UEFA Champions League 2018/19 Playoffs: The stars making the headlines

In the last decade, the mention of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Gianluigi Buffon in any football community, conjures the image of Europe's most coveted trophy, the UEFA Champions League.

For Buffon, losing to Barcelona in 2015 and to their La Liga rivals Real Madrid in 2017 is the closest he has come to kissing the trophy in recent years, but for both Messi and Ronaldo, their names have become synonymous with the competition - especially the Portugal captain, who came out triumphant in his last three seasons at the Santiago Bernabeú.

While new PSG goalkeeper Buffon will be hoping his fortunes change as he joins forces with Neymar and Kylian Mbappé in Paris, Messi and Ronaldo will be eyeing more honours during their respective careers when the group stages begin next month.

However, in the fourth-round qualifying stage of this year's edition, the Champions League is not about the aforementioned legends. Instead, it's about the lesser-known players making the headlines for all the right reasons - delivering brilliant performances to ensure their teams compete with others on the road to the final, which will be held at Atletico's Wanda Metropolitano next June.

Here, we take a look at a handful of players who made the headlines for their respective teams in the Champions League play-offs:

---

#4 Hirving Lozano (PSV Eindhoven)

Lozano, who turned 23 last month, scored on his Champions League debut

Here's a man who has become as popular as Javier Hernandez and Kylian Mbappé. His performances for Mexico at the World Cup this summer speak volumes for just how important the forward can be, when he's at his best.

Following Gastón Pereiro's penalty strike restored parity for PSV, Lozano came up big when called upon on the hour mark, firing from outside the box to give the Dutch side a 2-1 lead against BATE Borisov - not bad on your Champions League debut.

Although former Arsenal midfielder Alexander Hleb equalised for the Belarus side in the 88th minute, the Red and Whites ran out 3-2 winners in the end after a late attacking flurry.

#3 Dusan Tadic (Ajax)

Tadic celebrates during Ajax's 3-1 win over Dynamo Kyiv in their first leg clash

Tadic first gained attention during his breakthrough seasons with both Groningen and FC Twente, but it was during his four-year spell with Southampton where he established his quality as a top-class player.

Serbia were underwhelming during the World Cup but Dusan has moved on smoothly since then, setting up Donny van de Beek for Ajax's opener before scoring the all-important third goal during their 3-1 first leg win over a tricky opponent in Dynamo Kyiv.

The victory gives them a two-goal cushion and means they could be returning to Europe's top club competition for the first time in four seasons - Tadic being one of their key components.

#2 Donyell Malen (PSV Eindhoven)

Malen, 19, wheels away to celebrate an important strike for PSV with his first touch off the bench

At this stage of the new campaign, there are not many teenagers making football headlines but if coming on as a substitute and scoring the winning goal with your first touch in the Champions League is an opportunity for increased exposure, then PSV's wonderkid Donyell Malen has definitely passed the test.

On a very tough night for PSV at the Borisov Arena, Malen rose to the occasion in the 89th minute, heading home to win it for the Dutch side.

Ahead of the return leg at home, Malen's late winner and first senior goal means PSV now hold a slender advantage over BATE Borisov, who were two minutes away from a hard-fought 2-2 draw before the former Arsenal youngster broke Borisov's hearts.

#1 Hakim Ziyech (Ajax)

Moroccan midfielder Hakim Ziyech celebrates alongside Tadic during their 3-1 win over Dynamo Kyiv

Ziyech, who has 21 international caps for Morocco, burst onto the scenes with FC Twente in his memorable two-year spell with the Reds. Since moving to Amsterdam in 2016 though, he has established himself as a key player within Ajax's impressive young core.

Following their historic UEFA Europa League run under Peter Bosz's guidance in the 2015/16 campaign, the Eredivisie giants could be making a memorable return to the Champions League - with Hakim Ziyech one of those players leading the way.

The 25-year-old, after a frustrating World Cup campaign, could not have started the new campaign off in better form. Tomasz Kedziora equalised for Dynamo Kyiv after 16 minutes but Ziyech restored Ajax's lead ten minutes before half-time.

Tadic made it 3-1 in the second-half and Ziyech was unlucky not to score his second of the evening, striking the post from range.