CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: HOW RAFAEL FARED

Brazilian fullback Rafael da Silva was a part of the Lyon squad that failed to qualify for Europe at the end of last season but the player was still able to feature on the European football stage after leaving Lyon in the summer.

Rafael da Silva is a specialist right-back and he had to leave French Ligue 1 outfit Lyon at the end of his contract in the summer of 2020. Rafael da Silva had been at Lyon for five years since leaving Premier League giants Manchester United in the summer of 2015. He was having a good time at the Theatre of Dreams until the club appointed Dutch tactician Louis Van Gaalwho's said not to like Brazilian players naturally. Rafael da Silva spent one season under the Dutchman and the Brazilian international had to leave when he was not seeing regular playing time under Louis Van Gaal at Manchester United.

Rafael da Silva spent seven years with the Red Devils before signing for Lyon. He went on to join Turkish champions Istanbul Basaksehir on a free transfer last summer. The 30-year-old was able to play in the Champions League this season as a result of the move as Lyon didn't qualify for Europe as pointed out earlier. Rafael da Silva and his Turkish club were drawn into the group of death in Group H alongside former club Manchester United who he still holds dearly in his heart, German Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig and French Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint Germain (PSG). Rafael da Silva played in all the six group games for Istanbul Basaksehir as the Turkish club finished bottom of Group H. He played in the two games against his beloved Manchester United team including the historic 2-1 win over the Red Devils on matchday three. It was the only points recorded by InstabulBasaksehir in Group H.