Osasuna will be searching for their first goal away at Barcelona since 2020, when they secured a 2-1 victory.
These two sides met back in March, and it was Barcelona who took the three points with a comfortable home victory. Ferran Torres, Robert Lewandowski, and Dani Olmo bagged the goals that day.
Team news
Barcelona will, once again, be without Gavi, Dani Olmo, and Ronald Araújo. Other than that, Hansi Flick could have a fully fit squad to choose from for this game, as they look to continue their impressive run of form.
Iker Benito will be unavailable for Osasuna for this one as he continues his recovery from a long-term knee injury. Other than that, there shouldn’t be any fresh injury concerns for the away side.
The best form of defence is attack
Barcelona are sitting comfortably at the top of the table, with a four-point gap over second-place Real Madrid. Flick’s side have been far from perfect, however, with no team in the top half conceding more goals than them this season.
Barcelona have conceded the 6th highest xG in LaLiga
Barcelona have conceded an incredible number of chances, considering they are top of the table, but their phenomenal attack has papered over the cracks. The Catalan outfit have scored 2.9 goals per game on average and are one of the most exciting teams to watch in Europe, so I’m not sure Flick will be too disheartened at their defensive record.
Creativity is Osasuna’s Achilles heel
For a side battling towards the bottom, Osasuna have looked resolute defensively, but it’s the other end of the pitch where their difficulties lie. They’ve created just 21 big chances in the league this season, with only Sevilla creating fewer, scoring 14 times along the way.
Defensively, Osasuna have looked solid, conceding just 1.2 goals per game, fewer than their opponents Barcelona. However, as mentioned, they’ve been let down going forward, which means they sit in 15th place heading into the weekend.
Ferran Torres a surprise package
Raphinha, Lamine Yamal, and Marcus Rashford often get the plaudits for Barcelona’s strong attacking display, but Ferran Torres’ performances have gone under the radar. Of late, the Spanish forward has struck four times in the last three games, taking his goal tally to 13 for the season (all comps).
Torres is currently Barcelona’s top goalscorer with 11 goals in LaLiga, three more than veteran striker Robert Lewandowski. After being in and out of the side under Flick, Torres could now have made the striker position his own.
Prediction
It’s difficult to see past a Barcelona victory, considering their form and their impressive record at home to Osasuna. We’re going for a 3-1 win.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Arsenal host Wolves at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday evening, as Mikel Arteta’s side look to bounce back from a disappointing result away to Aston Villa. Rob Edwards’ side are still searching for their first victory of the campaign, with relegation a serious threat if their form continues.
The last meeting between the two sides saw plenty of drama, with both João Gomes and Myles Lewis-Skelly being sent off. Riccardo Calafiori grabbed a second-half winner to secure a 1-0 victory for the Gunners.
Team news
Providing an update to the media on Arsenal’s current injury situation, Arteta was cautious about confirming whether some of his stars would return. Declan Rice, William Saliba, Leandro Trossard, and Jurrien Timber all have a chance of making it, but Arteta wasn’t guaranteeing anything.
Wolves boss Edwards has confirmed that Jean-Ricner Bellegarde will be unavailable for the away side, and he’s expected to be out for over six weeks due to a hamstring injury. João Gomes will be available again following his suspension.
Arsenal remain phenomenal defensively
Although the Gunners spent significantly to improve their attacking options during the summer transfer window, it’s still their defensive solidity that is the most impressive. Arsenal have conceded just 9.5 expected goals this season, comfortably fewer than any other side in the Premier League.
The north London club have seen their form dip in recent weeks, picking up just two wins from their previous five games in the Premier League. Considering they face bottom-side Wolves this weekend, they’ll fancy their chances to get back on track.
Not much to shout about for Wolves
There’s no beating around the bush when it comes to discussing Wolves this season, as there’s very little positivity surrounding the club at the moment. To still be searching for their first win when Christmas is only two weeks away is a major concern, and it doesn’t get any easier this weekend against Arsenal.
Wolves aren’t sitting at the bottom by accident, with Edwards’ side conceding more goals and scoring fewer than any other side in the Premier League. Vitor Pereira was relieved of his duties earlier in the campaign, and we’ve seen little improvement under Edwards’ tutelage since then.
Declan Rice in the engine room
Although the defence of Arsenal has received plenty of the plaudits, while attackers also receive a lot of the limelight, Declan Rice has been a key cog in Arteta’s machine this season. An all-action midfielder, Rice has developed into a goalscoring and creative threat for the Gunners.
Rice’s passing stats in the Premier League this season
With attacking data that a winger would be proud of, Rice is also crucial for Arsenal defensively, and he’s an incredibly reliable option in the middle of the park for Arsenal. Wolves will have to be wary of his threat from deep this weekend, with his bursting runs and ball-carrying ability.
Prediction
Wolves will eventually find three points, but unfortunately for them, it’s unlikely to be this weekend. 3-0 Arsenal is our prediction.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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A 3pm kick-off at Anfield against Brighton in mid-December shouldn’t feel like a make-or-break match for Liverpool. In normal circumstances, it likely wouldn’t be. Right now though, it is.
Liverpool started the season in perfect form, picking up five wins from five. Since then, the Premier League champions have won just two of 10 in the English top-flight. The Reds trail leaders Arsenal by 10 points and find themselves behind the likes of Sunderland, Everton and Manchester United in the table.
It’s safe to say things haven’t gone to plan for Arne Slot’s side. And then Mohamed Salah poured petrol on the bonfire last weekend after the 3-3 draw with Leeds United, claiming he’s been thrown under the bus by the club and someone wants him to leave.
As a consequence, he was dropped from the matchday squad for the Champions League game with Inter. Recent reports have claimed he will be back in the squad for the visit of the Seagulls, prior to heading off to Morocco to represent Egypt at the AFCON.
With Cody Gakpo injured, and with Salah ostracised, the Reds would have been down to the bare bones in attack. Slot was forced into using a 4-4-2 diamond against Inter and he might have to retain that shape against Brighton on Saturday.
Liverpool have struggled at Anfield this season, winning four from seven on home turf and ranking 12th in the home table. The Reds are then 16th in the form table with five points from their last five matches.
Brighton are doing a little better with eight points during this period. The Seagulls have won just two on the road this term but have only lost three times. Fabian Hürzeler’s side have the third best attack in the Premier League, averaging 1.7 goals per 90, though they do rank seventh for xG and eighth for big chances created. Their season has been built on a fairly solid defence, giving up chances worth just 19.5 Expected Goals across their 15 matches.
The Seagulls have been inconsistent, however, in terms of results. They won just two of their opening seven but have won four of the last eight and lost just twice during this period, 4-2 against Manchester United and 4-3 against Aston Villa. They’ve beaten Manchester City and Chelsea this season too, so they can threaten superior teams. But then they’d also drawn with Wolves and West Ham.
You never know what you’re going to get from them.
Key Players
For the visitors, it’ll be Danny Welbeck. The 35-year-old has even Premier League goals for the Seagulls this season, though he has blanked in his last three outings. He doesn’t have the best record against the Reds, with three goals from 26 outings, but one of those did arrive at Anfield in March 2024.
For the hosts, the key player position is up for grabs with Salah missing. If Florian Wirtz returns to the starting XI, expect him to play a big part on Saturday. He’s yet to score or assist in the Premier League but he looked good against Inter on Wednesday and could carry that momentum into this game.
Hürzeler is without Adam Webster and Solly March. Everyone else appears to be available for the trip to Merseyside.
Prediction
We’re going to go with a narrow 2-1 win for Liverpool. The hosts are unbeaten in four and have a point to prove right now.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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After three away games, drawing one and losing the other two, Chelsea are back at Stamford Bridge for the first time in December, hosting David Moyes’ in-form Everton as they chase a desperately needed win.
The pressure is piling on Enzo Maresca as his side hit their annual festive period slump with Chelsea currently sit in fifth with 25 points, six worse off than they were at this point last season.
Everton, on the other hand, are loving life at the moment, bagging four wins from their last five games, a victory here would see them go above Chelsea and into the top four, for a little while at least.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has a point to prove
The midfielder left Chelsea for Everton in the summer having spent just a single season in West London. Now settled at a club that clearly value him, Dewsbury-Hall is one of the most in-form players in the Premier League.
Three goals and one assist in his last five games, including the decider in their dramatic and narrative filled 1-0 win over Man United has undoubtedly filled him with confidence as he heads to his old stomping ground.
At Everton, he’s become a complete midfielder. Dewsbury-Hall has created 20 chances, a pass accuracy rate of 83.3% but he’s also putting in a shift defensively, winning 25 tackles, winning possession in the final third 12 times, and making 55 recoveries.
Considering the form he’s in; Chelsea will have their hands full against their old player.
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Garnacho could hold the key for Chelsea
The winger has been one of the main victims of Maresca’s constant rotation. Alejandro Garnacho has started just six of his nine Premier League games, but in those games, he’s easily been one of Chelsea’s brightest stars.
Last time out, the 0-0 draw with Bournemouth, he lasted 77 minutes before Maresca hooked him. He hit the woodwork and was even the catalyst for Chelsea’s best chance, floating the ball into Malo Gusto, who nodded it down for Marc Guiu, who just wasn’t alert to the situation.
One of the most frustrating things about Garnacho’s time at Chelsea so far is the fact he hasn’t been allowed to truly build any momentum. Perhaps a more settled starting eleven with Garnacho in the side would help settle things down.
Team news
This is Moisés Caicedo’s third and final game of his suspension, and Chelsea will be praying it doesn’t happen again any time soon, the midfielder has been a huge miss for them over the past couple of weeks.
Wesley Fofana suffered a freak eye injury in the 2-1 defeat to Atalanta, but Maresca remains hopeful the Frenchman could feature alongside Trevoh Chalobah here. Reece James may drop to the bench having played the full 90 minutes midweek.
Chelsea have a pretty good record against Everton, not losing to them since 2023, but they’re so out of form right now, it’s hard to see them win this one. We’re going with 2-1 to Everton.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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By beating Nottingham Forest 3-0 last Saturday, Everton made their biggest statement of the season so far. It was the Toffees’ largest margin of victory in the Premier League this term, a sign of how far the Merseyside outfit have come under David Moyes and proof of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s growing influence.
Dewsbury-Hall was the best player on the pitch against Forest. The 27-year-old forced the opener for Everton via an own goal by Nikola Milenković, scored one himself to put the finishing touches on the win and also struck the post with a thunderous strike from the edge of the box.
In a match that saw Everton better their opponents by almost every attacking metric by the end of the 90 minutes, Dewsbury-Hall was the Toffees’ driving force in the final third, and that has been the case in a number of matches this season. He is quickly becoming Everton’s most important player.
Nobody has scored more league goals for Everton this season than Dewsbury-Hall who took his tally for the 2025/26 campaign to four by scoring against Forest. The former Leicester City playmaker has also contributed two assists, putting him level with Jack Grealish and Iliman Ndiaye for goal contributions.
That Dewsbury-Hall has found the back of the net so often is even more impressive when factoring in his role as a creator. He is an all-round threat, as demonstrated by the fact Dewsbury-Hall has generated five Big Chances this season, more than any other Everton player.
Moyes has deployed Dewsbury-Hall in a deeper role as part of Everton’s midfield double pivot to make the most of the 27-year-old’s natural ability on the ball. This hasn’t just resulted in Dewsbury-Hall becoming a creator-in-chief, but the transformation of the Toffees under their Scottish manager who is approaching a year in charge.
Dewsbury-Hall’s passing stats, Premier League games only
“He’s made such a difference to the team,” said Moyes about Dewsbury-Hall’s impact. “He’s made us more creative and, sort of, cultured in the way we play. He might be going under the radar a wee bit – he’s playing so well. He does the work; he covers big distances for us. He’s an intelligent boy, as well. He wants the team to do well, and he’s certainly helped us play better.”
Heading into the 2025/26 season, there was most excitement at Everton around the loan signing of Grealish from Manchester City. He was the Toffees’ marquee addition and Grealish made such a fast start that many had started predicting he might make Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the 2026 World Cup.
Instead, Dewsbury-Hall has been the summer addition who has transformed Everton most of all. Since Sean Dyche’s departure at the start of 2025, the Toffees have become a more proactive, forward-thinking side and Dewsbury-Hall has facilitated this. So much of their play flows through the attacking midfielder.
15 games into the campaign, Everton are sitting seventh in the Premier League table, firmly within striking distance of the continental qualification spots. While the Europa League and Conference League might be a more realistic aim, Moyes’ team are only one point off the top five and the Champions League places as things stand.
Dewsbury-Hall’s possession stats, Premier League games only
Moyes hasn’t thrown out everything Dyche did during his time as Everton manager. However, the Scot has turned the dial towards a more adventurous, attacking approach even if the Toffees have only scored 18 goals from 15 fixtures in the Premier League this season.
With a more reliable finisher leading the line in the number nine position, Everton’s goalscoring numbers might make for better reading. The Toffees are underperforming their attacking statistics and the finger could be pointed at Beto and Thiero Barry, neither of whom have truly made the position their own this season.
No blame can be directed towards Dewsbury-Hall. Behind Carlos Alcaraz, Grealish and Ndiaye, the 27-year-old is the perfect supply line into the attacking third for an Everton team still at the start of a process to become a more modern outfit capable of imposing their own game on opponents.
In more than one way, this season has marked the start of a new era for the Toffees. The club moved into their gleaming new stadium on the banks of the Mersey only a few months after Dan Friedkin took over in a change of ownership. The transition that has taken part on the pitch is one part of the story.
The other part of the story heavily involves Dewsbury-Hall, the embodiment of Everton’s changing identity and renewed ambition. Moyes has unlocked the potential of a player who was never given the opportunity to show his quality at Chelsea and it could lead to European qualification.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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You get the picture. Over the years, the Premier League has seen an array of Brazilian strikers turn up on English shores looking to become the next Ronaldo or Romario.
The reality is, however, not many have actually left a mark. Firmino, Gabriel Jesus and Richarlison have scored 82, 73, and 66 top flight goals respectively, ranking as the top three Brazilian scorers in the Premier League era.
João Pedro is the next centre-forward on the list, but he has just 26 league goals to his name at the time of writing. He will certainly add many more goals to his tally, but once he leaves England, will there be much fanfare about his departure? Probably not.
Igor Thiago is still very much the new man on the scene after struggling with injury during his debut campaign.
Judging by his sublime start to the 2025/26 season, could he become one of the best Brazilian forwards the Premier League has ever seen?
Igor Thiago’s payer traits compared to strikers in Big 5 leagues
Igor Thiago’s slow start at Brentford is turning into a catalyst for success
In the summer of 2024, Thomas Frank opened the Bees’ chequebook and splurged out £30m to sign Thiago from Club Brugge.
It appeared as though the then 23-year-old was going to be an instant replacement for Ivan Toney, who had entered the final year of his contract.
The 2023/24 campaign saw Thiago score 29 goals across 55 matches for the Belgian side in all competitions, enough for him to impress Frank.
He made just eight Premier League appearances during his maiden campaign with the Bees due to a meniscus injury and then a further knee injury.
Not the start to life he would have wanted in England, but nevertheless, a full pre-season ahead of the 2025/26 campaign has enabled to the striker to hit lofty heights under Keith Andrews.
Taking the Premier League by storm
Many felt Brentford would struggle this season due to losing Frank, but Andrews has done a wonderful job given the circumstances.
Indeed, Bryan Mbuemo and Yoane Wissa – who each scored 20 goals last term – also departed during a summer full of change.
How would the Bees survive by losing two star players? Enter Thiago.
The Brazilian has stepped up and proved there is life after this duo by scoring 11 Premier League goals.
Only Haaland has scored more goals in the Premier League this season
He scored two in the first three games of the season, although those games ended in defeat to Nottingham Forest and Sunderland respectively.
When Brentford hosted Manchester United in September, Thiago netted twice. The first was a well taken left footed effort that flew into the top corner, before a close range finish but the home side up by two goals to the good.
A penalty against Liverpool sealed a vital 3-2 victory. Another penalty came against Newcastle two weeks later, followed by a cute finish to wrap up a 3-1 win over the Magpies.
Three more goals came during his next two outings, placing Thiago as the second-highest scorer in the Premier League with 11 goals.
Thiago’s style of play clearly suits Andrews’ way of playing the game. Not only is he physical, capable of getting the better of centre-backs regularly, but the Brazilian can also link up well with those behind him and hold up the ball superbly.
Add in a ruthlessness in front of goal that seems to be a natural genetic trait with most Brazilian strikers, Brentford have a diamond on their hands.
Not only does the 24-year-old rank in the top 7% for shots (35) in the top flight, he also ranks in the top 9% for touches in the opposition box (62) and in the top 7% for aerial duels won (41) when compared to his positional peers in the top flight this season.
His 11 goals in just 15 matches so far this season is an incredible statistic, and it gives him the chance to make Premier League history.
Thiago shot map, Premier League games only
Matheus Cunha, Firmino and Gabriel Martinelli share the record of most goals scored by a Brazilian in a Premier League season with 15.
Surely, Thiago establishes a new record in the coming months? If so, he might just punch a ticket to the World Cup next year.
A Brazil debut awaits
Brazil may not have forwards such as Ronaldo, Rivaldo or Adriano in this current generation, but Carlo Ancelotti still has several world class stars to choose from.
The likes of Vinícius Júnior, Raphinha, Rodrygo, Estêvão, Richarlison, Pedro and Cunha are likely to spearhead the Brazilian attack for the tilt at World Cup glory in 2026.
Thiago has yet to win an international cap for the Seleção, but given the nation’s underwhelming qualification campaign for the 2026 tourmanent, Ancelotti might be tempted to experiment.
Might an opportunity await the Brentford number 9 early next year when the country are due to play a few friendlies before the World Cup begins in June?
Making history by becoming the highest-scoring Brazilian in a single Premier League season would certainly grab the Italian coach’s attention, thats for sure.
Matches against Leeds, Wolves, Bournemouth and Tottenham across the festive season gives Thiago the perfect chance to make history. Watch this space.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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It’s never usually a good sign when a club has to take ‘extra security measures’ to ensure the safety of their players. Fiorentina fans are not threatening to shake hands and pour them a glass of wine after training.
Rock bottom of the Serie A with zero wins from their 14 games, and all six of their points coming from draws. The streets of Florence hum with a nervous anticipation, like a hooded assassin haunts the alleyways as one word plagues the minds of the people, Retrocessione – relegation.
The feeling was entirely different before the season started Fiorentina were meant to kick on following a successful 2024/25 that saw them finish sixth and qualify for their third consecutive Europa Conference League.
Ex-AC Milan manager Stefano Pioli, one of Italy’s more progressive coaches, was brought in to replace Raffaele Palladino, who left to take over from Gian Piero Gasperini at Atalanta, and the club splashed €90 million on new players.
That’s a lot of money for any Italian side nowadays, never mind one that hasn’t won a trophy since 2000/01. Sporting director Daniele Prade had a lot of faith placed in him to take the Viola forward in an era where the big boys aren’t as invincible as they once were.
So, while they gained some fantastic players, they lost some that were a real driving force behind everything that was good last season, particularly in the midfield. In the first half of the season, Edoardo Bove was their catalyst.
Bove is out indefinitely with heart problems after he collapsed on the pitch during their game with Inter Milan nearly a year ago, so no one at Fiorentina can be blamed for losing him, but they can for not replacing him properly.
Then we have Danilo Cataldi, on loan from Lazio, and Yacine Adli, on loan from AC Milan. Both of these players were absolutely pivotal for Fiorentina, with Cataldi acting as a midfield enforcer, allowing Adli so flex his creative muscles.
It shouldn’t be forgotten that Fiorentina went on an eight-game winning streak between the end of September and the start of December last season, beating the likes of AC Milan and Roma in the process.
Nine games into this Serie A campaign, Fiorentina had picked up just four points, and Prade said their game against Lecce was “question of life or death.” Fiorentina lost that game 1-0, and thankfully Prade wasn’t taken out back and shot, but rather given a secret third option, he walked away.
Fiorentina are struggling to score goals in Serie A this season
As is so often the case, the manager chopped and changed to try and find the right solution when in crisis. Tactically, Pioli didn’t change much, he stuck with some variation of the 3-4-2-1 that brought Palladino so much success.
In Prade’s defence, he took responsibility for the situation at the club, even if it was to shield Pioli, saying: “The club put €90m at my disposal to build the team. If anyone is responsible for the current situation, it’s me,” around a month before his resignation.
Ultimately, Prade falling on his sword wasn’t enough to sate the fan’s anger. Pioli looked around to see banners saying: “team, manager, club: you are the shame of this city”, and he knew his time was up.
Pioli was sacked after the defeat to Lecce, and under-19s manager Daniele Galloppa was put in charge on an interim basis. There was no ‘new manager bounce’, and Galloppa lost two and drew two of his four games in charge before Paolo Vanoli was finally hired as their permanent boss.
A disciple of Antonio Conte, Vanoli was part of the now Napoli manager’s coaching staff at Chelsea and Inter before taking his first frontline job at Spartak Moscow back in 2021, leading them to a Russian Cup.
Again, Vanoli hasn’t changed too much. Fiorentina still play with three at the back, but he has at least attempted to shore up the midfield, playing three in the middle and having Dodo and Fabiano Parisi playing as wing-backs/wide midfielders.
A 2-2 away draw with Genoa in his first game was a decent result, honestly at this point, points on the board should be considered a bonus. It was their next game that gave fans some (ultimately false) hope.
Fiorentina made the trip to Juventus and gave it their best. Last season’s best player, Moise Kean, hit the woodwork after Juve and Dušan Vlahović had a penalty chalked off by VAR. Filip Kostić opened the scoring just before the break, though, beating David de Gea from long range.
For the first time in a while, Fiorentina’s heads didn’t drop, and Rolando Mandragora bagged the equaliser, ending the game 1-1. Since then though, Viola’s side have lost three consecutive games across all competitions.
Speaking after their 3-1 defeat to Sassuolo, Viola said the words that will define their season: “In these situations, we need real men at this moment, not just players.”
It’s not all entirely doom and gloom though. Fiorentina have managed to bag a couple of wins in the Europa Conference League; a tournament they’ve had relative success in over the past couple of years.
They beat Sigma Olomouc and Rapid Wien comfortably, scoring five goals and conceding zero across the two games. Defeat to Mainz and AEK Athens have seen them tumble down to 17th in the league phase, however.
It’s going to take a lot to salvage Fiorentina’s season, but they’re only seven points from safety in Serie A and have a genuine shot of winning a semi-major European trophy if they get their act together.
It’s a big IF. Too much change in too short of a time frame has set Fiorentina back considerably. Viola’s true mission is to fix their ongoing crisis of confidence. Perhaps the Conference League could be how they do that, a win over Dynamo Kyiv tonight would go a long way.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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One promising Spanish manager could be on the brink of seeing his big job taken away, as Real Madrid demand an overdue win. Standing in his way, perhaps the greatest of all the Spanish tacticians.
It was all going so well for Xabi Alonso, but a run of non-victories only ever means one thing at the Santiago Bernabéu: crisis talk. Local headlines suggest the former Leverkusen boss has one match – this match against Manchester City, of all teams – to keep himself in the hotseat. It might have been different had every other Champions League result been more favourable at least, more time allowed for a legend in his playing days to put more of his own emphasis on the side as a coach. But Real have never been known for incredible patience and it already looks like Alonso is on borrowed time. One big issue has been that he has lost the big games: PSG in the Club World Cup, Atlético in the derby, Liverpool in the Champions League. A narrow win in El Clásico isn’t enough for this demanding club.
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Resurgence
For his opposite number it must feel surreal; Pep Guardiola saw his City side fail badly last term but has been allowed to restock and rebuild. While they are perhaps still not in completely top gear, the signs are there that consistency is close to returning, the inexorable City machine ramping up for another multi-title tilt.
With all that going on you could be forgiven for being surprised at which team is top eight after four wins in five in Europe, but Real head into the game sixth to City’s 12th. If they don’t end it above them, change is probably in the offing.
Recent form
Two wins in seven simply isn’t Real Madrid form and Xabi Alonso has no credit in the bank at this club, despite 13 wins in 14 across all competitions right before this bad run started. A 2-0 home defeat to Celta Vigo at the weekend was decidedly not ideal preparation. Man City have won three in a row since back-to-back defeats, while they have three wins and a draw in Europe as well as the loss last time out to Alonso’s former club, Bayer Leverkusen.
H2H results in the Champions League, including last season’s play-off tie
Let all the attackers do their thing, sure (see below) – but you have to stop the opposition. Aurélien Tchouaméni has been playing at centre-back this term when needed which will skew his stats somewhat but he’s an elite ball-winner all the same back in midfield, with a 71% duel win ratio in LaLiga ranking him top in that regard. He’ll need that trait many times over in midweek.
Screenshot
Prediction
Real will raise their game when the stakes are high but it might only be prolonging the inevitable: Real Madrid 3 Man City 2.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Arsenal will look to continue their perfect Champions League form when they head to Club Brugge in midweek, knowing another win will surely guarantee them a top-eight finish.
Arsenal had a pretty spectacular run of form which makes it feel like they should be runaway champions elect in the Premier League, yet they’ve stuttered when they should have sprinted. As such they’re only two points clear and currently on course for a very middling 84 points – nowhere near enough to land a title if Man City click into gear. But in Europe, it might be a very, very different story.
Mikel Arteta’s team are resolute defensively, experts at set plays and can dominate patiently without breaking their shape, even if they don’t break down an opponent. It might well see this Gunners team perfectly set up to go the distance in the competition this term, though of course top spot – as they had at the start of Matchday 6 – in the league phase guarantees little in the knockouts. Even so, the squad depth is tremendous and there’s already talk of January additions – a first ever Champions League title must be high on the agenda.
Stuck between versions
As for Club Brugge, this may go down as a season of transition. They are not the dominant force of Belgian football who have finished first in four years out of five, and second the other year – after being runners-up last term, they haven’t managed to respond strongly and sit third this time around so far. While not disastrous, especially if they muster enough points together to scrape a top-24 finish in this Champions League phase, many of their young talents clearly need another year or two to develop: Aleksandar Stanković, Carlos Forbs, Joaquin Seys, Joel Ordóñez, Jorne Spileers and Nicolo Tresoldi have all played over 800 league minutes already; all are aged 21 or younger. To add to the uncertainty, they’ve sacked Nicky Hayen and reappointed former boss Ivan Leko on the eve of the clash.
Recent results
Just one win in six has the hosts well out of form, with four defeats in the last five. At home they were near-perfect until the start of November but it has gone wonky since. That said, Arsenal are three without a win away from home and have just two wins in five domestically. All the same, five wins from five in Europe tells its own story.
Team news
Brugge have a horrid list of absentees including both senior goalkeepers, meaning third choice Dani van den Heuvel will continue in net. Ludovit Reis, Spileers and Romeo Vermant are among the other big misses.
It’s hard to look past Mikel Merino at the moment, as he keeps popping up with goals. He continues to offer a bizarre collection of all-round traits: above 95% of similar players in the Premier League for expected assists per 90, touches and interceptions, and above a full 100% for tackles. Compared to centre-forwards (since he’s playing there) over the last year he’s above only two-thirds for goals, yet all of them for defensive contributions.
Prediction
Arsenal to get back to winning ways thanks to set-piece prowess in a low-key encounter: Club Brugge 0-2 Arsenal.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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In just 15 league matches, Ferran Torres has already bettered his goals tally from last season this term. By netting a hat trick in Barcelona’s thrilling 5-3 win over Real Betis on Saturday, the Spanish forward proved he is the best number nine available to Hansi Flick at this moment in time. Better even than Robert Lewandowski.
Ferran’s breakout season is well-timed. With Lewandowski out of contract at the end of the season, most believed Barca would enter the transfer market next summer to find a replacement for the Polish striker. Instead, Lewandowski’s long-term successor might already be at Camp Nou.
Signed as more of a wide attacker than a centre forward, Ferran has adapted well to his new role over the last two seasons. At first, he was deployed through the middle because Barcelona had nobody else to rotate with Lewandowski and ease some of the burden on the Pole. Now, Ferran looks like the perfect focal point for Flick’s team.
Against Real Betis, Ferran was constantly on the move. Lewandowski might be a more natural finisher in and around the penalty area, but at 37 years old he isn’t as mobile as Flick would surely like. In and out of possession, Ferran’s presence makes Barcelona a more fluid side in the final third of the pitch.
Torres season summary since joining Barcelona (all comps)
Only Lamine Yamal and Pedri are averaging more possessions won in the final third per 90 minutes than Ferran, and the difference between the trio is negligible. The Spanish international presses from the front, making it more difficult for opponents to play through Barca. This quality is particularly valuable considering Flick’s high defensive line and the space in behind.
In attacking phases, Ferran’s intelligent movement makes him a perpetual threat to opposition defences. He is quick to get across his marker at the near post and has worked on the timing of his runs into space. At times, watching Ferran is like watching David Villa when he led the line for the Catalan outfit.
When Ferran shoots on target, he finds the back of the net more often than any of his Barcelona teammates, averaging an Expected Goals On Target (xGOT) of 8.2. For context, Lewandowski’s xGOT for the season stands at just 5.5. Ferran also ranks above Lewandowski in terms of pure Expected Goals (xG) this season.
Torres’ shot map, LaLiga games only
“He’s a very intelligent player. He knows how to interpret spaces very well and he did it fantastically well today,” said Flick when asked about Ferran’s eye-catching performance against Real Betis. “He has a very good mentality and lots of confidence. This is the way forward. He deserves to be in the starting XI. He is always there when he is needed. This stadium is Ferran Torres’ stadium, also when he plays with the national team, he also scored a hat-trick here.”
That Flick mentioned Ferran’s national team performances was pertinent considering there is a World Cup on the horizon. Spain will be among the favourites in the USA, Canada and Mexico next summer and Ferran could give them a different attacking dimension. He is in line for a starting spot.
As strong as Spain were at Euro 2024, ultimately going all the way in Germany to lift the trophy, Luis de la Fuente’s team were lacking in three key positions – goalkeeper, centre back and centre forward. Since then, Joan García has emerged as a top-level shot-stopper with Pau Cubarsí a prodigious defender. Ferran could be Spain’s next great centre forward.
For Barcelona, Ferran will continue to spearhead a Barcelona team aiming to better last season’s LaLiga title success. Over a decade has passed since the Catalans were last European champions and so a particular focus is being put on the Champions League this season.
Having suffered defeats to Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, Barca still have some work to secure their place in the Champions League knockout rounds. A win over Eintracht Frankfurt on Tuesday would see the Spanish champions take an important step towards qualification from the League Phase.
Lewandowski is far from finished. Despite missing a number of matches through injury, the Polish international has still scored eight goals in 822 minutes this season. That gives Lewandowski an average of a goal every 103 minutes, a ratio that is better than most other forwards in Europe’s Big Five leagues.
If Barcelona are to fight on multiple fronts this season, they need Lewandowski to keep finding the back of the net until such a time that a decision on his future is required. When that time comes, though, Barca will be in a better position than they would have been had Ferran not exploded in the way he has this season.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every Barcelona game on FotMob – with in-depth stat coverage, including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
