Mane, Fati and other African potential game-changers in UCL

by Staff Reporter

Tuesday Sep 17, 2019. 12:00

African players will be looking to play key roles for their clubs in Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League group stage matches.

AfricanFootball.com takes a look at the five players, who have the ability to read the game and change matches:

Hakim Ziyechi – Ajax Amsterdam

The Dutch champions tend to look to the Moroccan playmaker when the chips are down, and he always rises to the occasion.

Ziyech has netted four goals in five Eredivisie games this season and he is set to start when Ajax host on Lille OSC in Amsterdam.

Maxwell Cornet – Olympique Lyonnais

The Ivorian attacker tends to deliver the goods for the French giants on big occasions having netted three goals in last season’s UEFA Champions League.

Cornet will be one of Lyon’s key players when they lock horns with the Russian champions Zenit Saint Petersburg in Lyon.

Sadio Mane – Liverpool FC

The Senegalese winger has proved to be the man for the big occasions having netted twice as Liverpool clinched the 2019 UEFA Super Cup.

The English giants will once again look to Mane when they square off with top Italian side Napoli SCC in Naples.

Kwadwo Asamoah – Inter Milan

The Ghana international’s versatility has proved to be very important for Italian giants as he can operate as a left-back and midfielder.

Asamoah, who reached two Champions League finals with Italian giants Juventus, is set to start for Inter against Czech outfit Slavia Prague.

Ansu Fati – FC Barcelona

The Guinea-Bissau attacker has been a revelation for the Spanish champions this season having netted two goals in three La Liga games.

Barca are expected to unleash the fearless 16-year-old player against top German outfit Borussia Dortmund in Dortmund.