Ibrahim Afellay

Recruited by FC Barcelona in January 2011 after several seasons of steadily increasing stature and maturity with PSV Eindhoven, Ibrahim Afellay is a creative, pacy wide midfielder whose participation at UEFA EURO 2012 was placed in jeopardy when he sustained cruciate ligament damage to his left knee in September 2011.

• Born in Utrecht of Moroccan descent, Afellay joined PSV in 1996 having been scouted while playing for amateur outfit USV Elinkwijk.

• Developed gradually at PSV, scoring his first two Eredivisie goals in 4-2 defeat of Feyenoord in the final home game of 2004/05, and was ever-present in the UEFA Champions League the following campaign.

• Heavily involved as PSV won four successive Dutch titles from 2004/05 to 2007/08, he was voted Talent of the Year in the Netherlands in 2006/07 after scoring six times in 27 league appearances; eclipsed that total two seasons later with a career-best 13 top-flight goals.

• Eligible to play for Morocco but chose the Netherlands instead, making his debut in a UEFA EURO 2008 qualifier away to Slovenia; made three appearances at the final tournament and the same number at the 2010 FIFA World Cup as the Oranje finished runners-up to Spain.

• Played all but seven minutes of the 2010/11 UEFA Europa League group stage as PSV finished top of their section – joined Barcelona for a reported €3m a few weeks later and ended the season with a cameo in the UEFA Champions League final against Manchester United FC.

• Ruled out for almost seven months in autumn 2011 when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in training but proved his fitness in Barcelona's remaining Liga games to earn a place in the Dutch squad for UEFA EURO 2012.

UEFA honours
UEFA Champions League: winner 2011