The Champions League returns on Tuesday night, with a plethora of elite teams and players set to test their mettle against one another on Europe's biggest stage.
Perennial winners Real Madrid came out on top last term, but retaining their crown could prove challenging as there are several other contenders for the trophy in 2022-23.
While there will be plenty of well-known faces on show once again, there are also set to be a number of new names stepping out for the first time to play in Europe's most prestigious club competition.
Here, Sports Mole takes a look at five players to watch out for who could make their Champions League debuts this season.
Raphinha (Barcelona)
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Brazilian winger Raphinha is one of seven players to have arrived at Barcelona over the summer, but he is the only one without Champions League experience under his belt.
The Catalan giants fended off strong competition from the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal to recruit the 25-year-old, who recorded 17 goals and 12 assists in 67 appearances during two impressive seasons with Leeds United, including 11 Premier League strikes last term.
Raphinha has previously played in the Europa League with Rennes, Sporting Lisbon and Vitoria de Guimaraes, but Barca's latest Selecao star will now get the chance to step up onto Europe's biggest stage at club level, with Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Viktoria Plzen awaiting in Group C.
The silky winger has already made a promising start to life under head coach Xavi, and scored his first goal for the club in last weekend's 3-0 La Liga victory over Sevilla.
Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid)
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One of the most expensive signings of this summer's transfer window was Real Madrid's £85m addition of defensive midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni from Monaco.
Regarded as one of the brightest midfield prospects in Europe, the 22-year-old elevated his game to new heights during two seasons with Monaco, with the former Bordeaux youngster contributing to 15 goals in 95 appearances across all competitions.
The 12-cap France international is yet to play in the Champions League, but he featured four times in the qualification rounds last season before Monaco ultimately lost out to Shakhtar Donetsk, a side who Los Blancos will now face along with RB Leipzig and Celtic in Group F of this season's competition.
Tchouameni will now be tasked with filling the void left behind by five-time Champions League winner Casemiro, who has opted for a fresh challenge with Manchester United after nine years in the Spanish capital.
Hugo Ekitike (Paris Saint-Germain)
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Hugo Ekitike was one of the most sought-after strikers over the summer, but it was Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain who managed to land the talented 20-year-old.
The 6ft 2in Frenchman, who has joined the Parisian giants on loan with an option to buy, enjoyed a breakthrough season with Reims in 2021-22, scoring 10 goals and providing four assists in 24 Ligue 1 games.
Ekitike only made his professional debut two seasons ago, and he is now teaming up with the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar for a club regarded as one of the frontrunners for the Champions League crown.
Ekitike, who has never played in European competition before, has made four substitute appearances for PSG so far this season, and he will be hoping to break into the first XI soon under Christophe Galtier, with his side coming up against Juventus, Benfica and Maccabi Haifa in Group H.
Julian Alvarez (Manchester City)
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Julian Alvarez is the latest Argentine forward to don the sky blue of Manchester City, with the 22-year-old linking up with his new teammates over the summer after signing from River Plate in January.
Alvarez may have no experience on the European stage, but he enjoyed plenty of success in the Copa Libertadores – South America's version of the Champions League – and won the competition with River Plate in 2018.
The forward was named the 2021 South American Footballer of the Year after scoring 20 goals in 35 league matches, and he has since settled in quickly at Man City, scoring a brace on his first start for the club in their emphatic 6-0 win over Nottingham Forest last month.
With City's hectic fixture schedule, Alvarez is expected to get more opportunities in Pep Guardiola's side over the coming months, although a supporting role alongside goal machine Erling Braut Haaland – who seems undroppable at present given his electric start to the campaign – is more likely instead of replacing the Norwegian altogether.
Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen)
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At just 19 years of age, Florian Wirtz has already shown signs of his potential to become one of the most exciting attacking midfielders in Europe and he has attracted interest from a host of top clubs in recent years.
However, the Germany international will continue his development with boyhood club Bayer Leverkusen, where he recorded 10 goals and 14 assists in 31 games across all tournaments last season.
Wirtz has been sidelined since March with an ACL injury, but he has recently stepped up his recovery and returned to light training, with the hope of returning to first-team action before the World Cup begins in November.
The teenager has featured in each of the last three Europa League campaigns with Leverkusen, but he is yet to test himself in the Champions League. Wirtz could play a crucial role in helping the club advance from the group stage for the first time in six years, with Atletico Madrid, Porto and Club Brugge standing in their way in Group B.
Oliver Thomas
