The seven most exciting new additions to Champions League squads

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Ladies and gentleman, you will be extremely happy to hear that the Uefa Champions League is very nearly finally back in our lives.

The biggest competition on the continent returns with some of the biggest teams battling it out to become champions of Europe for the 2018/19 campaign.

There are some extremely tasty ties coming up and four English sides still competing at the last-16 stage of the competition.

Following the winter transfer window, naturally, clubs have new players to introduce to their respective squads.

Such are the rules of the Champions League, teams can make changes to their original 25-man squads that were announced at the beginning of the season.

Here are some of the new additions to present Champions League squads and a word on why we are excited to see them in action.

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1. Alvaro Morata (Atletico Madrid)

The man Chelsea prayed would get the goals for them failed to deliver throughout his time at the Stamford Bridge club.

With 16 Premier League appearances under his belt this campaign, the Spanish forward only found the back of the net five times before being shipped back to Spain to play for one of La Liga’s biggest giants.

He joins Atletico on a loan deal that’ll last until the end of next season. So Morata now has plenty of time to get his career back on track by doing the one thing that resulted in previous moves to the likes of Real Madrid, Juventus and the Blues: scoring goals. More specifically, scoring goals in the Champions League.

And what better time to start doing that than his return to Champions League football following Chelsea’s ‘demotion’ to the Europa League.

Atletico have the tough task of having to beat one of Morata’s former sides, with Juventus – who just happen to be Morata’s former club – standing in the way of their progression to the quarter-finals.

If the 26-year-old can help his side get the better of Cristiano Ronaldo and Co., then all previous failings will soon be forgotten.

Unless you’re a Chelsea fan, that is.

2. Kevin-Prince Boateng (Barcelona)

One of the biggest shocks of the January window was Tottenham and Portsmouth ‘legend’ Kevin-Prince Boateng swapping life in Italy for a sunnier climate on the Catalonia coast.

In all honesty, no one could question Boateng’s motives. But Barcelona’s are a different matter.

The 31-year-old had only scored four Serie A goals all season for Sassuolo before answering the reigning La Liga champions’ call.

Barcelona are top of La Liga, face Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-finals and will head to France for a Champions League round-of-16 first leg against Lyon.

Their strength in depth will be vital for them to succeed on all three fronts, which is why Boateng will need to do his utmost to grasp this opportunity that has fortuitously fallen into his lap at this point in his professional career.

If the Prince scores the winner in the Champions League final, expect his upgrade to a kingship imminently.

3. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Liverpool)

In the second part of last season, the ‘Ox’ was in scintillating form for his then new club, with Liverpool producing excellent football on both domestic and European soil.

The England international was extremely unfortunate to pick up a nasty long-term injury that kept him out of last season’s Champions League final, the Fifa World Cup and the majority of this campaign.

However, Jurgen Klopp has included the versatile midfielder in his 25-man squad, prompting rumours of a return to action for the former Arsenal man within the near future.

Whether he will be able to be as effective as he was prior to his injury is a different question. As a player whose game is based on creativity, movement and bundles of pace and energy, it would be quite an ask to see him return to similar effect so soon after his long-term absence.

But Oxlade-Chamberlain is a fantastic player to have involved in any capacity, as a starter or an impact sub. Fingers crossed that the ‘Ox’ can continue to excite on Champions League nights at Anfield, which plays host to Jurgen Klopp’s former club, Bayern Munich, on Tuesday 19th of February.

4.  Rabbi Matondo (Schalke)

Young Wales international Rabbi Matondo could very well be going up against his former club three weeks after leaving them as Schalke have draw Manchester City in the last 16.

Matondo is the latest Brit to move to the Bundesliga, following on from Jadon Sancho and Reiss Nelson. The 18-year-old cost the German top-flight’s 12th-place team £11 million and has already debuted, having played 45 minutes of Schalke’s 4-1 German Cup win over Fortuna.

Described as “extremely quick and technically strong” by Schalke boss Domenico Tedesco, Matondo scored six goals over 11 u21 appearances for City and is said to have often been part of senior training sessions. What inside information will he be taking with him to Gelsenkirchen?

5. Alphonso Davies (Bayern)

A Canadian in the Champions League is a rare thing. Milan Borjan and Atiba Hutchinson were the only representatives of the nation in this season’s competition, but their respective teams – Red Star Belgrade and Besiktas – have both been eliminated.

So it’s a good thing Bayern Munich have now named Alphonso Davies into their Champions League squad.

The German giants paid what was an MLS record fee (£17m) at the time to sign Davies from Vancouver and the 18-year-old joins having scored eight goals and assisted another 11 in MLS this season. The nine-cap Canada international has made two appearances already since arriving late last month and will hope to feature in Europe for Bayern, who are without Thomas Muller due to his two-match suspension, against Liverpool.

6. Leandro Paredes (Paris Saint-Germain)

A strong and capable centre-midfielder, Paredes impressed many in the colours of Zenit Saint Petersburg this season.

His performances were so impressive that oil-rich Ligue 1 side, PSG, decided to splash out €40 million – potentially rising to €47 million – on the 24-year-old.

Another man swapping Europa League football for its bigger brother, Paredes will provide PSG with the defensive cover in the middle of the park they need to help fulfil their European dreams.

It won’t be long before those of an English persuasion get to see the midfielder in action, as PSG face Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s in-form Manchester United side in the Round of 16.

This is a proper ‘Clash of the Titans’, and if Paredes can continue his form in Russia for the French outfit, it may make this enticing match even more entertaining than anticipated.

7. Pepe (FC Porto)

Lastly, everyone’s favourite Mr Nasty.

The former Real Madrid centre-back has forged a reputation throughout his career as the man who will resort to anything to win football matches.

To be fair, he has done pretty well for himself; winning three La Liga titles and three Champions League honours throughout his time in Madrid.

Now aged 35, the Portugal international is in the twilight of his playing career but that hasn’t stopped him from having another go at getting his hands on further European glory.

However, this time it will be for FC Porto, who decided to take a chance and bring in the defender on a free transfer last month.

Added to their updated Champions League squad, Pepe and his new teammates will have to face and beat last season’s semi-finalists, AS Roma. It will be tough, but progression to the quarter-finals isn’t completely out of the question.

The post The seven most exciting new additions to Champions League squads appeared first on Squawka News.



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