The rising stars to watch in this year's Champions League
NEXT GEN: The group stages kick off tonight.
Comparisons to compatriot Kevin De Bruyne have been unavoidable for Charles De Ketelaere following his recent €35million transfer to AC Milan. The 21-year-old playmaker, who considered a move to the Premier League before rejecting Leeds United in favour of the San Siro, contributed 25 goals and 20 assists while making 120 appearances – 16 of which came in the Champions League – for Club Brugge. Described as "a class player" by Rossoneri legend Paolo Maldini, who serves as the club's technical director, De Ketelaere has accumulated eight senior caps for Belgium since making his debut as a 19-year-old in a friendly against Switzerland. The talented left-footer opened his international account in a 2-1 UEFA Nations League defeat to Italy last October. De Ketelaere "leaves you speechless with his technical ability," according to Belgium boss Roberto Martinez. "He can follow in the footsteps of the greats of AC Milan.”
That the 21-year-old winger has already earned the nickname 'Kvaradona' provides an indication of how seamlessly he has adapted to life at Napoli. Recruited as a replacement for Lorenzo Insigne following the Euro 2020 winner's switch to Major League Soccer, Kvaratskhelia was a bargain buy from Dinamo Batumi in his native Georgia (his contract at Rubin Kazan had been prematurely terminated in March following Russia's invasion of Ukraine). After completing a €12million move to Naples, he scored three goals in his first two appearances and was named Serie A's Player of the Month for August. In the wake of the departures of Insigne, Kalidou Koulibaly and Dries Mertens – their captain, vice-captain and all-time leading goalscorer respectively – Napoli were braced for a difficult season, yet Kvaratskhelia's brilliance has been integral to lifting Luciano Spalletti's side to the summit of Serie A ahead of Wednesday's Champions League opener against Liverpool.
Group H meetings with the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus will offer Ramos the perfect platform to show that he's capable of becoming the latest attacking talent from Benfica – in the mould of João Félix and Darwin Núñez – to move on to bigger and better things. Linked with several Premier League clubs – including Newcastle United, Everton and Southampton – during the summer transfer window, the 21-year-old striker has stayed with Benfica, where he's been on the books since the age of 12. His efforts during the qualifying stages of this season's Champions League were pivotal for the Lisbon giants, with a hat-trick against FC Midtjylland followed by another goal against Dynamo Kyiv. The Portugal Under 21 international scored a remarkable 12 goals in eight qualifying fixtures to help his country book their place at next summer's European Championship.
Embarking on his third season at Borussia Dortmund, Bellingham is already on course to make his 100th appearance for the club later this month. Even at such a tender age (he only turned 19 during the summer) the versatile midfielder is an indispensable member of a Dortmund side who have made a positive start to their Bundesliga campaign, winning four of their opening five fixtures. With Liverpool leading the chase for the former Birmingham City youngster, this is widely expected to be Bellingham's last season in Germany. Mats Hummels, his World Cup-winning Dortmund team-mate, said of Bellingham last year: "He is the most mature 18-year-old player I have ever seen. Jude is already someone who leads the way and he's also one of the loudest in the team. He's a great kid, I think I've told him about 25 times now that I just love him."
AC Milan appear to have unearthed a defensive diamond in Kalulu, who was signed from Lyon's B team on a free transfer. Initially drafted in to provide right-back cover for Davide Calabria, Kalulu – who has been likened to 1998 World Cup winner Lilian Thuram – established a formidable centre-back partnership with ex-Chelsea man Fikayo Tomori in the latter stages of last season, as the Rossoneri claimed a first Scudetto since 2011. The 22-year-old was scolded by team-mate Zlatan Ibrahimovic for wearing gloves during his AC Milan debut against Sparta Prague in December 2020. However, if he can handle the heat of a Champions League group that also includes Chelsea, RB Salzburg and Dinamo Zagreb, France manager Didier Deschamps may find it difficult to ignore his claims for a place in his squad for the forthcoming World Cup in Qatar.
Just a few days since he was described by Barcelona manager Xavi as "the heart" of his team following an impressive display in a 3-0 win over Sevilla, Gavi is sure to play a key role once more as the Catalans open their Champions League campaign against FC Viktoria Plzeň at Camp Nou on Wednesday. The diminutive midfielder has been a revelation for Barca over the past 12 months, as evidenced by the fact that he recently made his 50th appearance for the club just a few weeks removed from his 18th birthday. The youngest player to play – and score for – Spain at senior international level has already been awarded 10 caps by manager Luis Enrique, who said earlier this year: “It’s very difficult not to fall in love with Gavi. Any fan wants to see him play.”
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