EUFA
Champions League will continue to have Gambian interests and following when the
prestigious tournament resumes in February 2020.
Gambian international and Atalanta Forward
Musa Barrow would enter the history books for the launch of a national record
as the first ever Gambian to have reached the European elite club competition
second round.
It
was until before then that only three other Gambians succeeded to have attained
appearances in the world’s most watched tourney’s group stage namely Jatto
Ceesay, Seyfo Solley and Momodou Ceesay (Zico).
Barrow’s Atalanta will host Valencia in the
first- leg tie of the knock-out phase on 19February 2020 in Italy.
The
former Hawks striker was declared surplus due to his on and off pitch
performances and was nearly exit bound the previous season having failed to
come out of the shadow of on-form Colombian teammate Zapata.
Numerous
clubs were linked with his signing on loan basis beginning with other outfits
in the Serie A to teams in the Bundesliga and the English Premier League.
Belgian
serial champions Anderlecht, were the starlet’s most willing destination but
thanks to the Serie giants Atalanta that penned the services of the Gambian’s
availability in the transfer window.
Some reports earlier intimated that Barrow
would have joined Anderlecht.
Finishing
third in the Serie A as bronze winner guaranteed automatic qualification to the
Champions League. Head Coach Gasperini felt he needed to reinforce his squad
and one area that required cementing in his thinking was the attack force.
Signing a more experienced forward to put star
striker Zapata on his A game was one thing he was ardent ensuing see light of
day.
He
however trusted Barrow as backup through their UEFA Champions League journey,
an undertaking that has proven worthwhile.
Barrow
got trusted back into the fold and had his name included in his team’s
Champions League squad. He has has not looked back since then, getting some
minutes under his belt in his side’s Fixture against Dinamo Zagreb.
His
game time has improved in recent games and so are his minutes per game expected
next year when the tournament resumes for the Quarter Finals stage.
Barrow’s
appearance at the world stage is to the delight of Scorpions Coach Tom
Saintfiet been monitoring one of his trusted forwards while keeping close eyes
on Gambian players across Europe.
Team-mate Ebrima Colley has also made his
debut for the Atalanta last week although not quite sure of making it to the
Champions League knock-out phase.
Source-GFF
