Young All Whites midfielder Sarpreet Singh is in line to take part in one of the biggest sporting competitions in the world after being named in Bayern Munich’s squad for the UEFA Champions League.

He is yet to make his competitive debut for the first team of the German giants but has been among the match-day squad in the Bundesliga and has now made the cut of 28 for the Champions League, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Muller, Serge Gnabry, Jerome Boateng, Manuel Neuer and Barcelona loanee Philippe Coutinho.

If he does make an appearance, the 20-year-old will become the first Kiwi to play in the Champions League since former All Whites captain Danny Hay, who made his debut for Leeds United as a substitute against Barcelona at the Nou Camp in 2000.

The only other New Zealander to feature at the top table of European football is Oceania Player of the Century Wynton Rufer, who shared the competition’s golden boot with Barcelona’s Ronald Koeman in the 1992-93 season.

Bayern Munich have been drawn in Group B for the latest edition of the Champions League and will face Olympiacos, Red Star Belgrade and Tottenham Hotspur.

Singh is doing his best to catch the eye of coach Niko Kovač, starring for the club’s reserve team in the third tier of the German system.

He scored a spectacular goal in the side’s 2-1 defeat to SpVgg Unterhaching last weekend.

Bayern, who have claimed the trophy five times, will kick off their Champions League campaign against Red Star Belgrade on 19 September.

Bayern Munich UEFA Champions League squad

Goalkeepers
Manuel Neuer, Sven Ulreich, Christian Fruchtl, Ron-Torben Hoffmann

Defenders
David Alaba, Jerome Boateng, Lucas Hernandez, Lukas Mai, Javi Martinez, Benjamin Pavard, Niklas Sule

Midfielders
Thiago Alcantara, Michael Cuisance, Alphonso Davies, Leon Goretzka, Ryan Johansson, Joshua Kimmich, Sarpreet Singh, Corentin Tolisso, Paul Will, Kwasi Wriedt

Forwards
Fiete Arp, Kingsley Coman, Philippe Coutinho, Serge Gnabry, Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Muller, Ivan Perisic

Article added: Thursday 05 September 2019