The Football Faithful
·10 December 2024
The Football Faithful
·10 December 2024
The UEFA Champions League is club football’s biggest stage, a premier platform for Europe’s best talents to shine. But which players have got fans out of their seats most often this season?
We’ve looked at the leading dribblers in the Champions League so far this season, ranking the players with the most successful take-ons.
After a sporadic role at Stuttgart last season, Silas Katompa joined Red Star on loan in the summer and has made an immediate impact. The Congolese winger has scored twice in five Champions League appearances for the Serbian side and ranks joint-fifth for dribbles completed.
The next top talent off the production line at Red Bull Salzburg, some of Europe’s top clubs are keeping a close eye on Oscar Gloukh. The Israeli midfielder has started the season in fine form for Salzburg, scoring six times in 13 league appearances. He’s yet to net in Europe but has been among the most prolific dribblers of the league phase.
A wonderful watch, Edon Zhegrova is another player on the shortlist of leading clubs on the continent. The Kosovo international’s quick changes of pace and creativity have helped Lille into a play-off position as things stand, with their Champions League campaign including headline wins over Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.
Francisco Conceicao has made clear his desire to stay at Juventus, after signing for the Italian side on loan from Porto last summer. The diminutive winger caught the eye with Portugal at Euro 2024 and has continued to shine since his transfer to Turin. He assisted the equaliser and scored a last-minute winner in Juventus’s comeback win at RB Leipzig earlier in the competition.
Just a year ago, Morgan Rogers was playing his football in the Championship with Middlesbrough. Fast forward a few months and the 22-year-old has made his England debut and emerged as one of the most successful dribblers in the Champions League.
Rogers’ powerful ball-carrying has been a feature of Aston Villa’s strong start, in the club’s first appearance in this competition since 1983.
Rafael Leao leads from the front for successful take-ons in the Champions League this season with the AC Milan winger one of the most prolific dribblers in Europe. Leao’s game is built on a devastating ability when one-vs-one with defenders, and he has ranked among Serie A’s most prolific dribblers in each of the last three seasons. He can be box-office when at his best.