The 2024-25 UEFA Champions League (UCL) season is going to be one like no other with the introduction of the 36-team league phase, a total deviation from the 32-team group phase.
Football enthusiasts are still trying to come to grips with this new format which might take some time to get used to.
What will however not take time to get used to is the thrilling action and the display of awesome talent that has made the Champions League the biggest club competition in the world.
Afrosport takes a lot at eight exciting players who will be making their debut and are worth keeping an eye on.
Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen)
The rising German star has earned rave reviews since returning from a lengthy spell on the sidelines with an anterior cruciate ligament injury last January.
Wirtz has shown why he is highly valued by helping Bayer Leverkusen to their first-ever Bundesliga title last term while going the entire season unbeaten on the domestic scene.
The 21-year-old also dazzled for the German national team at the Euro 2024 championship on home soil and will be expected to thrill fans as Leverkusen try to make a statement among Europe’s finest.
Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
The England forward was one of the stars of the Premier League last season, after scoring 19 goals and providing 13 assists which were crucial in handing Villa a fourth-place finish.
He also had a good run in the UEFA Conference League where Villa reached the semi-finals.
With Watkins becoming a household name in English football, he will be expected to take his performance up a notch in the UCL league phase.
Sehrou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund)
The Guinea international was a class apart in the German Bundesliga last term with his goalscoring prowess seeing him register 28 goals for Stuttgart, which was second in the league only behind Harry Kane (36 goals).
Guirassy’s consistency in front of goal helped Stuttgart to a second-place finish in the Bundesliga behind eventual champions Bayer Leverkusen and ahead of Bayern. It also earned him a move to last season’s Champions League runners-up Borussia Dortmund, and that will put more expectations on his shoulders.
Endrick (Real Madrid)
Still only 18 years of age, Endrick has shown flashes of his quality for the Brazil national team and Real Madrid whom he joined this summer.
He has already found the back of the net once for Los Blancos in La Liga this season, and will be tipped to do that on the biggest stage in Europe where Madrid will once again want to assert their dominance.
Viktor Gyokeres (Sporting Lisbon)
The Swedish forward drew attention for his consistency in front of goal when he joined Sporting from Championship side Coventry City last season.
Gyokeres scored a mouth-watering 43 goals in 50 competitive appearances last season which drew the attention from some of Europe’s biggest clubs for a possible transfer this summer. Nothing however materialised and this will give the 26-year-old another chance to show his quality to more potential suitors.
Alvaro Fernandez (Benfica)
The Spaniard completed a transfer to Benfica this summer after failing to establish himself at Manchester United as a left-back.
Fernandez has however nailed his spot with Benfica, starting every single match in Liga Portugal where they have recorded three wins in their last four games.
It will be interesting to see how the Real Madrid Academy graduate holds the fort on the biggest stage of his career.
Adam Idah (Celtic)
The Irish forward of Nigerian heritage joined the Bhoys on a permanent transfer this season after spending the previous season on loan from Championship side Norwich City.
Idah was instrumental towards Celtic lifting a 54th Scottish Premiership title and a 42nd Scottish Cup title and will be a key figure as well in the UCL.
Cristhian Stuani (Girona)
The veteran Uruguayan is a household name in Spain having scored with great efficiency playing for clubs like Albacete, Levante, Racing Santander, Espanyol and presently Girona.
Despite being advanced in age (37), Stuani’s knack for scoring goals has not diminished, scoring 14 competitive goals as Girona clinched a UCL berth for the first time in their history.
His experience will be needed as Girona aim to bag some big results in their Champions League debut.
