5 young players who will light up the Champions League

#2 Santi Mina

Valencia v Bayer Leverkusen - Pre-Season Friendly

Valencia striker Santi Mina is up next, as they return to the Champions League following a 2 year stint, where they changed managers 6 times, yes you read it right. Now led by Marcelino, traditionally known for his tight defense, Valencia were the league's third highest goalscorers last season, with the 22 year old Santi chipping in with 12 goals and 2 assists.

Despite his tender age, the Spaniard already has over 150 senior appearances playing 5 full seasons in Valencia and Celta Vigo. 2017/18 was the first campaign he had reached double figures, with frequent appearances from the bench, it meant that he scored a goal every 111 minutes. With only 14% of his shots coming from outside the area, indicating the ability to find high value opportunities in the box.

With predicted goals at 0.52 per game, the same as Antoine Griezmann, is the 10th best in Spain. However Mina doesn't exactly play the role of a creator, with one chance per game,playing in the wings or as an attacking midfielder, he needs to find a home in the centre of the pitch. The Champions League could give him the perfect opportunity.