The Pulse of Football

May

2025

Arda Guler: Ready to step up in an improved role at Real Madrid?

Arda Güler has endured a difficult season, but recently demonstrated why so many at Real Madrid still believe he is a future Galactico in the making.

By Graham Ruthven

Just days after the painful defeat to Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final, Arda Güler’s standout performance against Celta Vigo gave Real Madrid reason to believe again. A difficult transitional season could have shaken faith in the Turkish youngster’s potential. Instead, his standing as a future Galactico is firmer than ever.

After starring for Türkiye at Euro 2024, Güler might have expected to play a more significant role in Carlo Ancelotti’s team this season. However, the addition of Kylian Mbappé and Endrick limited the youngster’s minutes when Güler would have been a key difference-maker for most other teams in Europe.

Real Madrid, of course, aren’t like most other teams in Europe. Galacticos must earn their place and competition for places is so stiff that Güler found himself behind Rodrygo and Brahim Díaz on the right side. His Man of the Match performance against Celta Vigo, however, suggested Ancelotti should have used him more regularly.

Güler is an all-round threat. Not only did the 20-year-old arrow a powerful strike into the top corner, he threaded through an outstanding pass from deep to release Mbappé in behind to score Real Madrid’s third goal. As a creator and a goal threat in his own right, Güler served a reminder of everything he offers.

The interchange play with Mbappé was possibly the most encouraging thing about Güler’s overall performance. Having Güler on the right side to link up with opened up a new dimension for Mbappé who usually drifts to the left where he can combine with Vinícius Júnior. It was unusual to see him in the right half spaces so often.

Ultimately, Ancelotti has never found the right balance across his forward line. The arrival of Mbappé disrupted the chemistry Real Madrid had developed last season as they won a Liga and Champions League double with Jude Bellingham playing the role of a de-facto number nine from central midfield. With Vinícius and Rodrygo as split strikers, the system worked.

Xabi Alonso, who is widely expected to replace Ancelotti this summer, will inherit the same conundrum. Güler, however, could offer part of the solution. He is the sort of player who could give Real Madrid some much-needed balance.

While Güler’s brilliance on the ball is what makes him so special, he also ranks in the 98th percentile for players in his position when it comes to tackles in the attacking third per 90 minutes (0.69). He also ranks highly for dribblers challenged, passes blocked and tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes. The Turk is proactive in and out of possession.

Ancelotti has been extremely careful not to rush Güler into the Real Madrid lineup. Too careful in the opinion of a lot of Madridistas, although the Italian coach could point to how Güler has started 10 league matches this season and will likely break the 1,000-minute mark, three times as much game time as he received last term.

“I know people in Türkiye want me to play every game for Real Madrid. I do too, but I know I have to be patient,” wrote Güler in a recent article for The Players’ Tribune, referencing the clamour from supporters. “When Ancelotti says that I can become one of the best midfielders in the world, it shows that the club has a plan for me.”

*Güler’s passing stats are impressive, when he has featured in LaLiga this season*

That plan hasn’t always been obvious. Real Madrid’s apparent strategy in recent times has been to stockpile the best young players in the world and develop them to the point they have no choice but to play them. This is what they did with Vinícius and Rodrygo with Endrick another talent who falls into this category.

In the past, Real Madrid would have waited for such players to establish themselves somewhere else before buying them for big money. Increasingly, though, Los Blancos are cutting out the middle step, perhaps motivated by the expensive reconstruction of the Santiago Bernabéu which has impacted the club’s ability to spend in the transfer market. Real Madrid are signing young prospects and free agents.

Nicknamed ‘The Turkish Messi’ as a prodigious teenager at Fenerbahçe, Guler has played with the weight of expectation on his shoulders for years. His home nation expects him to become a superstar, if his performances at Euro 2024 didn’t already make him one. Real Madrid have a similar expectation.

Next season, Güler will likely have the chance to make a fresh impression on a new manager. Alonso, assuming he takes over, will have a different plan for Real Madrid as a team, and Güler as a player. The 20-year-old’s late-season form proves he should still be at the forefront of the club’s future plans.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every Real Madrid game with FotMob this season – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

May

2025

Pippo Inzaghi is leading Pisa back in to the big time

With Simone Inzaghi one game away from winning the Champions League with Inter, his brother Pippo Inzaghi has guided Pisa to Serie A promotion for the first time since 1990.

By Kaustubh Pandey

The older Inzaghi, who was known for scintillating finishing ability during his playing days, hasn’t had a straightforward journey as a manager. Despite that, he has made something out of everything that has come his way – exactly what you’d expect from an expert poacher. As a result, he has acquired a reputation for helping Serie B teams reach promotion play-offs.

And as Simone continues to impress with his own Nerazzurri, Filippo is doing that with a Nerazzurri side of his own in a different division.

Pippo Inzaghi’s managerial journey

After a fruitless start to his managerial career at Milan, Inzaghi joined Venezia in Serie C. The move came right after the Lagurani had earned promotion from Serie D. Inzaghi took them directly to Serie B in his first season and in the very next season, they finished fifth in the second division, only to lose in the promotion play-off semi-finals.

The impression he made at Venezia caught the attention of Bologna, who were then trying to establish themselves in Serie A. The experience only lasted around seven months and it became clear that Inzaghi was yet to do enough to impress at the highest level.

His next step came, once again, in Serie B. Benevento had just dropped down to the second division after a stint in the top-flight during the 2017/18 campaign and were dreaming of an immediate return.

It worked out excellently, as the Giallorossi earned promotion with seven games remaining in the season. Their yo-yoing continued, though, and they were relegated just one season later with Inzaghi leaving at the end of the campaign having once again failing to make a mark in Serie A.

Brescia was the Italian’s next adventure. Owned by the chaotic Massimo Cellino, the then Serie B side sacked Inzaghi even when they were fifth in the table and well in with a chance of making it to the play-offs. It was a classic Cellino decision.

A move to crisis-ridden Reggina followed. Amidst their major financial problems, Inzaghi took them to the play-offs but was sacked due to the club’s battle with bankruptcy.

Pisa is Inzaghi’s latest achievement and considering how the Nerazzurri haven’t played in Serie A since 1990, it means something to them and their fans.

How Pisa operate under Inzaghi

Remarkably, Inzaghi has picked up a better points per game tally at Pisa than any other active manager with at least 50 games at a single club.

That speaks volumes for the impact that the former-striker is known for making. At the Tuscan side, he has stuck with a very familiar back three that usually comprises Antonio Caracciolo, Simone Canestrelli and Arturo Calabresi.

Pisa rely on a strong defensive unit, as their have had the fourth lowest average possession percentage in a 20 team division.

Inzaghi’s side are more about exploiting spaces than creating those spaces actively in possession, as they use ball-winners and runners to create their chances.

They boast the second-highest number of clearances per game, which shows that they do depend on structure and often being no-nonsense in their approach.

As a result of the stable and solid setup in the back three, Pisa have conceded the second lowest number of goals per game, only behind rivals Spezia. This doesn’t stop them from being nifty in attack, as the Nerazzurri have wing-backs like Idrissa Touré and Samuele Agnori, who add thrust from wide areas.

Stefano Moreo and Gabriele Piccinini add a decisive final ball in attack, with the duo having picked up a combined total of 13 assists across the campaign.

This supplements Alexander Lind and Matteo Tramoni, with the Italian playing off the Dane in a 3-4-2-1 setup.

All of this is an indicator of how Inzaghi’s system is making excellent use of the individual strengths of his players and that is quite like him, as he isn’t someone who imposes a higher tactical setup at clubs.

That emphasis on a solid foundation out of possession is a reason why Pisa don’t boast the most incredible numbers in attack. None of their top scorers or assisters are among the most prolific in the division because they find individual solutions while operating in a stable structure.

How does the future look for Pisa?

The central Italian side could soon find themselves on a much more stable footing in Serie A than the likes of Monza, Benevento or Spezia have in recent years.

That isn’t just because their stadium Arena Garibaldi will soon have a capacity of over 12,500 and is located right next to the iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa, but there is talk of the fact that the stadium could end up in the hands of club owner Alexander Knaster.

This can, in the longer term, add more financial stability to the club and they could, a bit like Como, market themselves an attractive destination for visiting Italian football lovers. The lack of private ownership for club stadiums has been a pertinent issue in Serie A and the Tuscans evading that problem will be a massive boost in a lot of ways.

Off-pitch matters aside, Pisa do need more Serie A experience in the team. The likes of Lind, Tramoni and Agnori offer a lot of upside, but the Nerazzurri’s main aim for next season would just be survival. It will also be an opportunity for Inzaghi to finally prove himself in the top flight and if they do end up with players that have Serie A experience, his task could get easier than it is looking right now.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every Serie A game on FotMob – with deep stats, xG, and players ratings. Download the free app here.

May

2025

Premier League Preview: Matchday 36

This could be a decisive weekend in the Premier League as the race for a place in the Champions League places heads into the final few weeks of the campaign. Just seven points separate Arsenal in second and Aston Villa in seventh. There are six teams battling it out for four places and the random fixture generator has been kind to us for Matchday 36, pitting Newcastle United (fourth) against Chelsea (fifth) and recently crowned champions Liverpool against second placed Arsenal.

By Sam McGuire

The top of the table could have a very different look at 7pm on Sunday afternoon. Here’s your weekend preview.

Sneaking up the table

At one stage this season, it appeared as though Manchester City might finish outside of the Champions League places. Now, though, with three games to play, Pep Guardiola’s side are in third place, just three points off of Arsenal with a favourable game this weekend.

City face Southampton on Saturday. They are, comfortably, the worst team in the Premier League. The Saints, marooned at the bottom of the table, have conceded the most goals this season while also scoring the fewest. They’ve won just twice all season and are 10 points adrift.

This should be the easiest three points of the season for the former champions. Especially in the form they’re in. They are unbeaten since early March and top the form table with 13 points from 15.

Despite their early season struggles, there’s still a world in which Guardiola guides his side to a second place finish and success in the FA Cup. It’d be some turnaround.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde

Bournemouth have been consistently inconsistent this term.

They started the season with one win in their opening five and four wins in their opening 10. At the end of November, they went on an 11-match unbeaten run, winning seven of those in the process, and catapulting themselves up the table. Some even thought they may have an outside chance of a top four finish.

This run included a 4-1 win over Newcastle United and a 5-0 dismantling of Nottingham Forest.

Andoni Iraola’s side then lost five of the next season and have won just three games since February. Yet they’re currently unbeaten in five and claimed a 2-1 win over Arsenal in their last game.

Despite such inconsistent form, they find themselves eighth in the Premier League table. They know that a win would move them to within four points of the visitors this weekend, Aston Villa.

Unai Emery’s side are within one win of moving level on points with fourth-placed Newcastle United. It would heap the pressure on teams around them, teams such as Chelsea and Nottingham Forest, as they look to claim a top five finish to have Champions League football return to Villa Park next term.

Villa haven’t travelled well this season, picking up 23 points from 17 matches. It sees them sit 11th in the away form table. Bournemouth, meanwhile, haven’t been great at home, winning just seven of their 17 home fixtures.

A must not lose at St James’ Park

Newcastle United host Chelsea in the early kick-off on Sunday.

This is a massive game in the race for a Champions League place. Right now,

The Magpies are level on points with Enzo Maresca’s side. They’re ahead of them in the table due to their superior goal tally. Both teams are in relatively good form with the Blues ranking fifth in the form table with 11 points while Eddie Howe’s team are sixth with 10 points from their last five matches.

Chelsea have started to pick points up over recent weeks, at a key time of the season too, winning three on the bounce in the Premier League and beating champions Liverpool last time out. It has given them a much needed boost heading into this particular run-in.

Newcastle, meanwhile, have slowed down a little bit. Humbled by Aston Villa a few weeks ago, they needed a late penalty last weekend to claim a point against Brighton. The key thing for them though was to not lose. It’ll be the same mentality this weekend too.

All eyes will be on the highly sought-after Alexander Isak. He’s just five behind in the race for the Golden Boot but has two in two. He also has a goal against Chelsea in each of his last three appearances. A big finish to the season will see his valuation swell.

How will Arsenal react?

Arsenal’s season has fizzled out. There’s no way to dress it up. Mikel Arteta’s side have taken just six points from their last five matches in the Premier League. This form has seen their title challenge turn into a scramble to finish in the Champions League places.

They’re winless in four across all competitions and lost their last Premier League match against Bournemouth, a game in which they did take the lead. The Gunners lost to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League to end their journey at the semi-final stage.

What could’ve been a special end to the season now looks set to be a stress filled one for Arsenal players and fans alike. Do they have the mental fortitude to see out the campaign?

They travel to Anfield this weekend to give the champions a guard of honour. Again, that is going to be a mental blow for a team that had title aspirations a little over a month ago. Will they bounce back and put in a good performance to maintain their lead in second or are they going to crumble?

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

May

2025

Johnny Cardoso, the USMNT star at the heart of the Betis midfield

The opening quarter of the 21st century has seen countless Spanish teams stake their claim as Europe’s preeminent force and dominate the biggest matches in club football.

By Zach Lowy

Real Madrid have won eight Champions League titles, Sevilla have secured seven Europa League titles, Barcelona have claimed four Champions League titles, Atlético Madrid have added three Europa League titles, whilst Valencia and Villarreal have also lifted the Europa League title in the new millennium. However, one team that hasn’t managed to get their hands on continental silverware is Real Betis.

Since taking charge in 2020, Manuel Pellegrini has transformed Betis from a relegation battler to a team that regularly finishes between fifth and seventh in the table and that qualifies for Europe, but he hasn’t quite managed to find the same success at the international level.

Betis lost in the Europa League Round of 16 to Eintracht Frankfurt and Manchester United in 2022 and 2023 before finishing third in their Europa League group and exiting the UEFA Conference League knockout round playoffs at the hands of Dinamo Zagreb. This season, however, Betis have managed to finally put together a deep run and reach the first European semifinal in the club’s 118-year history. But if they are to become the first Spanish team to reach a Conference League Final, they’ll need a big second leg performance in Florence from Johnny Cardoso.

Born in Denville Township, New Jersey – a half-hour from where next year’s World Cup Final will take place – Cardoso’s Brazilian parents brought him to Brazil when he was just three months old. Cardoso made a name for himself in the Brasileirão for Internacional, prompting then United States national team manager Gregg Berhalter to give him his international debut and eventually eliciting the interest of Real Betis, who signed him for €6 million in January 2024. Despite not having a full preseason to settle into European football, Cardoso swiftly adjusted to life in Spain and emerged as a vital cog in the Verdiblancos’ midfield – he was even named the LaLiga U23 Player of the Month for February 2024.

Cardoso had big shoes to fill, with club icons Andrés Guardado and Guido Rodríguez departing Betis in January and August 2024, respectively, but he’s nevertheless managed to surpass expectations and assert himself as an indispensable figure in the centre of the pitch. Typically operating alongside Pablo Fornals in the double pivot of Pellegrini’s 4-2-3-1, Cardoso is tasked with using his physicality and positional awareness to bully opponents off the ball, going from pressing high up the pitch to tracking back and making last-ditch tackles when required, as well as recycling the ball from the goalkeeper or centre backs and spreading into the final third.

*Betis are 2-1 up after the first leg of their Conference League semifinal*

“Betis play quite an expansive, open style of football, with their wingers positioned wide and with at least four players completely committed to attacking, but what Cardoso does is ensure that when they lose the ball, they’ll be defensively sound,” stated Fooball España editor Ruairidh Barlow. “He’s one of those players who you notice his impact way more when he’s not on the pitch as opposed to when he’s on the pitch.”

“He’s neat and tidy in possession, his reading of the game is good, but one thing that stands out is his ability to rob the ball high up the pitch – he’s always in the right place to either win it back or slow down the opposition attack. Cardoso’s main skills are his ball-winning, his positioning, and his overall ability to cover ground and make life difficult for the opposition. But over the past year, we’ve increasingly seen how good a footballer he is. His touch is good, he rarely loses the ball, and he makes good decisions in the middle of the pitch…as a defensive midfielder, he’s essential to Real Betis.”

Whilst Cardoso may not have the captivating dribbling skills of Isco or the ferocious shooting ability of Cédric Bakambu, he’s nevertheless emerged as one of the first names on Pellegrini’s team sheet thanks to his willingness to roll up his sleeves and get his hands dirty in midfield. Cardoso is the third-highest rated Betis player in the 2024/25 LaLiga season per FotMob, whilst he also leads the team with 2.1 interceptions per 90.

Over in the Conference League, meanwhile, he sits atop their squad for possession won in midfield per 90 (4.9) and ranks second for total interceptions (15). He’s someone who constantly has his head on a swivel and never lets his guard down from kick-off to the final whistle, and he has proven instrumental for a Betis side that, after previously struggling to find their footing, are finally clicking on all cylinders during the home stretch of the campaign.

Let’s rewind back to February 8. Betis had only barely qualified for the Conference League knockout round playoffs after finishing 15th; they recently had suffered a humbling 5-1 defeat to Barcelona in the Copa del Rey, and they sat 11th in the LaLiga standings after taking just four points from their last five matches. It seemed that, after a prosperous five years for Pellegrini, his cycle was drawing to a close. Instead, Betis have gradually started to hit their stride and emerge as one of the most in-form teams on the continent.

Whereas other teams’ deep European runs have often taken a toll on their domestic efforts, this has had the opposite effect on Betis. They have ascended to sixth place thanks to a red-hot run of form that has seen them drop just four points in their last 11 league matches (a 1-1 draw to Barcelona and a 2-1 loss to Villarreal) whilst they’ve also managed to brush past Gent, Vitória and Jagiellonia Białystok en route to the Conference League semifinals.

*Cardoso’s defensive numbers in LaLiga, 2024/25*

Facing off against Fiorentina – runners-up in 2023 and 2024 – Betis prevailed 2-1 at home thanks in large part to a composed display from Cardoso, who made four recoveries, won three out of five ground duels, and completed 40 out of 41 passes. He was then given a well-deserved rest at the weekend, as Betis escaped with a 2-1 victory at Espanyol courtesy of late goals from Giovani Lo Celso and Manchester United loanee Antony. If Betis can eliminate Fiorentina, they will likely face Chelsea, who thrashed Djurgårdens 4-1 last week, in the final in Wrocław, Poland on May 28.

At 23 years of age, Cardoso has cemented his status as one of the most promising defensive midfielders in the game, and it should come as little surprise that both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are monitoring him as a potential signing. Tottenham secured a €25 million purchase option on Cardoso as part of the deal to bring Lo Celso to Betis, whilst United have eyed him as a long-term replacement for Casemiro. United’s potential showdown with Tottenham in the Europa League Final in Bilbao could very well determine the future of the Brazilian-American midfielder, with the winner qualifying for the Champions League and the loser missing out on Europe entirely.

All signs point to Cardoso following in the footsteps of Chadi Riad and Álex Moreno and becoming the latest player to depart the Estadio Benito Villamarín for a lucrative transfer fee. But first, he’ll be looking to ride off into the sunset by delivering a first-ever European trophy to Real Betis.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

May

2025

Great Scott! It’s the Championship playoffs!

When I was a kid, we had a battered VHS copy of Back to the Future III, recorded off the TV. We’d watch it all the time, with Doc Brown and Marty McFly once more going through the ringer to get back to the future, by any means necessary. What’s more enthralling than the win or bust scenario of speeding a stolen steam train off an incomplete bridge to push you into the future? Answer: The Championship playoffs, possibly. For our final four in the Championship, we are nearing the point of no return.

By Sanny Rudravajhala

So, who’s going to leave the wild west and emerge into a glittering future in the Premier League?

Wiley Wilder the Doc for Sheffield United’s nearly men

Sheffield United’s fall into the play-off places was entirely of their own making. With seven games to go they were steaming towards the Premier League and topped the table after dispatching Coventry City 3-1 at Bramall Lane. But then they hit the brakes with three defeats in a row, ending up in a winner-takes-all tie with Burnley. In falling 2-1 at Turf Moor, they handed their return tickets to the Premier League to their hosts and Leeds United, with two games to spare.

History isn’t on Sheffield United’s side either. In fact, you’d have to take the DeLorean back 100 years for Sheffield United’s last win at Wembley, when they lifted the FA Cup after beating Cardiff City in 1925. All in all, they’ve fallen nine times in the play-offs, losing four finals. This time though, they have Chris Wilder to try and make it tenth time lucky!

Wilder has won automatic promotions twice with Sheffield United and once with Northampton Town and has also won at Wembley, when he steered Oxford United to Conference play-off success back in 2010. Speaking ahead of Thursday night’s first leg with Bristol City, Wilder said they’ve used the two games since that disappointment at Burnley to rotate his squad and he’s in ‘intense conversations’ with them – very Doc Brown!

On the pitch, Gus Hamer continues to be their key man and will arrive at Ashton Gate ready to go. Overall he’s the eighth top FotMob performer in the Championship, winning 11 player of the match awards. Michael Cooper in goal has been outstanding and Wilder spoke too about his character being vital for the side. Numbers-wise he has 21 clean sheets, preventing 5.7 goals in total, one of which Bristol City will know all about – an incredible stop from Sinclair Armstrong in the March game between the two.

Manning and Knight have Bristol City hovering high

Liam Manning has pulled together a squad greater than the sum of its parts. They’re well organised and are the third best pressing team in the division but generally have been quite middling this season. Apart from a dip of the toe in week two, they didn’t get into the play-off places until after Matchday 40 but were in the right place at the right time on the final day. Specifically, Ross McCrorie was – it was his two goals from full back which hauled them from 2-0 down to Preston North End to keep that final play-off spot.

Derby County academy graduates Max Bird and Jason Knight in midfield have been essential for The Robins. Knight has played every minute of every game, creating 60 chances and linking play across the park to be their FotMob top performer. Manning said that it was his captain who addressed the players back in the dressing room, even before he spoke to them. At 24, his best years are still ahead of him – one to keep an eye on.

My concerns for Bristol City lie at the back. They haven’t kept a clean sheet in 11 games and their total of 10 is fewer than relegated Luton Town. I suspect this will be the end of the road but if that’s the case, Manning would be right in saying this has been a ‘fantastic achievement’, especially from where they were when he arrived in November 2023. Disappointing lower table finishes were met with an 11th-placed finish last season, and this has been a massive progression without a huge influx of players.

*Bristol City have enjoyed their highest finish since 2008*

One new face who’s caught my eye though is Japanese Yu Hirawaka. The 24-year-old arrived on loan from Machida Zelvia in February and ghosted past two players and took out another in the build up to their first goal against PNE. If there’s a moment of magic on the right flank, he’ll be there.

Spiralling Sunderland have time on their side

One of my favourite moments of the season was being on the radio as Burnley’s James Trafford saved two penalties in their 0-0 draw with Sunderland. I’m sure Wilson Isidor would use time travel to prevent his past-self from defying his manager’s instructions in taking their late spot-kick, let alone his subsequent injury-time miss. That Friday night was a nexus-point in Sunderland’s season. Victory would have seen them go above Burnley, with Leeds starting the next day leading the Championship purely on goal difference. With three points separating the top four ahead of Matchday 27, it’s quite startling that the gap became 24 points after Matchday 46. It also says something about a lack of consistent challengers below Sunderland; starker now though is their own form.

Regis Le Bris rested players once the play-offs were confirmed with the 0-0 draw with Norwich, but they lost all five of their remaining games, despite the Frenchman fielding stronger line-ups in their final two outings. Their 1-0 home defeat to managerless QPR was met by boos from the supporters who’d remained for the final whistle. Overall though, this is a story of the inconsistencies of youth, and I think they need another Championship season to develop.

19-year-old Jobe Bellingham has grabbed headlines but hasn’t hit those heights since the turn of the year. Chris Rigg has been playing senior football since he was 15 and two years on, is still developing. Trai Hume has been their top performer from right back but even he is still 23, as is the equally impressive Dennis Cirkin on the opposite flank. Enzo Le Fée has shown more than enough glimpses since his arrival on loan but has been hampered by injury. And as for Isidor, the man who is Djibril Cisse reincarnated in hitting the ball as hard as he can at any opportunity – he’s been dropped for Eliezer Mayenda. They’re in turmoil but the play-offs wipe the slate clean.

Lampard’s Coventry hitting 88mph

Frank Lampard’s Coventry City ^TM arrive in the play-offs off the back of a perfect performance against Middlesborough. I think it’s a coin toss between them and Sheffield United for promotion. Turning the clock back to our March deep dive on Coventry’s turnaround, the one player I picked out was Jack Rudoni (9 goals, 12 assists). He’s returned from injury with a bang and he was brilliant in their 2-0 victory over Boro, grabbing both goals in the process.

Alongside the impressive Matt Grimes, Rudoni has become Lampard’s mini-me. His quick feet get him out of tight spaces and as Coventry countered for their second, he was able to get those feet sorted off the back of a lung-busting pitch-length run to finish smartly under pressure.

Lampard has instructed his side to move the ball quickly and I think against Sunderland, we’ll see a side that will be able to hurt them at pace, especially if the speedy Milan van Ewijk is involved. They’ve solved their goalkeeper crisis too. The hapless Brad Collins has been taken out of the firing line and in his stead is Ben Wilson. With Oliver Dovin out injured, Wilson has overcome his own fitness issues at just the right time and was quick off his line and a commanding and calming presence just when the Sky Blues needed it most, following successive defeats.

Coventry are doing everything right and having lost in the play-off final to Luton two seasons ago and missed out on the FA Cup final on spot-kicks last year, they are ready to put things right under the Wembley Arch.

Back to the wild west and as Marty McFly and his Delorean hit 88 mph and disappear into the future, what’s left is that speeding steam train. It smashes through a barricade, hurtles off the bridge and explodes as it crashes into the ravine. Could there be a more apt visual metaphor for the play-offs? Great Scott!

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

May

2025

Reports of Casemiro’s demise have been greatly exaggerated

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”

By Zach Lowy

The opening line of Charles Dickens’ 1859 novel A Tale of Two Cities could just as easily be used to address Manchester United’s 2024/25 season. On the domestic front, it has been a shambolic campaign for United, who are on track for their first finish outside the top eight since 1989/90, sitting 15th in the table, and who suffered early exits in the EFL Cup and FA Cup. On the European front, however, United are just two games away from winning the UEFA Europa League title and booking their ticket for the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League.

One player who has epitomised Manchester United’s confounding season is Casemiro.

*Casemiro’s player traits comparison still stands up well*

After developing in São Paulo’s academy, Casemiro left Brazil for Spain in 2013 and joined Real Madrid, where he helped them return to dominance by winning five Champions League titles and three LaLiga titles. Playing in the anchor role alongside Luka Modrić and Toni Kroos, Casemiro asserted himself as one of the finest defensive midfielders of his era for Los Blancos, capable of stepping in with a strong tackle and winning the ball back in a dangerous area and breaking up a devastating counter-attack. But whilst his tenacious ball-winning style earned him plaudits as a fearless destroyer, he also proved adept in possession, skilled at starting attacks with his incisive passing and testing the goalkeeper with a potent shot from outside the box.

*Casemiro career trophies won with Real Madrid*

It’s why, after failing to complete a deal for Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong, Manchester United signed Casemiro in August 2022 for £60 million plus £10 million in add-ons. The Red Devils began their campaign with a 2-1 loss to Brighton and a 4-0 demolition at Brentford, after which Casemiro reportedly told his agent to relay this message to Manchester United: “Tell them I’ll fix it.” For a while, it seemed that he was doing just that. The veteran Brazilian emerged as a vital cog in midfield alongside Christian Eriksen, shielding the backline from danger whilst also recycling the ball into advanced areas with ease, and he opened the scoring as Manchester United beat Newcastle 2-0 in the EFL Cup Final to secure their first trophy in six years.

However, he started to show signs of his age in 2023/24 as then-United manager Erik ten Hag shifted towards a more expansive style that forced Casemiro to cover large swaths of the pitch as a single pivot and a makeshift centre back. Both his first touch as well as his legs seemed to desert him in the final months of a campaign that included a 4-0 defeat to Crystal Palace, prompting Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher to declare: “I think Casemiro should know himself tonight as an experienced player that he should only have three games left at a top level and then say I’m gonna go to the MLS or Saudi. I always remember something when I retired, a saying I’ll always remember: ‘Leave the football before the football leaves you’. The football has left him at this top level. He needs to call it a day at this level of football and move.”

Despite rampant transfer speculation linking him to Saudi Arabia and clubs in the Turkish Süperlig, Casemiro buckled down and fought for his spot. Nevertheless, he continued to look off the pace, especially in a 3-0 defeat at Liverpool that saw him make two errors leading to goals. Casemiro dropped down the pecking order under new manager Rúben Amorim with youngster Toby Collyer and various other midfielders being preferred over him. And after being overrun in a 2-0 demolition vs. Newcastle, he failed to play a single minute in United’s next six fixtures. It seemed the writing was on the wall for his career at the top level.

Instead, Casemiro returned to the fold in February following a sweeping injury crisis, and it’s fair to say that he’s grabbed this opportunity with both hands. He’s gone from zero to hero and excelled in central midfield, reminding United why they decided to hand him a £350,000-a-week contract and make him their best-paid player. Whereas Casemiro had previously oscillated between different midfield partners and responsibilities at Old Trafford, he’s now finding the right balance in terms of his work on and off the ball. Alongside the industrious Manuel Ugarte and two wingbacks, Casemiro now has far less space to defend and consequently isn’t chasing shadows and throwing himself to the ground at a moment’s notice. Instead, he’s timing his tackles to perfection and cutting down on the risky, suspension-inducing fouls that once dominated his early days in Manchester. He’s set the standard for young players to follow and exemplified what it takes to reach the highest level – after all, you don’t win five Champions Leagues (two more than Manchester United have won in the entire history) without a little bit of dedication.

“Amorim has had to change from his ideals in order to get the best out of a lot of players in this team, but he has learned how to utilize Casemiro properly,” stated Welsh journalist Scott Saunders, the host of the Manchester United-themed Promised Land Podcast. “You could have asked anyone in the world to cover the amount of space that needed to be covered and defended…even prime N’Golo Kanté would’ve had difficulty with that. If you’re playing Casemiro in that midfield, you need to limit the space around him and fill it with other players so that he’s able to win more 1v1 battles. Whatever the driver has been behind Casemiro’s resurgence, you have to give him and Amorim massive credit for recognising there was an issue and deciding how they make the best of their situation.”

With less pressure on him to blitz forward and press the opposing build-up play, Casemiro has had far more energy to carry out his attacking and defensive tasks and hold his own against some of the best teams in world football. On March 9, he thrived against an Arsenal midfield featuring Declan Rice, Martin Ødegaard and Thomas Partey, winning nine out of 11 ground duels and three out of five aerial duels, making a game-high four tackles and racking up five recoveries in a 1-1 draw. One month later, Casemiro delivered a Player of the Match performance in a 0-0 draw vs. Manchester City, registering seven tackles and three recoveries and winning 12 out of 13 ground duels. He’s carried over this stellar form to the Europa League, grabbing two assists in their topsy-turvy 5-4 comeback win vs. Lyon before opening the scoring in their 3-0 win at Athletic Club.

Even at 33 years of age, he’s still proving adept at reading the game one step ahead of the rest and intervening with a vital interception, as well as picking out an inch-perfect through ball and setting up his teammate with a golden opportunity.

No longer left on an island and doomed to cover oceans of space by himself, Casemiro has enjoyed a renaissance in recent months and demonstrated that there’s still plenty of fuel left in the tank. He may no longer be as robust or fast as he once was, but Casemiro remains capable of reigning supreme in the highest-stakes scenarios and making his presence felt. And barring a momentous second-leg collapse on Thursday, he’ll have the chance to win his sixth European trophy on May 21 in Bilbao.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

May

2025

Can United hold on? Or will Athletic rewrite history at Old Trafford?

Manchester United’s domestic campaign unravelled to the point where there’s nothing left to salvage but Europe.

By David Skilling

Fifteenth in the Premier League, out of both cups, no rhythm, no system that sticks, and yet here they are, ninety minutes away from a European final. It’s not redemption yet. But it’s the only possible version left.

That 3–0 win in Bilbao felt surreal. Not just because of the scoreline, which might have flattered United, but because of how clinical they were when it counted. Casemiro looked like the man who once dominated Champions League midfields at Madrid. Bruno Fernandes punished gaps in the line, and Dani Vivian’s red card made all of this a little easier. It wasn’t a masterclass, but it was efficient. Fortunately for United, they held it together until the end.

They’ll need more of that. Because European nights have a way of rewriting narratives, both good and bad. If they go through, it’s a shot at the final in Bilbao and a return to the Champions League. If they blow it, there’s nothing left to play for. The season is a write-off.

Athletic Club arrive in Manchester facing a mountain. A three-goal deficit, away from home, against a team with something to protect. But this is a club that doesn’t do fear. The model they run on is unlike anything else in modern football. A squad made up only of Basque players. No foreign imports. No stars-for-hire. Just community, culture, and consistency.

You’d think it wouldn’t work in 2025. But they’re fourth in LaLiga above sides with four times the spending power, and knocked out Roma in the round of 16. They’ve done it all while sticking to their core values, never compromising, never trying to copy the systems around them. It’s why this tie means so much. Not just the possibility of a final, but the fact that the final is at San Mamés. It would be historic. And it would happen on their own grass.

If Athletic score early, the atmosphere in Old Trafford could change.

But Dani Vivian’s absence through suspension is a problem. He’s an organiser at the back, and without him, they’ll have to reshuffle and take more risks going forward. That opens space, which suits United.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if Ruben Amorim plays this cagey. Sit in, break when the space is there, and lean on Alejandro Garnacho and Amad Diallo to catch Athletic overcommitting. This is one of those nights where being reactive might be smarter than being brave. Especially when you have nothing to prove, only something to protect.

But the question United fans will be asking is simple: can we trust this team to manage it?

Because United’s issues this season haven’t just been structural, they’ve been psychological. They’ve lost control of games out of nowhere. They’ve let pressure cave them in when holding leads. The margin for error might be three goals, but that won’t mean anything if they let doubt creep in. One goal conceded, one nervous mistake, and the narrative can turn sharply. And this isn’t a fanbase that does patience right now.

Athletic will come with nothing to lose. And that’s often when teams are most dangerous. They know this competition has delivered wild turnarounds before. Nights when logic breaks. And when your best-case scenario is a final in front of your own people, you find levels of fight you didn’t know you had.

United are still trying to remember what kind of club they are. Big enough to demand European nights, yet uncertain enough to stumble through weekends. Every result feels like it’s being held together by threads. The pressure is external and internal, commercial expectations, player discontent, and a fanbase that’s out of patience.

*United have the best xG in the Europa League*

Athletic, on the other hand, are exactly what they say they are. One of the most grounded clubs in world football. A youth system that feeds the first team. Players who know what it means to wear the badge. And a collective purpose that isn’t built around fame, but around tradition. This isn’t just another semi-final for them. It’s a once-in-a-generation shot at something bigger.

Thursday night will be heavy with tension. The kind of match where the football comes second to the emotion. United have the lead. Athletic have the belief. And that belief, if it finds momentum, could become something dangerous. Not because they’re better. But because they know what it would mean to win.

United need to finish the job. Early, ruthlessly, and without panic. If they do, it’s a chance to rewrite a season that’s barely held together. If they don’t, they’ll wake up Friday facing a very different story, one of collapse, waste, and regret. And I’m not sure the fans could take another crushing blow right now.

(Images from IMAGO)

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May

2025

Preview: Chelsea are 90 minutes away from the Conference League final

It’s never smart to deal in certainties but we can say with 99.999999% confidence that Chelsea will be in the Europa Conference League final after their second leg with Djurgården on Thursday.

By Alex Roberts

Enzo Maresca’s lads are 4-1 up after the trip to Stockholm, now the Swedes have to travel to Stamford Bridge, dreaming of pulling off an upset so unlikely, it could turn the fabric of football as we know it upside down.

Teenage dream

Throughout their European campaign, Maresca has taken the opportunity to dish out some debuts, most recently 16-year-old Reggie Walsh. It was so close to being a dream debut as he nearly scored with his only shot of the game.

The young midfielder followed in the footsteps of more established wonderkids Tyrique George and Josh Acheampong, who have both heavily featured in the tournament, becoming Chelsea’s third youngest player ever.

There are 12 other academy stars in Chelsea’s squad and with one eye on qualification for next season’s Champions League, they will doubtless be licking their lips at the chance to make an impression.

Not that Isak

Djurgården didn’t have much to celebrate, if anything, after the first leg but one player gave them a very small glimmer of hope. Isak Alemayehu Mulugeta scored their only goal, although his overall performance did himself and his side proud.

Replacing Santeri Haarala in the 63^rd minute, Mulugeta sprung into life, scoring five minutes after running onto the pitch. Unfortunately for the 18-year-old and his teammates, Nicolas Jackson scored in-between his introduction and goal to effectively kill off the tie.

He only played 27 minutes and with a 100% pass accuracy rate, 3/3 ground duels won, and two touches in the opposition box, he’ll probably play more this time around.

Jadon Sancho loves the Conference League

Sancho’s future at Chelsea is up in the air. The £25 million obligation to buy in his loan contract can be bought out for a fee of £5 million. It’s not exactly a vote of confidence from the West London club.

After an impressive start that saw the winger assist in his first three games at Chelsea, he dropped off a little. Now, in the Conference League, he’s starting to re-discover the form that had fans so excited.

His last four goal contributions have come in the tournament, including the opener in the first leg against the Swedes. If nothing else, showing what his capable of here may put Sancho on the radar of other potential suitors this summer.

Form guide

Chelsea are reaching the end of their season, while Djurgården have only just started theirs. Buoyed by a crucially important win over newly crowned Premier League champions Liverpool, Maresca’s side are finding form at the right time with four wins from their last five games.

Djurgården, on the other hand, are yet to get going domestically. With two wins, two draws, two defeats and three goals scored in their opening six games in the Allsvenskan, they’re all the way down in 11^th.

Prediction

We hate to rule teams out here at FotMob but it really is hard to look beyond Chelsea for this one. We’re going to go with a 3-0 win for the home side.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Europa Conference League with FotMob this season — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, player ratings, and a new super-intuitive knockout stage bracket. Download the free app here.

May

2025

Preview: Spurs head to Norway with one foot in the Europa League final

A late goal in the first leg added an unnecessary furrowing of the brows, but Spurs should still see their way through to the Europa League final.

By Ian King

Form

A 1-1 draw for Tottenham Hotspur at West Ham on Sunday looked like exactly what it was; a local derby between the two worst sides in the Premier League who aren’t the three already cast adrift. It says something for Spurs’ performances that this was an improvement on their previous three League matches.

But Europe has been a different matter. Despite conceding that late goal, Spurs were dominant in the first leg of this tie and 3-1 is a decent lead to take to Norway, especially now away goals have been abolished. Bodø/Glimt haven’t featured since then, but are unbeaten in the four games they have played in their domestic season.

Unchartered territory for Glimt

Bodø/Glimt still have a chance of becoming the first Norwegian club to reach a European final but their record against English clubs remains bad. They’d lost all three of their previous meetings with Premier League sides, and now they’ve lost to Spurs, too. Should Spurs get to the final of the Europa League this season it would be the fourth time they’ve done so, although these all happened so long ago that it was called the UEFA Cup at the time. They beat Wolves in 1972 and Anderlecht in 1984, and lost to Feyenoord in 1974; all over two legs.

Key Players

Brennan Johnson hasn’t scored in his last four Premier League games, but he did in the first minute of the first leg of this tie and Spurs could do with him being on his game in front of goal. Otherwise, Cristian Romero needs to have one of those days when he, well, doesn’t do a Cristian Romero thing.

Bodø/Glimt’s goal in the first leg was scored by midfielder Ulrik Saltnes, who is the closest thing that you can be to a one-club player without being a one-club player. He’s made 389 appearances for them since 2011 – he’s 32 now –and only blotted his one-club copybook by having played one game in the Danish third division for a club called Brønnøysund Idrettslag beforehand.

*Glimt’s top scorers in the Europa League this season*

Team News

For Glimt, captain and midfield lynchpin Patrick Berg, Andreas Helmersen, and Håkon Evjen all return after being suspended for the first leg. Odin Bjørtuft missed the first leg and will be assessed ahead of time.

Spurs’ latest casualty is James Maddison, who’s damaged his knee and will definitely miss this match, and may well be out for the rest of the season. On the up-side, Dominic Solanke and Son Heung-min could be available.

Prediction

On an artificial pitch at a small ground just north of the Arctic Circle is exactly the sort of place where you might expect Spurs to come a cropper, and the realistic among us have to admit that yes, this is a possibility.

But the fact remains that they have saved their absolute best for the Europa League this season, and throwing away a three-goal lead over two legs, even if it was Peak Spurs, seems unlikely. 1-1 and a few nerves, but they should still get fairly safely through.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Europa League with FotMob this season — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, player ratings, and a new super-intuitive knockout stage bracket. Download the free app here.

May

2025

Preview: Man United look to get the job done against Athletic Club

Manchester United are erratic, but their handsome win in the first leg of this match should be enough to see them past Athletic Club.

By Ian King

It’s been a busy week for both sides

As unpredictable as they are at the moment, Manchester United’s 3-0 Europa League semi-final first leg win in Bilbao was a commanding performance. For half an hour they were under siege, but they soaked it up, took their chances when they fell, and came away from the Basque Country with a handsome win. But then they went to Brentford on Sunday, forgot how to defend for an hour, and ended up losing 4-3.

Athletic Club drew their weekend game – a goalless derby at Real Sociedad – and remain fourth in LaLiga, although they’ve now only won five of their last 14 games in the league, with others around them gaining ground.

A match up with a long history

These two have a history going back to the early days of European club football, and their first meeting was a very curious one. The Busby Babes travelled to Bilbao in the European Cup quarter-finals in January 1957 and lost 5-3, but won the second leg 3-0 three weeks later in a match played at Maine Road because Old Trafford didn’t have floodlights installed at the time. Having beaten Athletic 6-5 on aggregate they got them installed for their semi-final against Real Madrid, but lost 5-3 on aggregate.

Key Players

If Manchester United are going to get through to the final of this year’s Europa League, they’ll need a strong defensive performance, and this could mean a busy night for Harry Maguire at the centre of it all. Their lead is a comfortable one, but it can hardly be said that United haven’t got the yips when put under pressure in the past.

The flip-side to this is that Athletic need goals, and the problem there is that they’ve only scored one in their last four games. And with the attacking players they’ll be missing in Manchester, that issue may be critical.

Team News

Matthijs de Ligt had to be withdrawn during their weekend defeat at Brentford and will be assessed before the match. At 17 years and 156 days old, Chido Obi-Martin became the youngest player to start for Manchester United in the Premier League (and their 13th youngest overall) last weekend, but he’s ineligible to play in the Europa League, so Rasmus Højlund should return.

*Harry Maguire still compares well to other centre backs in the top five European leagues*

For Athletic, Dani Vivian is suspended after getting sent off in the first leg, while the Williams Brothers, duel attacking threats Nico and Iñaki have been left at home due to fitness issues, along with top scorer Oihan Sancet.

Prediction

The biggest hurdle that Athletic Club face in this match is pulling back a three-goal deficit when they’ve only scored one in their last four games. An early goal could see the colour drain from United faces and turn the pressure up, while Athletic probably can’t have a worse evening than they did last Thursday. That said, a 2-1 home win should provide a relatively stress-free night at Old Trafford.

(Cover image from IMAGO)