Spartak Moscow
19 of 20
Brazilian striker Welliton is one of the most sensational talents in Russia at the moment.
The 23-year-old Spartak Moscow forward has scored 13 goals in 14 games in the Russian Premier League so far during the 2010 season, following on the 21 goals he scored in 28 matches back in 2009.
Described as the Roman Pavlyuchenko of Spartak Moscow, Welliton scored a six-minute hat trick in a league match against Tom Tomsk last week, just six days after scoring another hat trick in an encounter with Lokomotiv Moscow.
Judging from just that alone, it's clear this guy could well have a massive impact in the Champions League this season.
Gareth Bale - Tottenham Hotspur
20 of 20
Of course, there's only going to be one man left to pick on this list, and of course, it has to be Tottenham's Bale.
The 21-year-old has thrived on his full new position as a winger, and has been in absolutely sensational form so far this season, setting up all four goals against Young Boys in a 4-0 win after scoring that goal against Stoke City.
Anyone who's ever watched the English Premier League would know of the vast amount of qualities Bale possesses, with his performances so far this season being nothing short of exceptional.
Now the Welsh wizard has the chance to emulate Ryan Giggs and shine on the biggest stage of all, the UEFA Champions League.
On his current vain of form, it seems like there might well be no stopping Bale, even if he has to travel to the San Siro and take on current Champions League winners, Inter Milan.
.jpg?w=480 "Titans Camp Football")
