Players to watch
Nick Bidwell selects the players to look out for in the last 32
Mason Greenwood MANCHESTER UNITED
The atmosphere in and around Manchester United is always infinitely lighter and more cheerful when topquality youngsters emerge from their youth ranks, and they have certainly unearthed a diamond in the attacking 18-year-old who has taken the Europa League by storm this season.
With four goals in his five continental outings, the Bradford-born striker has been enjoying himself in the Premier League too, good enough to start in end-of-year wins over Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United.
“Every time he plays, he scores,” says team-mate Juan Mata after seeing the youngster get a brace in the 4-0 hammering of AZ. “In training he might not touch the ball a lot, but he is a finisher and a killer in the box. He’s a nice kid and I’m very happy for him.”
United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, no mean Old Trafford finisher himself, agrees, stating: “I’ve probably said it all before so it’s nothing new: this [scoring goals] is what he does.
“Tomorrow he’ll score a few more in training. He’s always done it. It comes instinctively to him. The closer he gets to goal, the more dangerous he is. Right foot, left foot, he is a nightmare for defenders. He needs to develop his heading. Then he’ll be a proper striker.
“There never was a question of him going on loan. That decision was made early on in pre-season or even towards the end of last season. I knew we had a top talent in him. There’s no better place for him to be than here.”
Not only is Greenwood United’s most prolific marksman in Europe this season, he is also their youngest-ever scorer of a double in UEFA club competition.
All in all, European football has proved a happy hunting ground for the teen who made his senior debut for United as a late sub in the incredible 3-1 Champions League win at Paris Saint-Germain last year. It says much for his ability and character that Solskjaer trusted him
“Every time he plays, he scores. In training he might not touch the ball a lot, but he is a finisher and a killer in the box” Juan Mata
in such a big game, not hesitating to throw him into the fray in the final nervejangling minutes at the Parc des Princes.
Comfortable anywhere along the front line, the England under-21 international is a top-to-toe football natural, one of those rare prodigies for whom the game is pure child’s play. And indeed it was, first appearing on his club’s radar as a six-year-old at a United development school in Halifax, West Yorkshire. On-site coaches simply could not believe how good and how advanced he was, already perfectly two-footed, speedy over the ground, and so willing and quick to learn.
A dozen years and many, many goals later, he now stands on the brink of a glittering career.
The 231st United academy graduate to make the club’s first team has every chance of being one of the best.
ANGEL GETAFE
Despite frequently being used as an impact sub, the centre-forward has proved deadly in both domestic and continental competition. Has the time come for coach Jose Bordalas to unleash him more often?
MAXIMILIAN ARNOLD WOLFSBURG
Cultured playmaker with an infuriating capacity to blow hot and cold. On his day, though, he can be sensational. A graduate of the Wolfsburg academy, he was the club’s youngest-ever debutant in 2011, at 17 years, 5 months and 30 days.
ENZO CRIVELLI ISTANBUL BB
Former French under-21 striker who hit the winner in his side’s shock 2-1 win at Borussia Monchengladbach. Moved to Turkey last summer from Caen and now Marseille are said to be interested.
CIPRIAN DEAC CFR CLUJ
Always capable of popping up with a goal or an assist, he is now in his third spell with Cluj.
UROS MATIC APOEL
A tough-tackling central midfielder who is more creative than he is given credit for. The Serb is the younger brother of Manchester United’s Nemanja Matic.
OSCAR MELENDO ESPANYOL
Winger whose trickery, elusiveness and final-ball delivery make him a fine prospect. Now 22, he has been with Espanyol since the age of six.
ALFREDO MORELOS RANGERS
The Colombian has scored an amazing 14 goals in the qualification and group phase. Physically imposing, but often too hot-headed for his own good.
CLAUDIU KESERU LUDOGORETS
At 33 the Romanian front man remains as sharp as ever in the box. Struck a hattrick in a 5-1 Europa League victory over CSKA Moscow in September.
LUCAS TORREIRA ARSENAL
New Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is only too aware of his side’s need for back-line protection – which means an automatic starting spot for the Uruguayan midfield enforcer. Arteta’s predecessor Unai Emery made a grave error by insisting on using the ex-Sampdoria man higher up the pitch.
ZECA COPENHAGEN
Influential club captain and source of tactical appreciation. An all-round steadier of the ship, the one-time Portugal under-21 adopted Greek citizenship early in 2017 and went on to play for Greece’s national team.
GALENO BRAGA
The Brazilian left-winger is Braga’s assist king in Europe, setting up no fewer than six goals in the group stage. Once on Porto’s books, he can be a little raw and naive, but he is tough to stop.