Calhanoglu looking forward to the battle of the Turks [divider]
Bayer Leverkusen star Hakan Çalhanoğlu admitted that he is looking forward to playing against Arda Turan’s Atletico Madrid side ahead of the Champions League Last 16 tie.
“Three Turkish players will be playing in the biggest competition in club football so of course it is a great honour,” Çalhanoğlu told Radyospor.
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The Last 16 first-leg will see three Turkish international players go head to head.
Ömer Toprak and Calhanoğlu are likely to start for Bayer while Turan is a doubt for Atleti due to injury.
Toprak is the Bundesliga outfits captain while Çalhanoğlu is one of the most promising young players in the team.
Çalhanoğlu joined Bayer for €14.5 million this summer – the highest fee ever paid for a Turkish international.
The 21-year-old was named best young player of the 2013/14 season by leading German football magazine 11 Freunde.
The Turkish international has a total of eight goals and seven assists for Bayer in all competitions this season.
Turan became the first Turkish player to win the La Liga with the Rojiblancos this season.