BANKING ON YOUTH

While there is no secret in how Guardiola prefers young players on his roster, the same has been the case with Monaco. Couple of seasons back Monaco junked the idea of spending big in the transfer market and decided to focus on grooming youngsters . And they have been rewarded handsomely. While Falcao is their attacking mainstay, players behind him have caught the attention of some of the top clubs. One of them is Bernardo Silva (22), who with six goals and five assists has been instrumental in Monaco's rise. Others like Valere Germain (26), Kylian Mbappe (18), Thomas Lemar (22) and Tiemoue Bakayoko (22) have also been grabbing headlines this season.