All posts by n8rngtd.top

The 18-year-old is heading to Camp Nou as the Blaugrana prepare to welcome one of world football's top teenage talents.

Every year, a wealth of top teenage Brazilian talents move to Europe, and they come in a similar mould. Usually immensely skillful, quick, and promising, all of them are swiftly boxed into a comparison with a Brazil legend. A lot of them prove to be inaccurate, not least because very few players reach the heights of Neymar, Ronaldinho, or Ronaldo – some of the most common associations.

But the latest one perhaps has a bit more of a likeness to a legend than some of those before him. Indeed, Vitor Roque, fresh off being announced as a new signing at Barca, shares a past freakishly similar to that of Ronaldo, and certainly evokes memories of R9.

Like Ronaldo, Vitor burst onto the scene at Cruzeiro as a teenager and netted his first goal as a 16-year-old. The traits are familiar here, too. Roque is very direct, but can still bust out his own array of Cruyff turns, stepovers and sharp cuts — all while having the core strength to shield the ball.

But he cannot actually Ronaldo, so who is Vitor Roque, and why are Barcelona ecstatic to have beaten some of Europe's best teams to his signature?

• Gustavo Aleixo/Cruzeiro EC
  

  Where it all began

  Vitor experienced a distinctly middle-class upbringing in Timoteo, a town in the southeast of Brazil. His father, a former defensive midfielder at the amateur level, supported Vitor's talent once it became clear that his son possessed ability well beyond that of the rest of his age group.

  And a lot of Vitor's story is rather typical. He was immensely gifted from a young age, and highlighted as a potential talent. He joined an established football academy, Cruzeiro, in his early years, but left for a more-well regarded one, America Mineiro Academy, at the age of 10.

  He was first deployed as a defensive midfielder, playing the same position his father found success in, before later being moved to a more attacking role. And he thrived as a striker, scoring goals for fun throughout youth football.

  But controversy would soon emerge. Vitor was highly-regarded by the age of 14, but decided that Mineiro wasn't the ideal place to support his development. Instead, he moved back to Cruzeiro, penning a youth contract in March 2019. It was a move that angered his former club, who believed that they were entitled to some of the forward's economic rights. The two parties eventually settled their dispute in court, with Mineiro retaining 35 percent of his value.

  And Cruzeiro continued to develop the youngster. He signed a professional contract in May 2021, and scored his first senior goal nine months later. By the start of April 2022, he had scored six goals in 16 first-team appearances.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  The big break

  Perhaps the biggest development in Vitor's career so far, though, has been a step up to a more competitive level. In April 2022, Athletico Paranaense, Brazilian cup finalists and Copa Libertadores regulars, broke their transfer record to sign him for €4.4 million (£3.7m/$4.5m).

  It's a move that has paid dividends for the club. Vitor wasn't immediately thrust into the starting XI, but was immensely effective when on the pitch. He scored seven and assisted three in the 2022 season, including the winner in the Copa Libertadores quarter-final against Argentina's Estudiantes.

  During that time period, he also became a regular for Brazil's youth teams, starring alongside Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos for the Under-20s, where they won the South American championship in February 2023. Indeed, he earned the plaudits of Ronaldo during the same period, with the now-Cruzeiro owner admitting that "he is going to fly so high".

• Getty Images
  

  How it's going

  Soon, the links with top European clubs started to emerge. By August, he was being linked with giants from La Liga and the Premier League, and the R9 comparisons were swiftly applied. But it's a burden that the youngster has dealt with effectively. It has certainly helped that he is being coached by former Brazil boss Luis Felipe Scolari, who has so far avoided heaping praise on his young talent.

  "He will grow a lot. He will be one of the players that Brazil will gain great pleasure from, and we will see if he will continue to develop in the position he plays," the Athletico manager said in July 2022.

  Since then, he's starred for Athletico. Vitor has tallied seven goal involvements in eight Serie A starts so far this season, and earned a senior Brazil call up in March — playing 26 minutes in a 2-1 loss to Morocco.

  Now, he is being rewarded with a move across the Atlantic, with Barcelona the destination after they sealed a €35m (£30m/$38.5m) deal with Athletico.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  Biggest strengths

  Vitor combines two crucial means for success in the modern game: physicality and raw skill. The striker is capable of receiving the ball under pressure and bursting past his marker by pushing the ball to his right and simply outrunning most opponents. He is also an excellent finisher with his right foot and gets himself into the correct positions with smart movement around the box. Although he is under six feet tall, he is also surprisingly good in the air and has shown sparing ability to shoot with his left.

  The Brazilian is also an underrated passer. Although his future certainly lies as a central striker, Vitor is capable of playing on the wing, and is a good crosser, especially when bursting into the box or floating a ball to the far post.

  But it is his pace that stands out at this level. Vitor is rapid, and although he doesn't possess the natural samba instincts of Neymar or Vinicius Jr., has an array of quick moves to get beyond defenders. It's something that will make him deadly immediately.

After the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner was given a two-week ban by PSG for his trip to Saudi Arabia, GOAL looks back on other similar situations…

Paris Saint-Germain shocked the footballing world on Tuesday when they announced that World Cup winner Lionel Messi would be suspended for two weeks without pay. It was subsequently revealed that the player had ignored his manager and club, missing training in order to take a trip to Saudi Arabia, who he has a lucrative sponsorship deal with.

PSG, determined to make an example of a player who seems increasingly likely to leave this summer, threw their Ligue 1 title hopes into slight jeopardy and banned one of their biggest names for a crucial two-week stretch.

But Messi isn't the only high-profile player to be sidelined by his own club or national team. Indeed, there is a rich history of stars who have been forced to miss time due to disciplinary reasons.

GOAL takes a look back at some of the biggest stars to have been suspended by their own team…

• Getty Images
  

  Lionel Messi

  Messi jetted off to Saudi Arabia for a few days at the beginning of this week without the permission of PSG, fulfilling responsibilities associated with his lucrative sponsorship deal with the Middle Eastern country.

  Messi reportedly let the club know about the trip in advance, and manager Christophe Galtier agreed to sanction his plans if the Parisians either beat or drew with Lorient on Sunday. However, they suffered an embarrassing 3-1 loss, their third in four home games. Messi, though, went to Riyadh anyway.

  The club has subsequently banned him from entering any of their facilities, preventing him from both training and making official appearances. It is also expected to be the final straw in a drawn-out contract standoff — Messi will not be at Parc des Princes next season.

Advertisement

• AA
  

  Mesut Ozil

  Once one of the best attacking midfielders in the world, Ozil's career declined sharply towards the end of his Arsenal tenure. The Germany international left north London on poor terms, with the club refusing to register him in time for the 2020-21 season.

  He would eventually join Fenerbahce that January, but a series of injuries and poor performances derailed his time there, and Ozil was eventually suspended for the final eight league games of the season after getting into a row with his manager, Ismail Kartal.

  Ozil, for his part, insisted that he had no problem with the club, though pointed out that he hadn't been paid for the first six months of his contract. He left at the end of the season, and retired in March at just 34.

• Getty Images
  

  Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

  Aubameyang has been something of a troublemaker at various points in his career. In January 2018, Borussia Dortmund suspended and fined him for failing to report for a team meeting after training. His decision not to show up, presumably associated with his desire to join Arsenal before the end of the transfer window, saw his time in Germany come to an end.

  His exit from the Gunners around four years later played out in a remarkably similar fashion. Aubameyang visited his mother in France in December 2021, and returned to training a day late. The club swiftly stripped him of the captaincy and dropped him from the squad for their next game against Southampton.

  Manager Mikel Arteta explained that he had decided to leave Aubameyang out due to a "disciplinary breach." It culminated with the star striker training alone and being banned from making any first-team appearances. He left for Barcelona within six weeks.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  Mario Balotelli

  Balotelli's career has been a source of constant entertainment, for the right and wrong reasons. The immensely talented Italian has enjoyed his fair share of impressive moments on a football pitch, but will perhaps be best remembered for his antics off it.

  It all started in 2009, when the immensely-gifted but admittedly mercurial Italian clashed with Jose Mourinho while at Inter. The manager publically criticised Balotelli for his lack of effort in training, and dropped him for a whole month in January.

  And things didn't get much better when he secured a high-profile transfer to Manchester City. From visiting a women's prison to setting off fireworks in his bathroom, Balotelli became a media sensation during his time in Manchester. He didn't face an official suspension until early 2012, though, when he was banned for four games for stomping on Scott Parker's head during a Premier League clash with Tottenham.

  He was at it again for AC Milan a year later, banned for using "intimidating and insulting" language towards the referee after his side lost to Napoli. He rounded it off in late 2014 while at Liverpool, being banned by the FA for posting an anti-Semitic picture on his Instagram.

Celtic are reportedly interested in obtaining ex-Celt Shaun Maloney’s services ahead of their summer rebuild, according to the Daily Record.

The Lowdown: Pandemonium in Paradise

Astonishingly, Celtic still find themselves without certainty as to who will be on the coaching pay-roll next season. Still without a manager following Neil Lennon’s resignation in February, they face considerable uncertainty at the club with the new campaign drawing ever closer [BBC].

Mass reconstruction is set to dominate the Celtic landscape this summer. Rumoured to be switching to a sporting director model, angst has increased amongst Hoops supporters due to dithering and inaction within their senior boardroom ranks.

The Latest: Celts eye Maloney swoop

As reports suggest, Fergal Harkin’s prospective move to Glasgow as sporting director may have stalled [The Celtic Star]. Consequentially, Maloney has emerged as a target to fill the vacant position.

Currently on the books of Belgium as an assistant coach, the Celtic hierarchy may see Maloney as an ideal fit for the role, as they look to wrestle the Scottish Premiership title back from rivals Rangers.

His progressive way of thinking, passion for the modern game and Celtic connections have caught the eye of the boardroom. Intriguingly, the Daily Record suggest the Hoops may pull on the latter to finalise the deal, while they also claim talks between Maloney and outgoing chief executive Peter Lawwell have already started.

The Verdict: Major coup for Celtic if they can make Maloney reality

In a year of turmoil at Celtic Park, innovation is necessary in order to get the Celts back on track. Described by Roberto Martinez as having an ‘elite brain’, former Aston Villa man Maloney could be the perfect appointment for Celtic [The Scottish Sun].

Having worked with world class Belgian players on the international scene since 2018, he has a unique understanding of what it takes to succeed at the top level. If he could translate this to club football, he could be an excellent addition to the Celtic fold.

In other news, check out the latest on Odsonne Edouard’s Hoops future!

In an interview with GOAL, the striker reveals he never lost hope despite ending up working in a fast-food restaurant after being released by Benfica

Beto always believed he would become a professional footballer.

Even when he was 18 years of age and playing for amateur outfit Uniao Tires in the fifth tier of Portuguese football, while also working in a KFC outlet, he was so convinced he would make it that he was willing to back himself – literally.

"I had a positive mentality," the Udinese striker tells GOAL. "I thought, 'I'm tall, I'm strong, I'm fast – and you can't train these things.' If you're slow, you'll always be slow.

"So, I thought, 'I have these skills – the techniques and the intelligence of the game, these things I can learn and improve.' So, from there, with this self-confidence, I started to develop.

"I even told my team-mates, 'I will become a footballer', and I am proud of this fact. In my opinion, if you don't believe in yourself, nobody else will.

"So, one day, when my team-mates and I were warming up, they were teasing me about this and they said, 'Okay, let's make a bet, then: in five years you will be a professional?'

"I said, 'Okay, fine.'

"And I did it – and after only four years!'"

• Getty
  

  How Beto became Beto'o

  It really has been a remarkable rise to prominence and it's nearly all down to Beto's impressive work ethic and unwavering self-belief.

  The Lisbon native's potential had been obvious from a young age and his family and coaches at Tires told him he was similar in style to Barcelona and Inter icon Samuel Eto'o.

  "They said I had to choose the No.9 jersey because I was so like him, but I didn't know him at first as I didn't watch my football as a kid," he admits.

  "But later I went looking for videos of him and he became my idol. I liked his game, so he was the first player I impersonated!"

  Indeed, he even began spelling his name 'Beto'o' – as a tribute to his hero!

Advertisement

• Benfica release a blessing in disguise

  However, unlike Eto'o, who was discovered by Real Madrid at just 16, Beto was no child prodigy.

  He had been signed by Benfica at 12 but was released after just one season with the club he had supported as a child.

  Such a setback would have devastated many kids but Beto learned a lot from the experience. It made him realise how much he would have to improve to realise his dream.

  "I met so many great coaches, players and people there but, honestly, I saw that I wasn't yet prepared or ready to play football at that level," he explains.

  "I was, of course, a little disappointed when they let me go but then I went back to Tires play with my friends, close to home, so that helped me recover and develop."

  Beto freely admits that being let go by Benfica may have been a blessing in disguise.

  Having to work his way up from the bottom taught him the value of money and is arguably the reason why he remains so grounded.

  He certainly hasn't forgotten where he's come from, given he still has friends working at KFC.

• Getty
  

  Udinese's latest bargain buy

  Besides, it's not as if he was suddenly catapulted into the spotlight after becoming a regular in the Tires first team.

  It was only after he signed for Olimpico Montijo in 2018 that his career really began to take off.

  Beto scored 21 goals in what proved his one and only season with the third-tier outfit, earning himself a move to Primeira Liga side Portimonense.

  Even then, though, Beto had to bid his time. He made just 11 appearances in his first season in the top flight, and failed to find the back of the net once.

  In 2020-21, though, Beto broke out, finishing as Portimonense's top scorer, with 11 goals. There was talk of a summer switch to one of Portugal's 'Big Three' – Benfica, Sporting CP and Porto – but he ended up moving abroad, joining Udinese on loan with an obligation to buy for €7 million ($6m/$7.5m).

  The Friuli are renowned as one of the canniest operators in the transfer market, particularly when it comes to acquiring rough diamonds from outside Italy, but Beto is already looking like one of the best bargain buys in the club's history.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  'Scoring for Udinese like a gift from God'

  Despite seeing his first sensational season cruelly curtailed by an injury, he has now racked up 20 goals in Serie A, with his most recent effort coming in the impressive 3-1 victory over AC Milan just before the international break.

  "I came to Udinese because, right until the end of the [2021 summer transfer] market, they remained determined to sign me," he explains.

  "So, I'm very happy to be here because the club, the team and my teammates are fantastic. I enjoy coming to work here every day.

  "And the club does everything to help me but the fans are also incredible, they like me a lot and I really like them.

  "Playing and scoring for them, it's like a gift from God, because they did everything to get me to come here and I want to repay them."

  His primary objective is to do so in goals, but there's no denying that he's also likely to end up earning them a significant profit on their initial investment in his services.

The Blaugrana want to bring the PSG star back to Catalunya, but there doesn't seem to be a clear plan on where he might fit into the line up

If Lionel Messi does indeed do what a large sector of football fans want him to and returns to Barcelona this summer, the response will likely be immense. Shirts will fly off the shelves, tickets will be snapped up in seconds, and Barca will be tipped to defend the Liga title that they are about to secure.

But then, reality will hit. For all of the benefits of Messi returning, where, exactly, does he fit into this Barca side?

This is a young team that relies on its energy and defensive work rate. The Blaugrana do have attacking talent in the form of Robert Lewandowski and Ousmane Dembele, but they are on the way to a La Liga title win thanks in the most part to their rigid defending and tactical discipline.

🏆 TOP STORY: Arteta gives worrying Saliba injury update

📣 HAVE YOUR SAY: Can Haaland beat Ronaldo's UCL goal record?

🚨 MUST READ: The most boring UCL knockouts ever?!

Messi is the best to ever do it, but he is not a particularly good defender, and forcing him to stick to one singular position would be an immense waste of his talent.

So, Barcelona will have to do what all Messi-led sides have done, and adjust around the Argentine star. The good news is, they have tactical flexibility all over the pitch, and the odds are that the rest of Xavi's side would sacrifice personal interests without question.

But equally, Barca have something good going and a workable system that doesn't seem conducive to Messi's addition. They reportedly want Messi to play in midfield, which would mean adjusting arguably the most efficient part of Xavi's system — tinkering with their key to success.

Regardless of where he plays, there will have to be some changes, and GOAL has taken a look at where Messi might fit at Camp Nou…

• Getty Images
  

  Midfielder in Xavi's modified 4-4-2

  This would be a tricky one. Barcelona's strength this year has been in the harmony between their midfield quartet. Indeed, with Sergio Busquets and Frenkie de Jong operating in a modified double pivot, and Gavi and Pedri playing further forward, Xavi has found a way to get four major talents into his side in a practical way.

  And yet Barca reportedly want Messi to play somewhere in midfield should he return to the club.

  There is no guarantee that Xavi will keep the same system regardless, and he would, in fact, be misguided to do so. However, playing Messi in midfield would mean sacrificing one of the harmonious four.

  Messi would likely play a similar role to that of Pedri, operating in the right half space and functioning as an attacking midfielder. But would Xavi be willing to bench the Spain superstar?

  Still, if the manager is reluctant to change his system, it's where Messi would most comfortably slot in.

Advertisement

• Lluis Gene/AFP
  

  Right wing in a 4-3-3

  Xavi has also relied on a 4-3-3 at various points in the campaign, deploying two relatively traditional wide men who create chances for Lewandowski through the middle.

  It has brought mixed results so far, with Barca becoming overly reliant on right-winger Dembele — who tends to be more dependable than a rotating cast of options on the left.

  Indeed, the predictability of the formation was part of the reason the manager opted to switch his system to a 4-4-2. However, it might be the most obvious plug-and-play fit for the Argentine.

  Messi, although he has gone through many different tactical switches throughout his career, is still at his best when receiving the ball in the right half-space and cutting inside onto his left.

  So, asking him so start on the right of a 4-3-3 does indeed make sense. It would require Dembele to switch to the left, and probably demand Jules Kounde to provide more width from right-back, but getting Messi the ball in his preferred spot is still a key to success.

• Getty
  

  No.10 in a diamond

  And now for the reshuffling.

  Argentina found at the World Cup that playing three defensively-minded midfielders behind him allows Messi to work his magic in the final third, while also alleviating responsibilities off the ball. Barcelona can do much the same here, especially if Busquets stays to occupy the defensive midfield role.

  There are some issues, though — mostly the fact that Messi will naturally sort of wander away from the central position he's supposed to start in. But this is also perhaps the best possible set up for creating chances in the final third.

  Xavi has, after all, flirted with the idea of using Dembele as more of an inside forward than a touchline winger, and his connection with Lewandowski is only getting stronger.

  This wouldn't look anything like a 'traditional' two-striker formation, but having two more recognised advanced forwards in front of the Argentine could work wonders.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty/GOAL
  

  False nine (when Lewandowski is out)

  Barcelona had to adjust to life without Lewandowski at the start of 2023 after the striker picked up a silly suspension. And although Xavi's side never really developed a coherent attack in his absence, the Blaugrana still managed to squeak out wins without their star striker.

  In an ideal world, Barcelona won't have to think about how to compensate without Lewandowski for the next couple of seasons. He will inevitably be one of the first names on the teamsheet, and a crucial piece if Barcelona are to achieve more European success.

  But should such a situation arise where he is not available, then Messi could occupy a more central area and create for Barcelona's goalscoring wingers.

  He can no longer put in the yards like in his false nine glory days under Pep Guardiola's tutelage, but Messi still has a fundamental understanding of the position. Meanwhile, the quality on either wing should give Messi plenty of options to combine with.

  It would be a nightmare for opposing centre-backs, too. Even a less mobile, 35-year-old Messi can still wreak havoc floating between the lines.

The Gunners grabbed a second half equaliser to earn a draw in Lisbon

A freak own goal ensured an under par Arsenal escaped Portugal with a 2-2 draw following the first leg of their Europa League last-16 clash at Sporting Lisbon.

Mikel Arteta's side got off to a fine start and got in front thanks to a William Saliba header, but goals either side of half-time from Goncalo Inacio and Paulinho gave Sporting a deserved lead.

Arsenal responded well, however, and got a crucial equaliser ahead of next week's second leg when Granit Xhaka's pass deflected off Hidemasa Morita and snuck into the corner.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from the Jose Alvalade Stadium.

• Getty Images
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Matt Turner (5/10):

  Looked a bag of nerves all night. Made a couple of good saves, but was clearly very rusty.

  Ben White (6/10):

  Got caught out position a few times as Sporting looked to get in down their left side.

  William Saliba (8/10):

  Rose well to open the scoring. Arsenal's best defender on the night.

  Jakub Kiwior (5/10):

  Really poor for the first goal. Should have gone for the ball, even if Turner did give a call.

  Oleksandr Zinchenko (6/10):

  His movement caused Sporting problems and he made some nice passes. Slack in possession at times.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  Midfield

  Jorginho (6/10):

  His lack of pace was exposed at times, but he moved the ball well when in possession.

  Granit Xhaka (6/10):

  Close to scoring when his header was stopped on the line. His pass lead to the own goal.

  Fabio Vieira (8/10):

  Always lively. Good delivery for the first goal. Always a threat.

• Attack

  Bukayo Saka (5/10):

  Couldn't really get into the game, although played a role in the second goal.

  Gabriel Martinelli (6/10):

  Never stopped working. So close to a stunning individual goal.

  Reiss Nelson (5/10):

  Never really in the game. No repeat of his heroics from Saturday.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  Subs & Manager

  Takehiro Tomiyasu (7/10):

  One lovely nutmeg was his highlight. Good cameo.

  Emile Smith Rowe (5/10):

  Never really involved.

  Thomas Partey (5/10):

  Couldn't make the difference.

  Gabriel Magalhaes (6/10):

  Immediately made the defence more solid.

  Mikel Arteta (6/10):

  Made six changes, but will still be disappointed with the performance.

The 18-year-old enjoyed a strong first season at Chicago Fire, earning transfer interest from around Europe as well as his first international caps

As the second half began during a September friendly between Colombia and Guatemala, the South Americans emerged without the iconic Radamel Falcao. The striker, a pillar of Colombian football for the last 15 years, had been replaced after 45 minutes.

On in his place came a 6'1 mountain of a teenager, Jhon Duran, to make his first senior appearance for his country.

For the football romantics out there, it was a moment that could be seen as a passing of the torch.

Because, while Duran will have to do a whole lot to come close to matching Falcao's legacy, it does seem that he has the potential to be Colombia's striker of the future. And, if all goes to plan, he could become the country's next star to make waves in Europe.

Duran, though, is taking a different path than many of his predecessors, albeit one that is becoming more and more common these days. The 18-year-old recently completed his first season in MLS with Chicago Fire, but he probably won't be there for long as some of the world's biggest clubs watch on.

But who is Duran and what makes him so special? Let NXGN explain…

• Getty
  

  Where it all began

  Born in Medellin, Duran's career began with Envigado, a club that is renowned for producing Colombia's stars of the future.

  The likes of James Rodriguez, Fredy Guarin, Juan Quintero, Matheus Uribe, Jhon Cordoba all came through the Envigado ranks before making their marks on the European game.

  At one point during his academy days coached by Wilson James Rodriguez, James' father, Duran was converted from a winger to a central striker as he progressed through the age-group sides.

  He made his first-team debut for the club in 2019 before later that year becoming the second-youngest goalscorer in Colombian top-flight history, at just 15 years and 263 days old.

Advertisement

• The big break

  By January 2021, Duran had done enough to catch the eye of the Chicago Fire, who reportedly paid a transfer fee that could rise to $2.5 million (£1.8m) to secure a deal for the youngest foreign signing in MLS history.

  Due to his age, though, Duran didn't join the Fire until the start of the 2022 MLS season. Instead, he spent one more season at Envigado, scoring seven goals in 23 league appearances.

  When he did arrive in Chicago, he was eased in, as the 18-year-old striker spent much of the year as second-choice behind veteran Kacper Pryzbylko.

  Still, Duran didn't take long to find the back of the net, scoring his first goal off the bench in a 2-1 defeat to FC Cincinnati in May.

  His true breakout performance, though, came in July, when he netted a brace against Toronto FC in a 2-0 win.

  "I’m happy for him, I hope he can keep going like this," his team-mate and ex-Liverpool star Xherdan Shaqiri said following Duran's star turn. "He needs to stay also consistent now and try to stay on his toes and to learn from these games, too, what was not so good. This is important for him, too, to work hard in training and in the games, then, to deliver.”

• Getty Images
  

  How it's going

  By the end of the season, Duran had racked up 27 appearances, 14 of which were starts. And, over the last month or so of the MLS campaign, he appeared to really find his footing.

  He scored twice in a 3-1 win over Inter Miami on September 10 and added another in a 3-2 loss to Charlotte one week later.

  Then, after earning his first two caps for Colombia in a pair of friendly wins, he returned net another brace against FC Cincinnati in the final weeks of the campaign.

  He finished the season with eight goals in 1363 minutes, making him the Fire's leading goalscorer.

  He also provided three assists, giving him the second-most goal contributions on the team behind only Shaqiri, despite starting fewer than half of the club's games.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Biggest strengths

  The first thing that strikes you about Duran is his size. Standing at 6'1 (185cm), Duran has towered over opponents since he was 15, and has long had the strength to play well above his own age.

  Since arriving into MLS, his ability to handle the physicality was apparent. He never looked out of his depth despite taking a step up in level.

  “He is a player that, once he gets it all together, he can be a really, really special player,” Chicago Fire boss Ezra Hendrickson said. “He has all the tools.”

  Duran isn't a simple target man,though. He has pace to burn and is more than comfortable taking players on in transition. He has both the speed to beat a player, which explains why he was a winger at a young age, and the strength to outmuscle a defender if they do catch up.

  And then there's his touch, which was on full display in his chipped finish against FC Cincinnati. The technique is there and so is the composure in front of goal.

  There's also the added threat he brings at set pieces, with Duran proving to be a menace from dead-ball situations this season.

The pair of forwards have combined well for the unbeaten Indomitable Lions in the previous four games 

Vincent Aboubakar and Karl Toko Ekambi will start against Africa Cup of Nations debutants the Gambia in the quarter-final to be played in Douala on Saturday.

• BackpagePix.
  

  Goalkeeper: Andre Onana

  Onana has featured in all games for the Indomitable Lions in the tournament and has been named again for their second knockout game.

Advertisement

• BackpagePix.
  

  Right-back – Collins Fai

  Although he was yellow-carded in their match against Cape Verde, the technical team later handed him a start against Comoros and he is again among the starters against the Scorpions.

• Backpagepix.
  

  Left-back – Nouhou Tolo

  The 24-year-old has been named in the first team once again as the Indomitable Lions face the Gambia for the first time in Afcon history.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Backpagepix.
  

  Centre-back – Michael Ngadeu

  The 31-year-old has been trusted with a place at the heart of the defence once more as the hosts look for a positive result to propel them to the semis.

The draw has been made for the Champions League last 16 and there's plenty to discuss ahead of the match-ups

• getty images
  

  16Napoli

  The Serie A side have endured a chaotic few weeks with coach Carlo Ancelotti sacked shortly after securing a place in the last 16.

  A civil war inside the Stadio San Paolo hasn't helped with players wanting to leave, president Aurelio De Laurentiis reportedly fining some squad members and fans staying away.

  A tough draw against Barcelona will give little to raise European hopes but if they can hold onto Kalidou Koulibaly and Dries Martens in the January transfer window, a shock is not impossible.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  15Lyon

  Lyon reached the last 16 with a dramatic late equaliser; Memphis Depay's goal saw them snatch a 2-2 draw with RB Leipzig at the death.

  The former Manchester United forward will be a huge loss in the knockout stages after he was ruled out for the season with a cruciate knee ligament injury days later.

  Lyon are struggling halfway down the Ligue 1 table with seven defeats from 18 games already. A victory over Juventus would be a huge upset.

• Getty Images
  

  14Chelsea

  The wheels have fallen off for Frank Lampard's exciting young side in recent weeks with just two wins from their last seven matches.

  A summer transfer ban has seen them put their faith in promising academy products but the squad is short of European experience – they only secured a place in the last 16 on the final day with a 2-1 win over Lille.

  Bayern Munich will be a huge test but they do at least now have the option to strengthen in January after the transfer ban was lifted.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  13Atalanta

  The Champions League debutants are just happy to be here after their surprising qualification for the last 16.

  Home games were switched from Bergamo to San Siro, and despite losing their opening three group games and trailing at half-time to Manchester City in the fourth, they went on to collect seven points to qualify from the group stages.

  The draw has been kind, with Valencia a team they are more than capable of beating.

Europe's premier club competition gets underway this week, with a number of potential future superstars set to play key roles

• Getty Images
  

  Alphonso Davies | 18 | Bayern Munich

  With Bayern failing to sign any top-class replacements for Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery over the summer, the weight of responsibility has grown substantially on Canadian international Davies.

  While Kingsley Coman and Serge Gnabry remain Niko Kovac's first choice wide pair at the Allianz Arena, Davies is seen as the first reserve – along with Ivan Perisic – and has all the tools to make it at the very highest level.

Advertisement

• Peter Lous
  

  Sergino Dest | 18 | Ajax

  Ajax may have sold a number of their young stars following last season's run to the Champions League semi-finals, but that has allowed a new batch of teenage stars to break through in Amsterdam.

  The most impressive of them so far this season has been right-back Dest, whose performances have been rewarded with a first cap for the senior United States side as well as a fresh contract with the Eredivisie champions.

• Getty Images
  

  Ansu Fati | 16 | Barcelona

  Few 16-year-olds get the chance to play for Barcelona's first team, and even fewer make the impact that Fati has during the opening week of the season.

  In just his second appearance for the Blaugrana he found the net against Osasuna before marking his first start against Valencia with a goal and an assist inside seven minutes at Camp Nou.

  It remains to be seen how many chances he gets once the likes of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele return to full fitness, but he has certainly made his mark on Ernesto Valverde.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  Erling Braut Haaland | 19 | Salzburg

  The son of former Leeds United defender Alf-Inge Haaland, the teenage striker has been in superb form for Salzburg in his first full season with the Austrian champions.

  Having scored nine times in a game for Norway during the Under-20 World Cup over the summer, he has backed that up with 14 goals in eight games to kick-off the new campaign. He has now earned a first full international cap, and is already being linked to a host of top European clubs.