The Pulse of Football

May

2025

Goran Pandev Interview: The Inter treble-winner hoping for fresh Champions League success

A member of Inter’s treble-winning squad and an ‘Interista’ through and through, Goran Pandev reveals the secrets behind the making of José Mourinho’s legendary squad and roots for Simone Inzaghi to win the Champions League.

By Filip Mishov

It’s been 15 years since Inter last won the Champions League back in 2010 after defeating Bayern Munich in the final at the Bernabéu in Madrid, and thus, became the first-ever Italian club to claim the treble, a historic feat unmatched by any other Italian side since.

A vital part of the Nerazzurri’s legendary squad that season was Goran Pandev, one of only three Macedonian players, alongside Ilija Najdoski and Darko Panchev , ever to have lifted Europe’s most coveted trophy (the latter players won the old European Cup with Red Star Belgrade back in 1990/91).

On the 22nd May, the actual 15th anniversary of arguably the club’s greatest success, and ahead of this season’s final between Inter and Paris Saint-Germain at the Allianz Arena in Munich on Saturday, I sat down with the so-called ‘Il Grande Macedone’ for an exclusive one-on-one interview for FotMob.

We revisited the magical night in Madrid, talked about the making of Massimo Moratti’s iconic squad, discussed the influence of The Special One and finally, we looked ahead to the upcoming final as the Macedonian is rooting for his former teammate and dear friend, Simone Inzaghi to lead Inter to European glory.

“Winning the Champions League is every kid’s ultimate dream when one starts playing football, as the Champions League is simply the pinnacle in football, and I definitely achieved the biggest success in my career with Inter. However, my road to success was not easy at all, as I come from a small country like Macedonia, and it was not straightforward at all. But with a lot of self-belief as well as hard work and with the help of my family, my friends, and even former coaches from the Macedonian national team and in the clubs that I played for, my childhood dream came true, and I am really, really happy about winning that trophy,” begins Pandev with a proud smile on his face.

The Strumica-born forward’s club career was at a crossroads in the summer of 2009 after the in-form Macedonian expressed a desire to experience a new challenge during the summer transfer window and subsequently, Lazio’s owner – Claudio Lotito froze Goran Pandev out of the squad in Rome. The player even raised the issue with Italian football’s governing body and after spending six months on the sidelines, Pandev was ultimately released from his contract by the ruling of Lega Calcio in late December. He was free to join any club, but a certain Portuguese coach had been closely following the legal battle.

“I joined Inter in the January transfer window after I had a difficult six months of being sidelined at Lazio and José Mourinho insisted that I signed for him. He was a big influence on all of us and not only on me because I was one of the younger players in the squad, but he had influence on much more experienced players like Javier Zanetti and we know what the Argentinean has done for Inter and about his role as captain. José Mourinho definitely had a big influence as he was the one who wanted Samuel Eto’o, Wesley Sneijder and Lucio as well, and he simply made a team that breathed as one and we did the unthinkable that season. I think that for many years to come the Italian clubs will have a hard time trying to replicate our success.”

The Macedonian forward made 27 appearances, scored three goals and recorded six assists across Serie A, Coppa Italia and the Champions League in the record-breaking 2009/10 campaign, and Inter’s no. 27 was also part of the starting XI for the final against Bayern Munich.

When asked whether the squad believed in success ahead of that game, he says: “Of course, we had confidence because when you put on Inter’s shirt, you feel a certain amount of weight on your shoulders and you have to give your best. Inter’s shirt means a lot to Italian football, and we won the Champions League after a gap of 45 years, with Inter’s last title in the competition back in 1964/65. We had a top squad led by José Mourinho, but I think Massimo Moratti deserves the biggest praise as he built that squad. It took him a long time to make a winning team and to win the Champions League. In the previous years, Inter had so many great players, and still could not win it. We made it the greatest success in the history of Inter, and when you write yourself with golden letters in Inter’s history, it means that you have done something special in your career.”

Inter secured 37 wins, drew 13 times and suffered only six defeats on the way to completing the treble. They scored 98 goals, which speak volumes about the quality of the squad, but according to Pandev, the decisive factor was the tight-knit bonds between the players in the dressing room: “This team had everything, it had character, it had quality, and we had players like Samuel Eto’o, Wesley Sneijder, Lucio, Walter Samuel and I can go on and on, as all of them were top players. Also, I believe that we had the best coach in Europe at that time in Mourinho, and that was proven by the results we achieved and the discipline we had. We were a squad of 22-23 players and everyone played at a very high level, all were a part of their respective national teams as well, and it was not easy to create this team, but we worked as a family, and we had a big friendship between us and I think that made the difference.”

Samuel Eto’o and Diego Milito formed a lethal partnership and together with Goran Pandev, became an attacking trident in which each player knew his task. Pandev hails the role of the Cameroonian on and off the pitch.

“We had a lot of talent in the squad, but I think with bringing Samuel Eto’o in, this team gained a lot of experience and acquired that winning mentality because before he came to Inter, he’ won the Champions League’s won it all with Barcelona. He was playing at the highest level, and he brought that winning mentality to the dressing room, his attitude both in training and on the pitch made the difference that season. Also, Diego Milito had a phenomenal season as he scored the key goals in the Coppa Italia, scored in the last match against Siena, and scored a brace against Bayern in the Champions League final, which was the icing on the cake.”

Goran Pandev and Simone Inzaghi spent five years together at Lazio during their playing days and the forwards even led the Rome-based club’s attack together on a few occasions. The former describes the latter as his dear friend and speaks with great admiration about the work of Inzaghi as a coach, and Pandev is closely following Inter and has even visited the squad a few times throughout this season.

“I have watched almost all the matches in the Champions League this season and they play good together and are being compact as a team. With Simone Inzaghi and Giuseppe Marotta coming in, Inter changed a lot, both from tactical perspective and in the transfer market as well. It is an experienced and quality side and that is shown by the results achieved as this will be their second final over the past three years. The Champions League is a very difficult competition where the best players and teams play and Inter has been playing at a high level in Europe for two or three years already, and that gives them hope ahead of the final.”

Inter’s path to reaching the Champions League final involved a semi-finals classic against Barcelona, which needed 13 goals to decide the winner and Pandev found watching the match nerve-racking: “It was an amazing match, one to get a heart stroke as we say (in Macedonia). Not only for me, but for all the players and fans that were present at San Siro. After the goal we conceded at 2-3, no one believed that Inter would defeat Barcelona. But the experience, the self-belief, the luck and the help from God, because you need to be also lucky in that moment for Francesco Acerbi to find himself in the penalty box in the 93^rd minute and in that situation, that is the real character of this team. As I previously said, Inter’s shirt is very heavy when you put it on, and it demands for trophies to be won, and I believe in this team, I think they have the quality to win the Champions League.”

Even though Lautaro Martínez & co. might become the first Inter squad to win the Champions League since 2010, Pandev says “I don’t think the squads can be compared because we played in a different formation with different tactics and I think those are completely different squads. Even though the Italian media likes to compare this team with the 2010 squad, I think there are a lot of differences. To be honest, I think the quality of Italian football is much lower today than it was 15 or 20 years ago.”

Goran Pandev himself is not a big fan of 3-5-2, but he offers a tactical insight into how Simone Inzaghi has mastered the formation with the help of his players: “I think that these two teams know each other very well and this final will be decided in the middle of the pitch. Inter play just a little bit more defensive football than PSG as they like to counter-attack with Denzel Dumfries and Federico Dimarco, who are the ones making the difference. Also, Marcus Thuram is a very dangerous striker and one who attacks the free space really well, we just hope that Lautaro will be 100% ready for this game as he was recently injured. Inter are destined to play 3-5-2 as I think they won’t change this approach which brought us so much success this season.”

Luis Enrique is the architect behind the current Paris Saint-Germain’s squad and Pandev maintains huge respect for the Spanish coach, but also adds that watching Inter on TV and live in the stadium, is a completely different experience, and disagrees with the claims that Inter play defensive football under Inzaghi.

“I prefer 4-3-3 more, but both teams play attacking football if I am being honest. Everyone thinks that Inter are playing defensive football, but when Dumfries finds space to get to the opponents box, there are four or five players there like Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Nicolo Barella who are quality players and then you have Martínez and Dimarco on top of that. Everyone thinks that this system is mainly a defensive one, but when you watch Inter live, it is quite the opposite. When they have the ball in possession, they play with a lot of freedom in the wide areas, and it quickly converts to an attacking formation. Luis Enrique is an excellent coach, and we know what the Spaniards are like, and I think that he’s made a perfect team at Paris Saint-Germain, a team that was built by him. Every player is a technically gifted footballer, and I think after the big stars left, PSG are playing much better football.”

“I will be present in Munich and watch the final live. I hope for Inter’s victory, but anything can happen over the course of one match. Paris Saint-Germain has a quality team, a young team with some great talent. The experience is on Inter’s side and I think Inter deserve the trophy. They had a lot of injuries during crucial parts of the season with key players being out. I hope Inter will win the Champions League especially because of Simone Inzaghi, who is a very good friend of mine and I really hope that he will lift the trophy.”

(Image from IMAGO and courtesy of the Football Federation of Macedonia)

You can follow the Champions League Final with FotMob this season – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

The second part of the exclusive interview focuses on Goran Pandev’s new role as sports director of the Macedonian national teams and will be released in early June ahead of Macedonia’s match against Belgium in the World Cup 2026 Qualifiers.

*Any republishing or translation of the interview without a direct reference and link leading to the author or original site of where it was published is strictly prohibited

May

2025

All is not well for the Red and Black side of Milan

AC Milan supporters are pointing fingers at the club’s ownership after the Rossoneri suffered their worst league season for a decade.

By Graham Ruthven

Banned from taking flags and banners on to the Curva Sud, Milan’s ultras had to improvise to get their point across during the final game of their club’s crisis season. “Go home,” read the message sent to the Rossoneri’s American owners by thousands of supporters choreographed into giant letters. RedBird Capital aren’t welcome at San Siro.

By every measure, Milan’s 2024/25 campaign was calamitous. They finished eighth in Serie A, their lowest league finish for a decade. They changed managers midway through the season, after hiring Paulo Fonseca only last summer, and considered making another change in March, according to reports. Questions over Sérgio Conceição’s future persist.

Supercoppa glory at the start of the year counted for something, as did the run to the final of the Coppa Italia, but the failure to make it past Feyenoord in the Champions League round of 32 was a season-defining flop. Even worse was that Feyenoord made it through despite selling their top scorer (Santiago Giménez) to Milan in January.

Antonio Conte reportedly wanted the Milan job only for the decision makers at San Siro to pass him over in favour of Fonseca who only lasted until the end of December, and was only hired because fans rebelled against the club’s first-choice candidate, Julen Lopetegui. Conte, meanwhile, led Napoli to the Scudetto with a less talented squad than the one he would have inherited as Milan manager.

Over and over again, Milan have made bad decisions, leading to the breaking point reached in the last few weeks. “There is anger and frustration among the fans, feelings we share,” Milan CEO Giorgio Furlani explained. “Today a season ends. The next one will start right away tomorrow. There can’t be just one reason if we’re so far below expectation. There are several things we need to sort out because next season can’t be like this one.”

Since taking over three years ago, RedBird have done everything possible to paint themselves as methodical, modern owners. Gerry Cardinale, founder of the New York-based investment firm, has spoken about “winning smart,” but AC Milan aren’t winning and they certainly aren’t doing much smartly.

Sacking Paolo Maldini as sporting director wasn’t smart. The legendary former defender had played an important role in building a title-winning squad that included the likes of Rafael Leão, Theo Hernández, Fikayo Tomori and Olivier Giroud. When Maldini publicly insisted that Milan needed to spend more to stay at the top of Italian football, he was dismissed. For many fans, this made him a martyr.

Zlatan Ibrahimović arrived as Maldini’s replacement, but not in any official capacity. Instead, the Swede has operated as a consultant in a way that has caused confusion over his true influence over transfer strategy and other front office matters. Ibrahimović has been blamed for many of the bad decisions made recently. His presence at Milanello is murky. Nobody really knows what he does.

Of course, Milan are far from the only Italian club under American ownership. Atalanta, Hellas Verona, Fiorentina, Inter, Parma, Roma and Venezia all have American owners with Canadian Joey Saputo in charge at Bologna. Serie A has significant upside and has welcomed North American investment to keep up with the other Big Five leagues.

Milan fans, however, are sceptical of RedBird’s true intentions as owners. They aren’t in it purely for the football, they’re in it to make money as an investment fund with over $10 billion of assets around the world. Success on the pitch might be a byproduct of this focus, but many question whether RedBird will ever be able to find the right balance.

“For my investors, who focus on terminal value appreciation, my job is to position AC Milan to contend for the Scudetto every year, qualify for the Champions League every year, and go through the Champions League competition as far as possible every year,” said Cardinale in an interview. “That’s what maximises cash flow and brand value.”

Things could get even worse for Milan this summer. Manchester City are interested in Tijjani Reijnders and have opened talks over a summer move for the Dutch midfielder, one of the few Rossoneri players to come out of this season with any credit. Leão and Hernández are also being linked with clubs in the Premier League and Saudi Pro League.

RedBird have rejected suggestions they could sell up or reduce their ownership stake at the very least, reiterating their stated plan to restore Milan as a genuine force at the top of Italian football. The reality, however, is that the Rossoneri haven’t been so far adrift of Italy’s elite in a long time.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from Serie A with FotMob – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

May

2025

Angel Gomes: Out of contract at Lille and in demand back in England

Friday, May 23, 2025. Napoli found themselves on track to miss out on the Scudetto to Inter until the 42nd minute, when, despite being manhandled by Cagliari’s Gabriele Zappa, Scott McTominay completed an audacious scissor kick to open the scoring in a 2-0 home victory. A few minutes later, in Seville, Antony picked up a through ball from Isco and bended it into the back of the net with a world-class finish, breaking the deadlock in a 1-1 draw vs. Valencia.

By Zach Lowy

Both McTominay and Antony have hit extraordinary heights since departing Manchester United this season – the former winning Serie A’s Most Valuable Player after guiding Napoli to the league title, the latter spearheading Real Betis to the UEFA Conference League Final. However, they’re far from the only players who have taken their game to a new level after leaving the Theatre of Dreams. Plenty of former Red Devils like Anthony Elanga and Marcus Rashford have found a new lease on life since decamping to greener pastures, and one player in particular could be in line for a Premier League return this summer.

Born in Edmonton, England, Angel Gomes is the son of Angolan-born Portuguese youth international Gil Gomes as well as the godson of Manchester United legend Nani. Gomes joined United’s renowned Carrington academy in 2006 and ascended through the ranks, eventually replacing Wayne Rooney for his debut on May 21, 2017 and becoming the youngest player since Duncan Edwards in 1953 to play for United.

That same year, Gomes won the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year and steered England to victory in the FIFA U17 World Cup. However, his slight 5’6” frame caused him to be overlooked by José Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjær, prompting him to leave United in 2020 for Ligue 1 side Lille. Gomes was promptly loaned out to Portuguese outfit Boavista, where he racked up six goals and six assists (including a stunning goal from the halfway line vs. Moreirense) before heading back to northern France.

Whilst he wasn’t able to help Lille retain their Ligue 1 title, he did manage 30 appearances across all competitions and win the 2021 Trophée des Champions. An attacking midfielder by trade, Gomes was utilised as a right winger, a left winger, and a No. 10 in his debut campaign in France and emerged as a valuable impact sub, but under the watchful eye of Paulo Fonseca, he solidified a starting spot in a more central area. Forming a stalwart midfield trio alongside Benjamin André and André Gomes, Gomes impressed as a deep-lying playmaker, capable of popping up in different areas and filtering passes between the lines for his teammates. Similarly to the great Andrés Iniesta, Gomes used his biggest question mark – small stature – as a virtue, with his low centre of gravity enabling him to weasel out of pressure and keep the ball glued to his boot, before chiseling out an opportunity for his teammates.

After leading Lille to a fifth-place finish in 2022/23 (a massive improvement on their previous 10th-place finish) and winning the U21 Euros with England, Gomes swapped his No. 20 shirt for the No. 8, previously worn by Lille icons like Michel Bastos, Moussa Sow, Salomon Kalou, and Xeka. With great power comes great responsibility, and Gomes did just that by steering Les Dogues to a fourth-place finish in 2023/24 and qualification to the UEFA Champions League. Gomes proved adept at maneuvering out of pressure, constantly scanning the pitch and staying wary of danger before manipulating his body weight in order to dodge a tackle whilst remaining balanced. However, he also showed off his incisiveness and killer end product, finishing as the joint-top assist provider in Ligue 1 and ranking sixth for progressive passes completed in Ligue 1. Reinvented as a midfield architect, Gomes thrived at dropping between the centre backs and picking up the ball in deeper areas, opening up his hips to receive on the front foot and drawing in opposing players before exploiting the press with ease.

“Angel is maybe the most intelligent player I have in my team,” stated Fonseca, who departed in the summer of 2024 and was replaced by Bruno Génésio. “When we have Angel closer to the attack, when he plays between the lines, he is more decisive. He understands timing and space and his positioning changes his intentions.”

The 2024/25 season hasn’t been quite as kind to Gomes, who departed their Ligue 1 opener vs. Reims after being knocked unconscious, suffering a busted lip, and being carried off on a stretcher following a collision with Amadou Koné. Whilst Koné was sent off and suspended for four matches, Gomes remained in a jocular mood, joking that “someone should remind him next time to not jump for a header.” He returned in time to make his debut for England’s senior team, playing in their UEFA Nations League matches vs. Finland and Ireland and becoming the first player to represent England whilst employed by a French side since Trevor Steven in 1992. Gomes played in each of Lille’s next nine league matches before suffering a calf injury, eventually returning to the side on January 10 for his first appearance in 61 days and coming off the bench in a goalless stalemate vs. Auxerre, before playing 10 minutes vs. Strasbourg.

*Gomes’ season summary since leaving Manchester United*

Gomes was then given a starting opportunity as an attacking midfielder in Lille’s 4-2-3-1 formation, opening his Champions League account in a 6-1 thrashing of Feyenoord, completing 29 out of 31 passes (including two key passes), and coming out on top in four out of four ground duels, before exiting at halftime in a 4-1 win vs. Saint-Ètienne. He was an unused substitute for their next three matches before returning to the side on March 1, where he lasted just 45 minutes before being replaced by Ethan Mbappé. Little did he know it, but that would be the 134th and final appearance of his Lille career. With Gomes showing no signs of renewing his contract, Génésio elected to drop him from the side for the final three months of the campaign en route to a fifth-place finish.

It wasn’t the fairytale ending that he would have hoped for, but Gomes can nevertheless leave the Stade Pierre-Mauroy with his head held high. Across his four years in France, he transformed from a wonderkid to the real deal, a player who could impose himself on proceedings with his elaborate disguised passes, his tenacious counter-pressing, and his deliberately executed dribbles out of the press. He developed a seamless chemistry with Jonathan David, who will also depart Lille on a free this summer, and showcased an ingenuity and precision in retaining possession and advancing the ball forward with telepathic accuracy, but he also showed his mettle out of possession in terms of winning back the ball and making crucial interceptions.

Eight years after becoming the first player born in the 2000’s to play in the Premier League, Angel Gomes looks set to return to the Premier League just as he left it: on a free transfer. Manchester United, West Ham, Everton have all registered interest in the English midfield maestro, whilst Tottenham Hotspur have also put out feelers for Gomes, who is on track to become the latest Lille player to move to England after Amadou Onana, Sven Botman, Carlos Baleba and Leny Yoro. He needed to escape the blinding lights of the Premier League in order to flourish, but at 24 years of age, Gomes is finally ready to make his mark in England’s top-flight and challenge for a place in Thomas Tuchel’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow the every game from French football on FotMob – with in-depth stat coverage including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

May

2025

Preview: Betis meet Chelsea in the Conference League Final

Real Betis and Chelsea go head-to-head in the Europa Conference League final on Wednesday at the Tarczynski Arena.

By Matt Smith

Both sides will be looking to end their season on a high, lifting a trophy in Europe after impressive seasons domestically. Betis finished sixth in LaLiga, qualifying for the Europa League, while Chelsea ended their season in the Champions League places thanks to a final-day win over Nottingham Forest.

It’s been almost 20 years since the two sides faced each other. Betis and Chelsea went head-to-head during the 2005/2006 Champions League campaign.

Team news

Betis could be without some key players heading into this game, with former Arsenal defender Héctor Bellerín among those on the treatment table. Marc Roca, Diego Llorente, and Chimy Ávila will also be unavailable, while Giovani Lo Celso is a doubt.

Chelsea will welcome the return of Nicolas Jackson after his sending off against Newcastle United saw him sit out the Premier League run in due to suspension. Enzo Maresca has often heavily rotated his side for this competition, but it will be interesting to see if he goes full strength for the final.

Betis’ defensive solidity has helped them get to the final

The loan signing of Antony from Manchester United has helped Betis’ production in the final third, but it’s their defensive solidity that has helped them reach the final of the competition. Conceding just 0.9 goals per game, only bettered by their opponents Chelsea, Betis have been difficult to break down in Conference League.

Finding the back of the net has actually been a bit of a struggle for Betis in the competition. Despite creating 24.5 expected goals (xG), the Spanish outfit have scored just 1.6 goals per game.

Chelsea have flown through the competition

It’s difficult to argue that Chelsea haven’t been the best side in the competition so far this campaign. Scoring more goals and conceding fewer than any other team in the Conference League, Maresca’s side have been mightily impressive despite heavily rotating their squad.

The Blues have also averaged more possession per game than any other team, creating the most big chances and the most touches inside the opposition box.

Nkunku a different animal in Europe

Christopher Nkunku has endured a difficult time at Chelsea since his arrival from RB Leipzig, struggling to make an impact in the Premier League. The same can’t be said for his production in Europe, providing eight goals and assists combined in the competition.

As mentioned, Maresca has fully utilised his squad in the Conference League, giving the likes of Nkunku the opportunity to impress. The French international has flourished in Europe this term, so he could be the difference for Chelsea if Maresca continues to trust him.

Prediction

This will undoubtedly be the toughest test Chelsea have faced so far in the tournament, and Betis have been in impressive form. We’re going for a 1-1 draw in normal time, with Chelsea lifting the trophy at the end of the night.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow the Conference League Final with FotMob this season — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

May

2025

Chelsea’s Cobham boys in the Conference League

It’s not controversial to say Chelsea don’t belong in the Europa Conference League. With a combined squad value of around £1 billion, give or take a few million, the highest in the competition’s short history, it’s hardly fair on the others.

By Alex Roberts

They’ll square off against Real Betis in the final tonight, aiming to become the first club in history to win all three ‘major’ European trophies. Their journey has been a cake walk but something interesting has happened along the way.

Enzo Maresca, rightly or wrongly, has come under a lot of scrutiny since taking over last summer. His style of play is dull, and the relationship with the fans is rocky, despite Chelsea achieving Champions League qualification on the final day of the Premier League season.

At a time when the supporter base is divided, one thing everyone can agree on is it’s nice to see the academy lads get some minutes on the continent. The most prominent of which are Tyrique George and Josh Acheampong.

George, a tricky little winger, has expertly filled the hole left by Mykhaylo Mudryk following his ban for failing a drug test. Most of his appearances have come off the bench, but Maresca is beginning to trust him more and more, starting him in three of the last four Conference League games.

He impressed in the new look league phase, but it wasn’t until the knock-out game against FC Kopenhaven he bagged his first goal contribution, providing the assist for Enzo Fernández’s 65^th minute strike in the 2-1 win.

In the 3-0 win over Legia Warsaw in the quarters he scored his first senior goal for the club he joined as an Under-8. The look on his face said it all, overjoyed to score and relived to finally have that weight lifted off his shoulders. He went on to score the equaliser in Chelsea’s 2-1 win over Fulham, a valuable contribution to their UCL aspirations.

Acheampong primarily operates on the complete opposite end of the pitch to George. A lanky defender, equally comfortable as a right-back as he is a centre-back, Maresca has already professed his ‘love’ for the 19-year-old.

His journey was a little less straight forward. Frozen out due to a contract dispute with the club, he looked likely to be the next Cobham grad to head for the exit, desperate to prove everyone wrong.

After a few months, he finally put pen to paper in a deal that would keep him at Stamford Bridge until 2029, and he was back with the squad. He hasn’t look back since, playing the full 90 minutes in all of their quarter and semi-final games.

Unlike Gerorge he’s yet to score but that’s not exactly his game. With a 95.1% pass accuracy rate, 38 duels won, and 706 touches in his seven European games, he’s wise beyond his years, earning his teammates’ trust along the way.

There have been plenty more, in fact Maresca has handed more debuts to academy players (8) than any other manager in Chelsea history. The Conference League squad has been chocked full of teenagers, like a chicken shop in London at around 15:30pm on a weekday.

By the time the final whistle blew in the 1-0 win over Djurgården, there were five of them on the pitch. They’d all played for the club before, but one player in particular grabbed all the headlines, young Reggie Walsh.

Aged 16 years and 200 days, he should be worried about his GCSEs and acne, instead he’s Chelsea’s third youngest ever player, behind only midfielder Ian Hamilton and goalkeeper Kingsley Whiffen, who made their debuts in 1967. Who said Chelsea didn’t have any history.

A diminutive attacking midfielder with impressive close control and a decent eye for a pass, Walsh certainly made an impression. He was so good, the usually calm and collected captain, Reece James, swore on live tv while talking about how good he is.

Sam Rak-Sakyi (20), Ato Ampah (19), Shumeira Mheuka (17), Kiano Dyer (18), Harrison Murray-Campbell (18), and Genesis Antwi (17) all deserve shout outs too, the campaign has been a huge win for all of them.

What those outside of the Chelsea bubble may not know, is all of this comes at a very interesting time for the academy. Long serving and much-loved duo Neil Bath and Jim Fraser, the men responsible for bringing through the likes of James, Mason Mount, and Conor Gallagher, among others, have departed.

It was reportedly mutual, both were thinking of leaving and Chelsea were thinking of getting rid, easy enough. Several young stars were believed to be thinking about leaving but that doesn’t appear to be an issue anymore.

The dust has settled and Maresca has proven academy stars have a genuine future at the club, they’ll have to be really good at football though, Chelsea are still looking to sign the best youngsters from across the globe. Estêvão and Kendry Páez are just the beginning.

Football is cruel, it remains to be seen whether they will all make it, although coming through Chelsea’s academy certainly gives them a leg up. One thing’s for certain, there are plenty more where they came from.

Ibrahim Rabbaj has taken social media by storm for kind of looking like a young Mount and playing like a certain Argentinian. The ‘Moroccan Messi’ they call him, the kind of comparison that hasn’t been kind to plenty of ex-wonderkids.

With one eye on the future, amid all the chaos, perhaps things at Chelsea aren’t so bad after all.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow the Conference League Final with FotMob this season – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

May

2025

The FotMob Team of the Season for the Premier League

This is what we’ve all been waiting for, isn’t it? The FotMob Team of the Season is here.

By Sam McGuire

Premier League winners Liverpool, as expected, have the most representatives in the XI. The big surprise, though, was that runners-up Arsenal don’t have a single player involved while 15th placed Manchester United have one.

So, without further ado, here’s your 2024/25 FotMob Team of the Season.

Goalkeeper: Jordan Pickford

David Raya and Matz Sels shared the Golden Glove award with 13 clean sheets each. But the man keeping goal for us is Jordan Pickford.

The Everton shot stopper recorded 12 clean sheets and gets the nod here because of how busy he was compared to the other two in contention. The England international made 122 saves and had a save percentage of 73.5%. He prevented 6.15 goals this term with his exploits between the sticks. His inclusion is deserved.

Right-Back: Trent Alexander-Arnold

Perhaps controversial given he’s not been at his best this term, but Alexander-Arnold has done enough to be included in the FotMob XI. The Liverpool full-back, who is leaving the club for Real Madrid, finished with six assists, though that was due to the poor finishing of his teammates more than anything else.

He had an Expected Assists total of 7.4, the sixth highest in the Premier League. The right-back also crested 53 chances. A good end to his career with the Reds.

Centre-Back: Virgil Van Dijk

Van Dijk captained Liverpool to the Premier League title. He made 37 starts, only sitting out the 3-2 loss to Brighton recently,

The Dutchman, who recently signed a new deal with the Reds, had a pass success rate of 92%. He chipped in with three goals and registered an assist. The Liverpool No.4 was dominant defensively, winning 68% of his ground duels and 72% of his aerial duels.

Centre-Back: Joško Gvardiol

A risky inclusion, maybe?

Gvardiol played a large chunk at left-back but did finish the campaign strongly at centre-back, so he’s getting into this team alongside Van Dijk.

The former RB Leipzig man made 37 appearances and scored five goals. Incredibly, he had an Expected Goals total of 4.6 and an Expected Assists total of 2.91. Gvardiol had a 91% pass success rate, a 64% success rate in dribbles, and he won 67% of his tackles and 61% of his duels.

Left-Back: Antonee Robinson

Robinson is only one of eight players in the Premier League this season to hit double digits for assists this term. He’s the only defender on the list.

The Fulham full-back created 43 chances in the Premier League and finished with a FotMob rating of 7.34. Robinson, liked by a number of clubs per reports, won 64% of his tackles and 67% of his aerial duels.

Midfield: Moises Caicedo

Believe it or not, Caicedo might be justifying his price tag. The Chelsea man has bossed it this term. He made 38 starts for the Blues and had a success rate of 64% in tackles. He also won 59% of his duels and 64% of his aerial duels. The former Brighton man was averaging 1.31 interceptions and two tackles per 90. He also had a 90% pass success for Enzo Maresca‘s side.

With and without the ball, he was incredible.

Midfield: Bruno Fernandes

The Manchester United captain might be on his way this summer but he’s had another season to remember for the Red Devils with eight goals and 10 assists.

Fernandes ranked first in the Premier League for chances created (91) and was fourth for Expected Assists with eight. He was a talisman for the team, under both Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim.

Attack: Mohamed Salah

The most obvious inclusion here. Salah topped the charts for goals (29), assists (18) and he was the highest rated FotMob player with an average rating of 8.0.

Salah was a regular in the FotMob Team of the Week. He ranked first for Expected Goals, second for Expected Assists and first for Big Chances Created. He was also joint-second for Chances Created with 89.

The Liverpool No. 11 was unstoppable, inevitable and relentless.

Attack: Cole Palmer

Palmer failed to hit the heights of last season but he was still incredible for Chelsea. The versatile forwards finished with a FotMob rating of 7.64, an average that only Salah could better.

He had 23 goal involvements, with 15 goals and eight assists. The one-time Manchester City youngster was joint-second for Chances Created, second for Big Chances Created and joint-second for Expected Assists.

Attack: Bryan Mbeumo

Mbeumo was one of the surprise packages of the season. The Brentford attacker scored 20 goals on his way to 27 goal involvements in what could be his final campaign with the Bees. He made it 20 with a goal against Wolves on the final day. Across the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons, he scored just 18.

The 25-year-old ranked first for Expected Assists with 9.3. Yes, more than the main man Salah.

Considering he played a variety of roles for Brentford this term, he did a remarkable job.

Attack: Erling Haaland

Haaland may have failed to make it three successive Golden Boots, but he did make it into the FotMob Team of the Season. The Manchester City forward found the back of the net on 22 occasions in what was an injury hit campaign. Despite the frustration of appearing in just 2,700 minutes in the English top-flight, the 24-year-old finished with the highest Expected Goals per 90 average of 0.72.

(Images from IMAGO)

You can follow every match from the Premier League live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage, xG and player ratings. Download the free app here.

May

2025

Premier League Team of the Week: The Final Round

For the final time this season, we have the FotMob Team of the Week. There are a few surprises in the XI but that’s because we had a few surprise results to round off the 2024/25 campaign.

By Sam McGuire

Goalkeeper: Jordan Pickford

The Everton shot-stopper loves playing against Newcastle United. Pickford made six saves at St James’ Park, facing efforts with an Expected Goals on Target value of 2.16 on his way to a clean sheet as the Toffees beat the Magpies 1-0 to end their season on a high.

Right-Back: Ben White

The Arsenal full-back has been missed this season. Limited to just 17 matches due to injury, White was in fine form against Southampton as the Gunners recorded a 2-1 win over the relegated side. The 27-year-old completed 89% of his passes, he created two chances, claimed an assist, and won 100% of his tackles at St Mary’s.

Centre-Back: Illia Zabarnyi

The Bournemouth centre-back claimed his first assist of the season as the Cherries best Leicester City to round off an impressive season. The 22-year-old also completed 100% of his attempted dribbles, found a teammate with 83% of his attempted passes and won 100% of his tackles as well as 83% of his aerial duels.

Centre-Back: Levi Colwill

Colwill scored the goal to secure Champions League football for Chelsea. The 22-year-old netted the winner against Nottingham Forest, at the City Ground, as the Blues secured fourth spot in the Premier League. The England international also completed 89% of his passes and won 100% of his aerial duels.

Left-Back: Tyrick Mitchell

Mitchell assisted Ismaïla Sarr as Crystal Palace drew against Liverpool at Anfield. The left wing back was the star performer on the day, claiming a FotMob rating of 8.5. To go along with his assist, he completed two of his three dribbles, attempted three tackles and involved himself in 12 duels, winning eight.

Midfield: Bruno Fernandes

Just days after saying he could well leave Manchester United this summer, Fernandes impressed against Aston Villa. He completed the most passes (86), he had a pass success rate of 92%, created three chances, one big chance and finished with an assist. The Portugal playmaker also had five shots, attempted five tackles and was involved in 15 duels.

Midfield: İlkay Gündoğan

With his first goal of the season, Gündoğan put Manchester City on their way against Fulham at Craven Cottage. The win for Pep Guardiola‘s side ensured they finished third in the Premier League. Gündoğan created the most chances (six), was the most fouled player (four), completed 88% of his attempted passes and won a penalty late on. The Germany international was the main man.

Midfield: João Gomes

Gomes ran the show for Wolves in the 1-1 draw with Brentford. The 24-year-old made the most tackles (seven), was the most fouled player (three), won the most duels (16), created one chance, attempted five dribbles with a 60% success rate. That FotMob rating of 8.3 was well deserved.

Attack: Jarrod Bowen

It is becoming the norm now, but Bowen was incredible for West Ham United in their 3-1 win over Ipswich Town. The versatile forward scored and assisted against the Tractor Boys, creating two chances and having four shots. It wasn’t a one-man show but he did carry the forward line for Graham Potter‘s side.

Attack: Jack Hinshelwood

Deployed in attack by Brighton, Hinshelwood scored twice against Tottenham as the Seagulls recorded a 4-1 win. The versatile midfielder completed 83% of his passes, won 100% of his tackles, 75% of his ground duels, and 50% of his aerial duels. He did a bit of everything for Brighton and deservedly claimed a 9.1 FotMob rating.

Attack: Antoine Semenyo

The in-demand forward finished the campaign with 11 goals following his double against Leicester. Semenyo was a menace throughout, attempting four shots, three dribbles and involving himself in nine ground duels as a left sided attacker. If he is to move this summer, it is a good final showing for the Cherries.

(Images from IMAGO)

You can follow every match from the Premier League live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage, xG and player ratings. Download the free app here.

May

2025

Preview: Saints end horror season with the visit of Arsenal

Southampton host Arsenal at St Mary’s Stadium in the final game of the Premier League season, in a game that is unlikely to mean too much for either side. The Saints’ relegation was confirmed at the beginning of April, while the Gunners can only finish second or third, with Champions League qualification secured.