La Masia starlets Pau Prim and Unai Hernández are reportedly set to leave FC Barcelona Atletic to commence a new journey in the Middle East.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Pau Prim, the 18-year-old midfielder, has agreed to join Qatari side Al-Sadd SC in a long-term deal. On the other hand, Unai Hernández, the 20-year-old midfielder is all set to join the Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad shortly.

These youngsters have not made it to the senior team with significant game-time yet, but FC Barcelona seems to have lost two extremely talented La Masia prospects.

🚨🇶🇦 Pau Prim, set to join Qatari side Al Sadd as verbal agreement has been reached.

Barcelona’s 2006 born talent will leave the club with Qatar as next step. https://t.co/r9WPrmkyjC pic.twitter.com/0jt1au5JK2

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 28, 2025

Although Pau Prim was included in the senior team for a club friendly against Club America in December 2023, the midfielder is reportedly not interested in extending his contract.

Unai Hernández, who happens to be the Barca Atletic captain, has his contract expired in June 2025 as well, but seems to be heading to Saudi Arabia.

🚨🟡⚫️ Al Ittihad have reached verbal agreement to sign 20 year old midfielder Unai Hernández from Barcelona.

€4.5m fixed fee, €500k add-ons and sell-on clause also included in package.

Formal details to be fixed before medical and signatures. pic.twitter.com/kx0FnTTW31

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 28, 2025

Barcelona lose two La Masia starlets

Pau Prim is already in discussions to join Saudi football when his contract expires at the end of the season. He has previously been considered a strong candidate to break into the first team at Barcelona. 

In fact, he was even suggested by former Barcelona manager and club legend Xavi as a potential long-term successor to another FC Barcelona legend, Sergio Busquets.

Prim has been left out of the matchday squad by Barca Atletic manager Albert Sanchez in recent weeks, because he is reportedly reluctant to extend his contract, which runs out on June 30, 2025.

Al-Qadsiah, another Saudi Arabian side, also showed interest in the 18-year-old, along with unnamed clubs from Belgium. However, Prim has reportedly decided to join Al-Sadd, which was previously managed by Xavi.

🔴🔵💎 | 2 𝐋𝐀 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐀 𝐆𝐄𝐌𝐒 on their way to the 𝐌𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐋𝐄 𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐓

🇪🇸 Pau Prim (18) —> Al-Sadd 🇶🇦

🇪🇸 Unai Hernández (20) —> Al-Ittihad 🇸🇦

2 technical midfielders.

Pau Prim is a composed deep-lying midfielder known for his sharp passing and excellent ball control.… pic.twitter.com/Avy1lgYcjX

— Rising Stars XI (@RisingStarXI) January 29, 2025

On the other hand, Unai Hernández has agreed to a three-year deal with Saudi outfit Al-Ittihad. According to Mundo Deportivo, the Saudi club will pay a reported sum of €4.5 million for the 20-year-old starlet.

The current Barca Atletic Captain, Unai, played an integral part for the team's success this season, bagging 9 goals and 3 assists in 20 appearances.

According to SPORT, another Barca youth player that Saudi Arabia is eyeing is Arnau Pradas. His contract is set to expire in 2025 as well, and Al-Qadsiah have shown interest in the talented winger. 

Unai Hernandez is not the only #Barca player that could be headed to Saudi Arabia in the near future. Teenage midfielder Pau Prim is also being targeted by Al-Qadsiah. (Sport) pic.twitter.com/k3UsTm5oVW

— Football España (@footballespana_) January 27, 2025

Pradas, the 18-year-old winger, has scored three goals and provided one assist in the UEFA Youth League this season. He has also played two matches with Barça Atletic this season. 

Initially, he intended to renew his contract with Barcelona; however, the lack of communication from the club reportedly led him to explore other offers.

Gametime or money? What is driving the young talents to consider a move to the Middle East?

Qatar is often viewed as a destination for players looking to make considerable earnings toward the end of their careers, similar to the situations of Guardiola and Xavi.

The same can be said for Saudi Arabia, where well-known figures like Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and many others have attracted significant attention. Moving to play in the Middle East at a young age may suggest a stoppage in one's football career or signal a challenging path to navigate in the future. 

Although the financial beneficiaries are unavoidable, such decisions can have a profound impact on a player's career trajectory.

Read Also | Saudi Pro League: Top 5 young talents who moved to Saudi for money

The opportunity at Barcelona may not arise, but both Pau and Unai have the talent to secure lucrative contracts with clubs like Ajax, Borussia Dortmund, or RB Leipzig, where young prospects are composed into a well-organized project, resulting in a better career path that benefits both the club and the player.

🇸🇦💎🌟 | 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝟕 𝐔𝟐𝟑 𝐆𝐄𝐌𝐒 𝐖𝐇𝐎 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘 𝐈𝐍 𝐒𝐀𝐔𝐃𝐈 𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐈𝐀 𝐈𝐍 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒/𝟐𝟓

🇪🇸 Gabri Veiga (22y, CM)

🇦🇷 Ezequiel Fernández (22y, DM)

🇧🇷 Marcos Leonardo (21y, ST)

🇧🇷 Aleksander (20y, DM)

🇪🇸 Iker Almena (20y, RW)

🇧🇷 Ângelo Gabriel (19y, RW)

🇧🇷… pic.twitter.com/Bvx4px1XNe

— Rising Stars XI (@RisingStarXI) September 2, 2024

Some La Masia graduates in the past thrived on taking risks, such as Alejandro Grimaldo or Marc Cucurella. However, others, such as Ilaix Moriba, Mateu Morey, or Mboula, chose the quicker cash route and found it challenging. It is not impossible, but already proved to be hard to regain their status in elite football after stepping away from opportunities at top clubs.

Recently, the decision to let young players leave for lucrative but less competitive competitions has become increasingly complicated. Not every player will make it to the first team, as various factors influence which true talents from the academy rise to stardom at Barcelona or other major clubs. 

The UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Round of 16 Second Leg has ended, concluding the round with eight teams that have earned their qualification into the Champions League Quarter Finals this season.

Read Also | UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Quarterfinals schedule: Everything you need to know

Paris Saint-Germain stunned Liverpool in the second leg, managing a 1-0 win in the regulation time before knocking the league phase leaders out of the competition following a 4-1 win on penalties.

Barcelona dominated over Benfica, earning a 3-1 victory at home to secure the quarter-final place with a 4-1 aggregate. Bayern Munich also clinched a 2-0 win against Bayer Leverkusen, advancing to the quarters with a 5-0 cushion across two legs.

Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid fought till the last minute as Atletico managed a 1-0 win to equalize the tie, but Los Blancos secured a 4-2 victory on penalties to advance to the quarters.

Read Also | UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Round of 16 First Leg Round Up

UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Round of 16 Second Leg Round Up

FC Barcelona 3-1 Benfica (4-1 Agg)

Raphinha and Lamine Yamal led from the front to help FC Barcelona win 3-1 against Benfica in the return leg, accumulating a 4-1 aggregate to progress through to the quarter-finals.

Raphinha opened the scoring in the 11th minute, as Otamendi equalized just two minutes later. However, a world-class strike from Lamine Yamal and Raphinha's second goal produced a dominant win for Blaugranas, despite a goalless second half.

Barcelona will take on Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-finals.

Read Also | Barcelona vs Benfica UEFA Champions League 2024-25 RO16 Second Leg Highlights: Barcelona through to quarter-finals with an easy 4-1 win on aggregate

Inter Milan 2-1 Feyenoord (4-1 Agg)

Inter Milan stamped a well-deserved 2-1 victory over Feyenoord at the San Siro, winning the tie on a 4-1 aggregate to advance to the quarter-finals.

Marcus Thuram netted an early goal in the eighth minute, that was canceled out by Jakub Moder, who equalized from the spot in the 42nd minute. However, Hakan Çalhanoğlu fired the winner with a boastful penalty in the 51st minute.

Inter Milan will go against Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals.

Liverpool 0-1 Paris Saint-Germain (1-1 Agg, 1-4 pens)

Arguably, this tie has produced the most gripping and absorbing footballing actions across two legs in the RO16 this season. After a fighting 1-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain at Parc de Princes, Liverpool crashed out of the UCL 2024-25 following a 1-4 defeat on penalties.

Ousmane Dembele drew the first blood early in the 12th minute, but almost 110 minutes of football afterwards failed to decide a winner, ending the tie on a 1-1 aggregate.

However, Gianluigi Donnarumma became a wall between PSG's sticks in the penalties, saving two penalties of Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones to hand PSG the advantage in a nail-biting shootout. Desire Doue netted the winning penalty for PSG, taking them to the quarters. 

Les Parisiens will meet Aston Villa in the quarter-finals.

Read Also | Liverpool vs Paris Saint-Germain Highlights UEFA Champions League 2024-25 RO16 Second Leg | PSG advances, Liverpool crash out after losing on penalties | FT LIV 0-1 PSG (1-1 AGG, 1-4 pens)

Bayer Leverkusen 0-2 Bayern Munich (0-5 Agg)

Bayern Munich had another composed victory over Bayer Leverkusen, beating them 2-0 to progress through the next stage with a commendable 5-0 aggregate.

Harry Kane and Alphonso Davies scored in the 52nd and the 71st minute respectively, leading the German side to the UCL 2024-25 quarter-finals.

Read Also | Bayer Leverkusen vs Bayern Munich Highlights UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Round of 16 2nd Leg: Bayern secures their spot in the quarter-finals | LEV 0-2 BAY (Agg. BAY 5-0 LEV)

Lille OSC 1-2 Borussia Dortmund (2-3 Agg)

Borussia Dortmund pulled off a sensational comeback against Lille OSC in the second leg, winning 2-1 against the French side to qualify for the quarters with a 3-2 aggregate.

Jonathan David opened the account for Lille only 5 minutes into the game, as the first half ended with Lille leading 2-1 in the tie. However, Emre Can converted the spotkick in the 54th minute to equalize the game, as Maxilmilian Beier netted a sublime curler in the 65th minute to hand Dortmund a comeback victory.

Dortmund will lock horns against FC Barcelona in the quarter-finals.

Read Also | Lille OSC vs Borussia Dortmund Highlights UEFA Champions League 2024-25 RO16 Second Leg | Dortmund wins a thrilling contest with a second-half comeback; advances to the quarters | FT LIL 1-2 BVB (AGG 2-3)

Aston Villa 3-0 Club Brugge (6-1 Agg)

Aston Villa earned a comfortable 3-0 victory over ten-men Club Brugge in the second leg to enter the quarters with a 6-1 score on aggregate.

After a goalless first half, Marco Asensio scored a brace in the 50th and 61st minute respectively, accompanied by Ian Maatsen who found the back of the net in the 57th minute. 

Aston Villa will face Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals.

Read Also | Aston Villa vs Club Brugge UEFA Champions League 2024-25 RO16 Second Leg Highlights: Villa to face PSG in quarters after a 3-0 win (6-1 agg)

Arsenal 2-2 PSV Eindhoven (9-3 Agg)

After producing a 7-1 crushing in the first leg, Arsenal shared the spoils in a 2-2 stalemate with PSV in the return leg. Despite the draw, Arsenal are through to the quarters with a massive 9-3 win on aggregate.

Oleksandr Zinchenko scored early in the sixth minute of the game. However, Ivan Perisic equalized in the 18th minute for the visiting side. Declan Rice netted a banger in the 37th minute, but PSV pulled off another equalizing goal in the 70th minute as Couhaib Driouech scored in his first UCL start.

The game ended in a 2-2 draw, as Arsenal progressed onto the quarters, where they will go against the defending champions Real Madrid.

Atletico Madrid 1-0 Real Madrid (2-2 Agg, 2-4 pens)

The Madrid Derby in the return leg gifted another spectacular game of football. Atletico madrid levelled the tie with a 1-0 win after 120 minutes, but Real Madrid emerged victorious on penalties, winning 4-2 to march onto the quarters.

Atletico midfielder Connor Gallagher scored only 30 seconds after the kickoff, but both teams failed to find the net in the remaining minutes, leading the tie to a 2-2 aggregate.

However, Julian Alvarez's spotkick in the shootout was canceled for an apparent double touch. Atletico fell behind, but Real Madrid's fourth penalty, taken by Lucas Vanquez, was denied by Jan Oblak.

Following that, Marcos Llorente had a chance to pull Atletico back in the game, but he hit the woodwork under pressure. Antonio Rugider netted the winning penalty for Real Madrid. Los Blancos will face Arsneal in the quarters.

Read Also | Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid CF Highlights UEFA Champions League RO16 Second Leg: Real Madrid secures their spot in the quarterfinals after defeating Atletico on the penalties | ATM 1(2)-(4)0 RMA (AGG. RMA 2-2 ATM)

The UEFA Champions League has reached its most thrilling stage, with the Quarterfinals now set. After an intense Round of 16, only eight teams remain in the race for UEFA Champions League glory. This season has delivered iconic moments, major surprises, and standout individual performances. The quarterfinal draw brings together tournament favorites and unexpected challengers, promising an exciting battle for the prestigious trophy.

Quarterfinals Matchups:

Who is going all the way? 👀#UCL pic.twitter.com/c9DzzIcetI

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 12, 2025

• Bayern Munich vs Inter Milan
• Aston Villa vs Paris Saint Germain (PSG)
• Arsenal vs Real Madrid CF
• FC Barcelona vs Borussia Dortmund

Bayern Munich vs Inter Milan:

🇩🇪 𝟎𝟖.𝟎𝟒.𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓
🇮🇹 𝟏𝟔.𝟎𝟒.𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

The dates for our @ChampionsLeague fixtures against Inter have been set! 🗓️🏆#FCBayern #MiaSanMia pic.twitter.com/du0bMe68IA

— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) March 13, 2025

• Bayern triumphed with an aggregate 5-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen and remains a top contender.
• Inter Milan secured their spot in the quarterfinals by defeating Feyenoord with a 4-1 aggregate.

Highlights:

Bayern vs Leverkusen:

First Leg: FC Bayern Munich vs Bayer Leverkusen Highlights UEFA Champions League 2024-25: Kane Brace Leads Bayern to Dominant 3-0 Win Over Ten-Men Leverkusen | FT' Bayern Munich 3-0 Leverkusen

Second Leg: Bayer Leverkusen vs Bayern Munich Highlights UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Round of 16 2nd Leg: Bayern secures their spot in the Quarter-finals with a 5-0 triumph over Bayer Leverkusen | LEV 0-2 BAY (Agg. BAY 5-0 LEV)

Aston Villa vs Paris Saint Germain:

Le Paris Saint-Germain affrontera Aston Villa en quart de finale de @ChampionsLeague ! 📋🏆

Match aller le 8 ou 9 avril, au Parc des Princes.
Match retour le 15 ou 16 avril, à Villa Park. pic.twitter.com/u2l6TeBI6t

— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_inside) March 12, 2025

• Aston Villa, one of the tournament’s surprises, eliminated Club Brugge 3-1 and continues its fairytale run.
• Paris Saint-Germain edged out Liverpool in a dramatic penalty shootout, with Gianluigi Donnarumma emerging as the hero.

Highlights:

Aston Villa vs Club Brugge:

First Leg: Club Brugge vs Aston Villa Highlights UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Round of 16: Aston Villa will face Club Brugge in the second leg with a two-goal lead | FT BRU 1-3 AVL

Second Leg: Aston Villa vs Club Brugge UEFA Champions League 2024-25 RO16 Second Leg Highlights: Villa to face PSG in quarters after a 3-0 win (6-1 agg)

PSG vs Liverpool:

First Leg: Paris Saint-Germain vs Liverpool Highlights UEFA Champions League 2024-25 | Alisson puts up a masterclass in Paris; Elliot's late strike sinks a ruthless PSG | FT PSG 0-1 LIV

Second Leg: Liverpool vs Paris Saint-Germain Highlights UEFA Champions League 2024-25 RO16 Second Leg | PSG advances, Liverpool crash out after losing on penalties | FT LIV 0-1 PSG (1-1 AGG, 1-4 pens)

Arsenal vs Real Madrid CF:

🆚 We will face @Arsenal in the quarter-finals of the @ChampionsLeague!
🏆 @adidasfootball pic.twitter.com/EAjVNVE6Q2

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) March 12, 2025

• Arsenal delivered a dominant performance, thrashing PSV Eindhoven 9-3 over two legs.
• Real Madrid secured their place after eliminating Atletico Madrid on penalties, setting up a high-stakes clash against the Gunners.

Highlights:

Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid:

First Leg: Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid Highlights UEFA Champions League 2024-25: Real Madrid secured a narrow victory over Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Round of 16 | Real Madrid 2-1 Atletico Madrid

Second Leg: Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid CF Highlights UEFA Champions League RO16 Second Leg: Real Madrid secures their spot in the quarterfinals after defeating Atletico on the penalties | ATM 1(2)-(4)0 RMA (AGG. RMA 2-2 ATM)

FC Barcelona vs Borussia Dortmund:

We'll be back in Dortmund 🔥 pic.twitter.com/YLoswI3yve

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 12, 2025

• Barcelona showcased resilience, eliminating Benfica with a 4-1 aggregate victory, confirming their title ambitions.
• Dortmund fought hard to overcome Lille 3-2, demonstrating their ability to grind out results.

Highlights:

Borussia Dortmund vs Lille OSC:

READ ALSO: Lille OSC vs Borussia Dortmund Highlights UEFA Champions League 2024-25 RO16 Second Leg | Dortmund wins a thrilling contest with a second-half comeback; advances to the quarters | FT LIL 1-2 BVB (AGG 2-3)

FC Barcelona vs SL Benfica:

First Leg: Benfica vs FC Barcelona UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Round of 16 Highlights: Raphinha's strike helps 10 men Barcelona beat Benfica by 1-0

Second Leg: Barcelona vs Benfica UEFA Champions League 2024-25 RO16 Second Leg Highlights: Barcelona through to quarter-finals with an easy 4-1 win on aggregate

Quarterfinals schedule:

First Leg: April 9-10, 2025

Second Leg: April 16-17, 2025

How to watch the Match:

Quarterfinals match-ups will be streamed Live on the Sony Liv app and website with a paid subscription. Viewers can also watch the game live on TV on Sony Sports Network. 

Quarterfinal schedules:

The last 8 🤩#UCL pic.twitter.com/AaC3G5m9aB

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 12, 2025

First Leg: 

• Arsenal vs Real Madrid (Emirates Stadium, 9th April, 12:30 am IST)
• Bayern Munich vs Inter Milan (Allianz Arena, 9th April, 12:30 am IST)
• FC Barcelona vs Borussia Dortmund (Camp Nou, 10th April, 12:30 am IST)
• Paris Saint-Germain vs Aston Villa (Parc de Princes, 10th April, 12:30 am IST)

Second Leg:

• Real Madrid vs Arsenal (Santiago Bernabeu, 17th April, 12:30 am IST)
• Inter Milan vs Bayern Munich (San Siro, 17th April, 12:30 am IST)
• Borussia Dortmund vs FC Barcelona (Signal Iduna Park, 12:30 am IST, 16th April)
• Aston Villa vs Paris Saint-Germain (Villa Park, 16th April, 12:30 am IST)

The UEFA Champions League is the pinnacle of club football, boasting the best talent from around the globe. Over the years, African players have made a significant impact on Europe's elite competition, with many of them showcasing their skills but also finding the back of the net consistently.

From legendary strikers to dynamic wingers, this article highlights the top 10 African players with the most goals in Champions League history, celebrating their remarkable achievements on the grandest stage of European football.

10 most successful African Players with most goals in the UEFA Champions League:

10. Sebastian Haller| 12 Goals | Ivory Coast:

While the Ivorian found the net just 10 times in 48 games for the Hammers, he experienced a career revival at Ajax, netting an impressive 32 times in 50 games. Sebastian Haller made his Champions League debut in the 2021-22 season, scoring in his first seven games in the competition, including four in his debut against Ruben Amorim’s Sporting. Haller scored just one more UEFA Champions League goal and was given just 10 minutes in the German side’s 2024 final defeat to Real Madrid.

9. Rabah Madjer | Algeria | 12 Goals:

Madjer is considered one of the best players in the history of Algerian football and shot to renown as a Porto player in the 1980s. He scored six goals on Porto’s first UEFA Champions League winning run, including the equalizer against Bayern Munich in the final at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion. Madjer retired in 1992 and twice managed his home country, having played in their first ever World Cup in 1982.

8. Vincent Aboubakar | 14 Goals | Cameroon: 

Aboubakar made his UEFA Champions League debut in 2014 with Porto, scoring a goal in a 6-0 thrashing of BATE Borisov. He came back with a goal in the return fixture at home to Shakhtar and scored his first knockout goal against Basel but was an unused substitute in both quarter-final legs against Bayern Munich, including the 6-1 defeat that sent Porto out.

In the next two seasons, one spent at Porto and the other at Besiktas, Aboubakar netted six times but failed to get out of the group stage. He scored his final Champions League goals in 2017 with a brace against Monaco but was injured for the last 16 tie against Liverpool, a 5-0 defeat at the Estádio do Dragao.

7. Seydou Doumbia | 15 Goals | Ivory Coast:

Doumbia scored 15 UEFA Champions League goals in 31 games for three different clubs in his career. He moved to Basel in 2016, scoring just once in six games before ending his European run at Sporting in the 2017-18 season. He made his debut with CSKA Moscow, scoring five times in the 2011-12 season, but never hit that height again.

6. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang | Gabon | 17 Goals:

 Aubameyang primarily scored his goals with Dortmund, he managed just two for Chelsea, but Gabon’s all-time top scorer never made it past the UEFA Champions League quarter finals having twice exited at that stage in 2014 and 2017. Aubameyang is, however, the all-time top goal scorer in Europa League history, netting 34 times in 62 games.

5. Riyad Mahrez | Algeria | 20 Goals:

Riyad Mahrez kicked things off with two goals in Leicester’s opening group match against Brugge before finding the net two more times ahead of the knockouts. He played every minute of Leicester’s knockout run but could only manage a single assist in that time. 

In the 2020-21 season, Mahrez was a crucial player on Manchester City’s run, scoring in the quarters before three goals against PSG in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals. However, he could not find the net as City lost 1-0 to Chelsea in the final. By the time of the 2023 win, Mahrez had fallen down the City pecking order and stayed on the bench for the whole of the 1-0 win against Inter.

4. Sadio Mane | Senegal | 27 Goals:

The 2019 and 2022 African Player of the Year Mane was a talisman in Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool rebuild. Joining in 2016, Mane along with Salah and Roberto Firmino combined to be a lethal front three with the Senegalese player scoring 10 goals in the 17-18 UEFA Champions League season, a figure only beaten by his team-mates and Cristiano Ronaldo. Moving to Bayern Munich in 2022, Mane struggled to replicate his Liverpool form but still scored three goals in the group stages before departing for Al-Nassr in 2023.

3. Samuel Eto'o | Cameroon | 30 Goals:

The four-time African player of the year winner, a figure only matched by Yaya Toure, scored most of his UEFA Champions League goals for Barcelona including six in their 2005-06 triumph and four in the 2008-09 win under Pep Guardiola. Moving to Inter in 2009, Eto’o became the fourth player in history to win back-to-back Champions Leagues at different clubs and played every game in the Jose Mourinho-masterminded run. Still considered by many to be the best African player of all-time, Samuel Eto’o was a deadly mix of pace and clinical finishing.

2. Didier Drogba | Ivory Coast | 44 Goals:

With 10 goals in 10 finals, the Ivorian was the man for the big occasion, and he made his UEFA Champions League debut with Marseille in 2003, scoring five goals in six games. Getting his move to Chelsea the following season, Drogba hit the same number in the 2004-05 campaign but managed just one goal in seven appearances the next year. 

He scored twice in the 2008 semi-final to set up a clash against rivals Manchester United, but a John Terry slip in a rain-soaked Moscow denied Chelsea their first UEFA Champions League title. But that success would come in 2012 with Drogba playing a starring role in the final.

1. Mohamed Salah | Egypt | 50 Goals:

Considering he scored just three goals in his first 15 UEFA Champions League appearances, betting on Mohamed Salah to one day become the leading African goal-scorer would have seemed a waste of money back in 2016. Famously a second choice of Klopp – the German preferred Julian Brandt – Salah hit 10 goals in his first UEFA Champions League season at Anfield, propelling Liverpool to their first final since 2007 but an early injury caused by Sergio Ramos forced him to the sideline as Real Madrid won 3-1 in Kyiv.

Lamine Yamal has broken yet another record during FC Barcelona's 3-1 victory against Benfica in the UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Round of 16 second leg encounter.

The Spanish teenage sensation has become the second-ever youngest footballer to score in the UCL knockouts, surpassing the likes of current Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham and Arsenal youngster Ethan Nwaneri, who also entered the list last week.

Lamine Yamal, youngest player in history with a goal and an assist in a @ChampionsLeague match 💫 pic.twitter.com/Iq7XwMjITS

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 11, 2025

With former Barcelona forward Bojan Krkic standing atop the list, Sportz Point explores the footballers who are the youngest to score in a UCL Knockout game.

Youngest to score in a UCL Knockout game (Since 92-93)

1. 17 years 217 days: Bojan Krkić (Schalke 0-1 Barcelona, 01/04/08)

Bojan Krkic, the former FC Barcelona striker, became the youngest footballer to score in an UEFA Champions League game, during the quarter-final first leg encounter against Schalke 04 on 2 April 2008 at the Arena AufSchalke.

🔙: On this day in 2008 - Bojan Krkic scored his first Champions League goal (aged 17 years and 217 days) against Schalke 04. He was the first person born in the 1990s to score in the Champions League pic.twitter.com/3l0DvkhcIb

— Barça Buzz (@Barca_Buzz) April 1, 2024

Barcelona fell to Manchester United in the semi-finals, as Krkic scored the lone goal in Barca's 1-0 victory against Schalke in the first, consequently winning the second leg with the same margin. 

It was also the first goal for Krkic in the Champions League, scored at the age of 17 years 217 days.

2. 17 years 241 days: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona 3-1 Benfica, 11/03/25)

Lamine Yamal has yet again proved himself to be one of the most crucial pieces in FC Barcelona's trident of attack this season. 

During Barcelona's 3-1 victory in the UCL 2024-25 RO16 second leg against Benfica, the Spanish youngster scored an absolute stunner while also providing an assist for Barca's opener, scored by Raphinha.

This is poetry in motion, Lamine Yamal is unreal pic.twitter.com/weH4fRWWn6

— Anabella💙❤️ (@RaphinhaEra111) March 11, 2025

Lamine has scored this goal at the age of 17 years 241 days, enlisting himself as the second-youngest on the list. He also became the youngest footballer to score and assist in the same Champions game.

3. 17 years 289 days: Jude Bellingham (Dortmund 1-2 Manchester City, 14/04/21)

On April 15th, 2021, Jude Bellingham scored the opening goal for Borussia Dortmund in the second leg of the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie against Manchester City.

Although his goal could not help Dortmund go past the City hurdle, the English midfielder entered this list, scoring a UCL knockout goal at the age of 17 years 289 days.

4. 17 years 348 days: Ethan Nwaneri (PSV 1-7 Arsenal, 04/03/2025)

Ethan Nwaneri has stormed into the headlines with his skillful football for Arsenal this season, which proves to be his breakout season in European football. 

The English youngster netted a goal during Arsenal's 7-1 rampage over PSV Eindhoven in the RO16 first leg face-off in UCL 2024-25. Nwaneri found the back of the net in a UCL knockout game at the age of 17 years and 348 days.

Hello and welcome everyone to our LIVE coverage. Tonight, we have the second leg of the round of 16 fixtures in UEFA Champions League 2024-25. 

This is Koushik Biswas, who will bring you all the Barcelona vs Benfica UEFA Champions League 2024-25 RO16 Second Leg LIVE updates, scores and news from the web desk. 

Barcelona are leading by 1-0 after the first leg in Lisbon and a draw would ensure them a place in the final eight. Meantime, Benfica would have to win by more than 1 goal to stay in the competition. 

Barcelona will be without young central defender Pau Cubarsi, who was shown a direct red card in the match. 

Read the full Barcelona vs Benfica match preview here.