The 2014-15 Champions League season gets underway on Tuesday night and, as usual, much of the coverage will be directed toward the biggest stars on show. The narrative of football coverage is becoming increasingly focused on individuals and personalities, with the leading lights of European competitions attracting intense coverage across the world throughout the year.

The Champions League has now surpassed the World Cup with regards to its ability to spawn stars of the game; Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have firmly established themselves at the top of the football world courtesy of their performances in the competition. It is also the stage upon which clubs and players must perform if they are to prove themselves to truly belong among the game's elite stars.

Last season, the likes of Koke, Antoine Griezmann, Marquinhos and Kostas Manolas were among those who dramatically increased their reputation with impressive performances on the European stage and this season there will be a new batch of young stars hoping to make their mark on the Champions League stage. It is a competition that defines careers and reputations.

ESPN FC's Scout's Notebook takes a look at five upcoming players who will be hoping to make a significant impact upon this year's competition and propel themselves into the wider consciousness.

Juan Iturbe, AS Roma

Argentine forward Juan Iturbe has been on the radar for some time, having made his international debut five years ago, at the age of 16. Iturbe's career, though, did not progress as expected in the years since; his move to Porto failed to work out as planned, only for the player to rebound in style wearing the colours of Hellas Verona last season.

It has taken Iturbe some time to impress but he should be key for Roma in Europe this season.

Having moved to Rome this summer, Iturbe is now competing for a starting berth on either side of the central striker in Rudi Garcia's side, a position where he will look to put his low centre of gravity and dribbling skills to good use. His tally of eight Serie A goals last season demonstrates the threat he can pose if allowed to move the ball onto his heavily favoured left foot, with his penchant for a long-range shot well known. Only Juan Cuadrado, meanwhile, racked up more dribbles in Italy last season. Roma had seen enough, parting with 22 million euros for his services.

Now, the man once hailed as the "Paraguayan Messi" -- he spent his formative years outside Argentina -- will hope to repay their faith and prove himself worthy of the hype that has long accompanied his career. The Champions League is the stage upon which he must now silence any remaining doubters.

Kaan Ayhan, Schalke 04

Versatile 19-year-old Turkish defender Kaan Ayhan was one of the biggest positives to emerge from Schalke's superb 2013-14 Bundesliga campaign, though he largely went unnoticed given the heavy media coverage of teammates Max Meyer and Julian Draxler. Ayhan's Champions League debut was a rough experience against the mighty Real Madrid, but he has since shown there is plenty more to come with his performances domestically.

Ayhan has started all three of Schalke's league games this season, playing both as a right-back and in his more natural position at the heart of the defence. Tall and powerful, he is strong in the air but also has shown enough technical proficiency to both be trusted in midfield roles and in taking free-kicks. He is as rounded a defender as anyone in Europe of his age.

The task now for Ayhan will be to cement a regular spot one position in the Schalke first-team and performances at Champions League level could well be central to deciding where that future may lie. His talent is unquestioned, but it is now up to the player himself to show he can handle football at the highest level.

Munir El Haddadi, FC Barcelona

While his Spain debut last week may have had as much to do with preventing him representing Morocco as rewarding his fine start to the season, 19-year-old Munir has undoubtedly made a big impression in his brief senior career to date.

Luis Enrique has been swift in making changes at the Camp Nou and appears to have taken a liking to the teenage forward, who was the standout performer in the club's Youth League success last campaign. A goal against Eibar on his senior debut cemented his involvement in the first-team squad and while he may have squandered opportunities this past weekend versus Athletic Club, he was once more a constant threat.

Munir has burst onto the scene in Spain and should continue to get minutes for Barca in all competitions.

The Barcelona youth system has been lavished with much praise over recent years and will continue to be so as long as they churn out talents of Munir's standing. His inclusion in recent games owed much to the slow reintegration of Neymar after the Brazilian's injury, but he has certainly done enough to suggest he will continue to be involved even when the Brazilian resumes his starting role. The next step for the teenager is to begin to play a decisive role in games.

Saul, Atletico Madrid

While his Atletico teammates were winning La Liga last season, Saul was busy gaining valuable senior-level experience on loan at Rayo Vallecano. His time in Vallecas was a considerable success; the 19-year-old becoming key to Rayo's adventurous style and his reward has been immediate inclusion at the Vicente Calderon following his return earlier this summer.

Able to play at centre-back or in his more common position at the base of midfield, the 2012 European Under-19 Championship winner was linked with a move to the Premier League earlier this summer but remains in Madrid for the time being. That in turn will bring a first taste of Champions League football.

There is much competition for places that must be overcome if he is to truly shine this season, but Saul's work-rate, commitment and desire to play a fast-paced brand of passing football will appeal to Simeone's stylistic preferences. If he can reproduce the form he displayed for much of last season at Rayo, he will undoubtedly surprise a few people this campaign and continue to add to his burgeoning reputation.

Hakan Calhanoglu, Bayer Leverkusen

Another Turkish talent based in Germany, 20-year-old Hakan Calhanoglu moved between Bundesliga giants this summer to join Bayer Leverkusen from Hamburg and has made a quick start to life with his new club. In three league games to date, Calhanoglu has contributed one goal and two assists, including a fine free-kick effort this past weekend as well as scoring to help Bayer past FC Copenhagen in the Champions League qualifying rounds.

Now that he's firmly embedded in Leverkusen's starting XI, look for Calhanoglu to make a big impact this season.

As a central attacking midfielder, Calhanoglu was a standout performer for an (at times) woeful Hamburg side last season, despite having often been shunted wide to accommodate Dutchman Rafael van der Vaart. A return of 11 goals and four assists from his first full Bundesliga season was a demonstration of what he can achieve, but there is much more to come from the little man with a magical right foot.

Calhanoglu will be key to everything Leverkusen hope to achieve in the Champions League this year. Along with winger Son Heung-Min, he is the player most capable of providing a real spark of inspiration for the German side. If he can perform to his best, Leverkusen may just spring a surprise or two.