Champions League 2017-18: 10 breakout stars
By Adam Stocker
1. Ousmane Dembele – Barcelona
An argument could be made that Ousmane Dembele broke out last season with Borussia Dortmund. However, after a €105 million transfer to Barcelona, Dembele has to have another breakout season to justify his transfer fee. If the transfer fee was not enough of an obstacle to overcome, Dembele has to play in the shadow of Neymar.
Dembele scored 10 goals and had 21 assists last year for Dortmund in all competitions. Despite just turning 20, there was a belief in Germany that Dembele could be a future Ballon d’Or winner. Barcelona were criticized for how they handled the transfer window, but signing Dembele was a very smart move. The French winger continues to get better and should elevate his game to the next level playing beside Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi. With Suarez and Messi attracting the attention of other clubs’ defenses, Dembele should have more space to operate.
Dembele uses his combination of speed and dribbling ability to get around defenders. In front of goal, Dembele is a good finisher with both feet. Last year, Dembele was able to use his pace to set up Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. With Barcelona, Suarez will benefit from Dembele’s runs down the left wing and crosses into the box.
After being eliminated in the quarterfinals last year, Barcelona are expected to advance to at least the semifinals this season. The long tournament run will give fans a chance to see how talented the young French winger really is.