It's all in the name for UEFA Youth League six
Friday, October 30, 2015
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With a Di Livio, Götze and Zidane having featured this season, UEFA.com identifies some of the players with famous relations to have graced the UEFA Youth League.
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Devante Cole (Manchester City, now Bradford City)
Position: forward
UEFA Youth League debut: 17/09/13 v Viktoria Plzeň
Like his father Andrew – second in the all-time Premier League scorers chart – Devante Cole knows where the back of the net is. His one and only UEFA Youth League season yielded six goals, the last of them the winner in a round of 16 tie against Atlético Madrid. Cole left Man. City in August without making a first-team appearance, joining third-tier Bradford City where the 20-year-old had an instant impact by registering on his debut.
Felix Götze (Bayern München)
Position: midfielder
UEFA Youth League debut: 29/09/15 v Dinamo Zagreb
Felix Götze, now 17, moved to Bayern München from Borussia Dortmund in July 2014, shortly after sibling Mario – who made the same switch a year earlier – had scored the only goal in the FIFA World Cup final. Fabian, the oldest of the Götze brothers at 25, also began his career at Dortmund but departed for Mainz in early 2010 and was most recently with southern Munich outfit Unterhaching.
Joshua Holtby (Mönchengladbach)
Position: midfielder
UEFA Youth League debut: 15/09/15 v Sevilla
The defensive midfielder had an eventful introduction to the UEFA Youth League, scoring and then being sent off in Mönchengladbach's 4-2 loss to Sevilla last month. Brother of Hamburg's Lewis, Joshua Holtby featured for the first team in a pre-season friendly and has since appeared for the Foals' reserve side in Germany's fourth tier. "I talk a lot with my brother," the 19-year-old said. "I like taking his tips on board and trying to implement them. Being the younger brother creates a certain pressure. I am doing it my way but I can learn a lot from him."
Lucas-Julian Scholl (Bayern München)
Position: midfielder
UEFA Youth League debut: 17/19/13 v CSKA Moskva
Son of erstwhile German international and long-time Bayern servant Mehmet, Lucas-Julian Scholl trained with the senior squad in summer 2014 but has still to make his first-team debut for the Bavarians. Like Holtby Jr, the 19-year-old is cutting his teeth in the fourth tier, his first start of an injury-interrupted season coming on 16 October in a 0-0 draw with Schweinfurt.
Lorenzo Di Livio (AS Roma)
Position: midfielder
UEFA Youth League debut: 17/09/14 v CSKA Moskva
The offspring of ex-Italy midfielder Angelo Di Livio played eight times during Roma's run to the semi-finals last term and was again prominent on matchday one, helping the Giallorossi take a point from their Group E opener against Barcelona. Roma's "driving force" that day, according to coach Alberto De Rossi, the 18-year-old Lorenzo Di Livio shares his father's aggression while possessing a refined touch and excellent vision.
Luca Zidane (Real Madrid)
Position: goalkeeper
UEFA Youth League debut: 15/09/15 v Shakhtar Donetsk
Speaking to UEFA.com at May's UEFA European Under-17 Championship, Luca Zidane said he hoped to "get the chance to move up to the Juvenil A and play for Real Madrid in the UEFA Youth League" in 2015/16. The 17-year-old is actually the second son of Zinédine to play in the competition, brother Enzo having figured nine times for the Merengues in the inaugural 2013/14 edition. Luca got his wish on matchday one as the Spanish side eased to a 4-0 victory over 2015 runners-up Shakhtar Donetsk.