MARIO GOTZE

Who is he? Where does he play?

Well, you know we covered Borussia Dortmund's Marco Reus recently, Gotze is his fellow German's partner in crime, half of the duo that has teamed up in north-western Germany to terrorise the Bundesliga defences and lead Jurgen Klopp's bright young team into battle on the continent after two year's dominating their domestic league.

Ah right, we've heard a lot about him

We certainly have. Gotze is only 20, able to play on the right on in the centre, using his deadly playmaking ability to provide Robert Lewandowski and Reus as he has created 57 chances and tallied 12 assists so far this season. With 14 goals so far, this is his most potent season yet after hitting just 8 and 7 in his last 2 previous seasons with Dortmund. He is set to miss out on a third successive title but he has been instrumental in his team's run to the quarter-finals of the Champions League, playing in all 8 games so far.

There are too many skillful, technical German players.

That is right, but Gotze is arguably the best of them all. After receiving his footballing education with Dortmund from 2001, he was promoted into the senior squad aged just 17 in 2009 and he comes with the seal of approval off the former technical director of the German Football Association Mathias Sammer, "one of the best talents we've ever had". Franz Beckenbauer, all-round German miser and legend, also got in on the love-in, saying of Reus and Gotze, "as a classic duo there is nobody better than the prolific Gotze and Reus".

So what are his main strengths?

Using his movement to drop off and create chances for sure. His ability to drift into space allows space for the potent Rues and Lewandowski whilst his record of 2.3 chances created per game in the Bundesliga suggests how talented he is at picking out an incisive pass. His record of 920 passes attempted, of which he has completed 772, indicates he is always looking to play the ball. His deadly pace can also pin defenders and take them on with the dribble, attempting 79 so far this season and completing 3 per game. He is a magician of an attacking midfielder.

Will he leave Dortmund?

Manchester United have been interested in the past and his recent remarks that the Red Devils are the "only club for me in England" have only intensified matters. However, with the 20 year old in contract until 2016, reports are that he will command a £50 million transfer fee, so expect to see him keep torturing German defences as he stakes a claim in the run up to next year's World Cup. He has become one of Germany's brightest shining lights, playing 22 times for Joachim Loew's side and hitting 5 goals. 

He also has 2011's Golden Boy award in his locker, that also includes the Fritz Walter Golden medal for 2009 and 2010, showing how highly rated he has been in German football from such a young age. You can watch it for yourself here;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GAVmPrpd5o and here... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSzI9j5QJjA

MARCO REUS

Who is he? Where does he play?

He is Borussia Dortmund's forward who, at the age of 23, has become a regular for the Bundesliga champions and the full German national side. Good looking, physically fit and able to play left, centre, through the middle or up front, there is no man alive who wouldn't wish to be him.... and yes, that includes you!

Not me... anyway, we're not covering his looks...

No, we're not, that's quite correct. If you want to learn a little bit about him, here goes.....he started out with Post SV Dortmund, before moving to Borussia Dortmund to receive his footballing education. After a decade on the north Rhine, he was off to Rot Weiss Ahlen where he earned his big break, featuring in 14 matches in the German division three as the club got promoted. He scored 2 goals for the minnows. How was the history lesson?

It was ok... got anything else?

It was another Borussia, this time Monchengladbach that took him from Ahlen, going straight into the team as a 19 year old under manager Lucien Favre. He made a total of 109 appearances for Gladbach in 3 years and became German footballer of the year after his 18 goals helped the club finish 4th in the Bundesliga in 2012, gaining him a return to Dortmund for a fee of 17 million euros.

How's he doing?

Brilliantly. With his fine technical ability at home anywhere in Dortmund's front-line in the high-octane passing urged by manager Jurgen Klopp, he has thrived, scoring 19 goals in his 38 games, creating 51 chances and registering 9 assists as he links up with the superbly gifted duo of Robert Lewandowski and Mario Gotze. 

He is in the brand of small, low-balanced technicians who roam around the attacking areas, nimbly linking play together. He creates, on average, 2 chances a game and remains a significant goal threat with an average of 3 shots per match. His goals come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, as seen by this video.

Whilst his constant movement inside from his usual starting position of the left, he is a nightmare for defenders to mark, making Dortmund's front-line fully mobile. His passing accuracy of 76% perhaps needs improving, but it suggests the ambitious through balls and link-touches he tries to pull-off.

You're kind of, beginning to bore me now..

Well sorry, but you asked me to stop leering over his lovely blond hair and his blue eyes and flawless looks..... ach.... but it's not as boring as the German line of technically gifted footballers they now have. Reus, who has 15 caps and 7 goals for Die Maanschaft, has joined fellow club man Gotze, Sven and Lars Bender, Julian Draxler, Toni Kroos...zzz..... they are just taking the mick out of us. 

By the way, the Guardian did this ahead of the recent Champions League tie with Malaga, so if you can't take anymore of our bickering, read what the experts wrote...