The Moroccan centre back has proven his quality since joining the German club in 2014, with his comfort in defence visible in his performances at the club, while his skill sets him apart from others who occupy the central defensive position. His side will face Juventus in the last 16, which will be an interesting clash for the Moroccan. His ability works well alongside other stars at Bayern, who are adept at keeping possession against opponents.
Manchester City managed to progress from a group that included Juventus, topping the standing to move on and face Dynamo Kyiv at this stage. As the tournament advances, the performance of midfielders such as Yaya Toure will become even more important, especially against possession soccer playing teams. The physically imposing Ivorian is as much of a threat in attack as he is solid in defence, and he is always one to watch.
KAA Gent’s Nigerian striker Moses Simon has attracted interest from a flurry of European clubs following positive displays for his Belgian Pro League club. The youngster is a product of the GBS Academy in Nigeria. The attacker’s abilities allow him to surprise teams, due to the fact that he is an unknown quantity, and this will be in his team’s favour against Wolfsburg. The 20-year-old suffered an injury at the weekend, but he may still feature in the Champions League tie if he recovers in time.
The Ivorian defender is a stalwart for the Parisians, and has proven himself to be a tough customer on many UEFA Champions League occasions. The 23-year-old will be important for PSG against English club Chelsea at the last 16 stage, as he is one of most used footballers in the squad, but will miss the first leg due to suspension. He is most certainly a player to watch in years to come, as he will develop into an even more valuable defender for club and country.
The 23-year-old winger is a revelation in Egyptian football, announcing his talent to the world in the Italian Serie A with excellent performances at club level for Fiorentina and Roma in recent years. The youngster is composed and plays with experience beyond his years, and this has endeared him to Giallorossi fans, who will be hopeful of seeing him score against Real Madrid this week.
Though he has struggled to find the form that he has experienced at other clubs, and specifically at Swansea City, Bony is a striker with proven pedigree and a rocket for a shot. If given the chance to feature against Dynamo Kyiv when the two sides meet, he may grab it with both hands and show his club exactly what he can do in attack with his speed and superb finishing.
A veteran of the UEFA Champions League, Chelsea’s Nigerian midfielder is one of the players who could bring his experience into the game against Paris Saint-Germain in their last 16 encounter. His hard work in midfield will be an important element of the game if he is chosen to feature against the French club, as he will need to break down attacking plays which develop in the middle of the park.
The new Arsenal recruit has not yet earned much playing time since joining the Gunners in January, but injuries often plague the North Londoners, and a crunch knock-out tie against Barcelona requires the strongest possible team. The combative midfielder with attacking ability could play a part in the contest with the Spaniards, and it will be interesting to see what he brings to the side for such a high profile clash.
