In the early hours of Wednesday morning (AEST), the UEFA Champions League group stage began.
The Europa League and Conference League are set to follow on Friday; the three tiers of UEFA’s European club competitions have provided the platform for some of the Isuzu UTE A-League’s biggest names to shine in the years go by.
The arrival of Valon Berisha at Melbourne City has seen the A-League Men’s cohort of players with experience in the Europe’s premier club competitions increase. These are the players who have impressed on the European stage – and now call the ALM home.
Aleksandar Prijović
Aleksandar Prijović has a place in Champions League folklore.
The Serbian travelled to face Dortmund with Legia Warsaw in 2016. He scored twice, and his team piled on four goals – Dortmund, however, scored eight of their own. It remains to this day the highest-scoring Champions League game of all-time.
In the same campaign, Prijović came up against Real Madrid and notched an assist in an enthralling 3-3 draw.
Luis Nani
Luis Nani is the only active player in the Isuzu UTE A-League to have lifted the UEFA Champions League trophy, triumphing over Chelsea with Manchester United in an iconic 2008 final in Moscow.
The Portuguese international and star Melbourne Victory marquee came off the bench in extra time with scores locked at 1-1.
Nani converted his penalty in the shoot-out, and despite Ronaldo missing his attempt, John Terry’s iconic slip on the spot and Nicholas Anelka’s subsequent miss handed United the 2008 crown.
Marcelo Guedes
Marcelo Guedes played an integral role in Lyon’s surging run to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals in 2020.
The newly-signed Western Sydney Wanderers central defender played 90 minutes in a 3-1 win over Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the quarter-finals to progress to the final four, falling to eventual champions Bayern Munich in a 3-0 defeat.
Guedes enjoyed a 1-0 win over Juventus in that Champions League campaign, keeping the likes of Juan Cuadrado, Paulo Dybala and Cristiano Ronaldo off the scoresheet.
Charlie Austin
Charlie Austin took part in the 2016-17 Europa League campaign with Southampton. The star Brisbane Roar recruit enjoyed a stellar debut in the competition, scoring a brace against Sparta Praha.
He went on to feature in two group stage games against Inter Milan, losing the first 1-0 and enjoying a 2-1 win in the second at Saint Mary’s Stadium.
Valon Berisha
Valon Berisha is Melbourne City’s latest international recruit, joining Richard van der Venne and Thomas Lam in arriving at the club from overseas this off-season.
Berisha scored for RB Salzburg from the penalty spot against Lazio in the 2018 Europa League quarter-finals at Stadio Olimpico. Salzburg would progress to the semi-finals where Berisha played both legs against Marseille, losing 3-2 on aggregate.
In 2013 Berisha enjoyed Europa League victory over Borussia Dortmund with Salzburg, and took part in a 3-0 win over Ajax in the same competition in 2014.
Carl Jenkinson
While at Arsenal, Carl Jenkinson featured in a Champions League scalp, with the Gunners travelling to Allianz Arena to defeat German giants Bayern Munich 2-0 in 2013. Jenkinson played 90 minutes in the clean sheet display.
In 2016, Arsenal hosted Paris Saint-Germain at the Emirates Stadium, drawing 2-2 with Jenkinson playing 81 minutes.
Robert Mak
Sydney FC’s Robert Mak was the match-winner for PAOK in a 1-0 Europa League win over Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park in 2015.
In 2020, whilst playing for Hungarian side Ferencvaros, he faced both Barcelona and Juventus in the Champions League.
Jack Rodwell
Sydney FC signing Jack Rodwell made two Champions League appearances during his time at Manchester City.
In 2012 he played 56 minutes in a 1-1 draw with Borussia Dortmund; the following year he made a two-minute bench cameo in a 3-2 City win over Bayern Munich on the road.
Thomas Lam
Jose Mourinho’s Roma won the inaugural Conference League in 2021 – UEFA’s third-tier European football tournament.
Along the way they faced Thomas Lam’s CSKA Sofia on two occasions in the group stage. The Melbourne City recruit played 90 minutes in both fixtures, losing twice.
Lam has played seven games across the Confence League and Europa League. In 2013, whilst plying his trade for AZ Alkmaar, Lam played 90 minutes in a 2-2 draw against PAOK, scoring the opening goal of the game.
