Who is Bradley Barcola? The PSG youngster scored his first Champions League goal for the club in a 2-o victory against Real Sociedad on February 14th 2024.
Barcola has been hotly tipped for a bright future in the game and he opened his UCL account with a superb solo effort against the La Liga side.
The 21-year old has made 26 appearances for Luis Enrique’s side in all competitions this season (as of 14/01/2024) and is expected to play a big part for the club; but just who is Bradley Barcola? Here at SportsLens, we take a closer look.
Who Is Bradley Barcola?
Bradley Barcola was born in Lyon in 2002 to a French mother and Togolese father and holds dual nationality with both countries. He has made 12 appearances for France’s U21 side. The Barcola family can also boast of producing another professional footballer, Bradley’s brother, Malcolm.
Barcola joined Lyon’s youth team at just 8-years old and came to prominence after rising through the ranks. Barcola made his debut for Lyon II in the 2021/22 season and also made his first-team debut in the same year.
Barcola played for both the reserve team and first-team but his real breakthrough came in the 2022/23 season. Barcola scored seven goals in 31 appearances across all competitions and regularly played alongside Alexandre Lacazette.
After three Ligue 1 appearances in 2023/24, PSG were impressed with Barcola’s talents and came calling. They signed him for a reported fee of €45m in August 2023 and he has wasted to time at all in showcasing his skills.
Bradley Barcola Playing Style
Bradley Barcola’s playing style can be compared to the likes of Bukayo Saka, Lamine Yamal and Ousmane Dembele. Barcola is predominately a right-winger, and his dynamism out wide is hard to find in modern football.
Barcola can also play both sides of a front free or as a centre-forward; something of which will hold him in good stead as his career develops.
Standing at 6 ft 1, Barcola is blessed with terrific speed, great energy and stamina and a keen eye for goal. In fact, his vast array of attributes will likely see him become a household name in world football. He isn’t scared to showboat, either.
PSG’s latest starlet is fortunate enough to train with the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Achraf Hakimi and Gianluigi Donnarumma and mixing with world class stars on a daily basis will only help his career in the long-run.
Bradley Barcola In The UEFA Champions League
Bradley Barcola has featured five times in the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League this season and is already showing glimpses of his talents in Europe’s elite club competition.
The tricky winger scored his first Champions league goal in PSG’s 2-0 win over Real Sociedad, skipping past defenders and slotting the ball beautifully past the Sociedad keeper to double the French side’s lead.
PSG – who the best UK betting sites make 14/1 to win the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League – will surely give him more vital minutes as he continues to stake his claim for a regular starting berth.
PSG have never won the UEFA Champions League but with the up-and-coming talent that is Bradley Barcola in their ranks, he would certainly be instrumental to any potential future success.
Add Sportslens to your Google News Feed!
