Page 16 – The Pulse of Football

Mar

2025

Liverpool vs. PSG shows the new Champions League format has a serious flaw

Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain may be dream opponents for UEFA in the first knockout round of the inaugural Champions League expansion, but it is a draw that leaves the Reds hard done by.

By Jack Lusby, ThisIsAnfield.com

“It could have been a Champions League final.”

PSG manager Luis Enrique summed it up in his assessment of a tantalising tie between his side and Liverpool in the last 16 of the Champions League.

Heading into the first leg at the Parc des Princes both sides are 13 points clear at the top of their respective leagues and considered champions-elect. PSG need six wins from 10 games to guarantee the title, Liverpool need seven.

It is undoubtedly one of the toughest fixtures in the tournament’s first proper knockout stage and one that UEFA, presiding over the first Champions League with 36 teams and a new format, will have been rubbing their hands together over when the draw was completed.

This is, after all, the purpose of expanding the Champions League and introducing a new league phase to replace the traditional group stage: more high-profile ties, earlier in the tournament, and more eyes on the product.

But for Liverpool, who stormed to the top of the table with seven wins from eight, drawing the reigning French champions and a side, like themselves, on a 24-game unbeaten streak is little reward for their efforts over those league games.

Not that Arne Slot and his players will let on, with every challenge embraced in a remarkably strong season, including resounding wins over the Spanish, German and English champions Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen and Manchester City already.

They head to Paris on the back to comfortable victories against Manchester City and Newcastle and with few injury problems to contend with, largely due to careful squad management and the eye for detail of lead physical performance coach Ruben Peeters.

Liverpool boast the world’s current best player in Mohamed Salah and the best centre-back in Virgil van Dijk, along with a number of others operating at elite form, such as Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch, Ibrahima Konaté and Cody Gakpo.

Bookmakers place the Reds as favourites to progress to the quarter-finals, aided by the second leg being held at Anfield, which they earned by virtue of avoiding the playoffs with a top-eight finish.

But the inclusion of a playoff round, pitting the sides who finished ninth to 24th against each other to determine the other eight sides to reach the last 16, has clouded any reward for a near-perfect league phase.

It meant Liverpool and second-placed Barcelona knew they would play one of the winners of two playoffs between PSG, Benfica, Monaco and Brest, the sides who finished 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th respectively.

Drawn against domestic opposition, PSG battered Brest 10-0 over two legs to reach the last 16 and make a mockery of their league placing after facing Arsenal, Atlético Madrid, Bayern Munich and Manchester City among their eight opponents.

Speaking in January, after a 2-1 win over Lille in the penultimate round of the league phase, Slot admitted even he wasn’t sure of the advantages of finishing top of the table, with the subsequent knockout draw so dependent on other teams’ performance.

“In tennis, when you are No. 1 seeded you know it’s always better to face the No. 24 than the No. 8 or the No. 12, because this is a ranking that is done for years,” he told reporters.

“But now we are in a new format where some teams are high in the league table because they had a lucky draw or some teams are low because they had a very difficult draw. So it’s far off to say that it’s an advantage to be one or two, we still don’t know yet if that’s an advantage or not.

“You might be lucky, you might be very unlucky, and ending up eighth can mean that you are maybe lucky. So for me, it doesn’t tell me anything.

“What’s, for me, the most important thing is that we’ve managed to skip a round, and that is definitely worth a bit.”

After the postponement of the December trip to Everton and a rescheduling due to their progress to the Carabao Cup final, Liverpool did not even enjoy the benefits of skipping the playoffs, with two midweek league games taking their place.

Either way, the fact remains that Aston Villa, who finished eighth, landed an objectively easier last-16 tie, with opponents Club Brugge finishing 24th in the league phase and only advancing after a defiant playoff win over Atalanta who finished ninth.

Again, this is exactly what UEFA will cherish when they look back on the first iteration of this new Champions League, but there is certainly a question over whether this is entirely fair.

Scrapping the playoffs and establishing a straightforward seeding for the knockout stages – first vs. 16th, second vs. 15th and so on – would surely serve as more justified reward for excelling in the marathon of an eight-game league phase.

Whether that will come into consideration when the European Club Association weigh up the pros and cons of this new format remains to be seen.

But it could lead the likes of Liverpool to alter their approach to the league phase in future, as ultimately five wins out of eight for Villa resulted in a better draw than their own seven wins and one dead-rubber defeat.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

To keep up to date with everything Liverpool, make sure you click follow on the team profile in the FotMob app. Download the free app here.

Mar

2025

Luis Enrique’s ‘proper’ PSG team pose a threat in the Champions League

Paris Saint-Germain are no longer pretenders to the crown.

By Sam McGuire

For years, they were labelled as one of the best teams in the world. This wasn’t ever really true. They may have had some of the best players in the world, but they didn’t operate as a team. They had too many egos to massage with Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Neymar all vying to be the King of Paris.

They’d attack as a team but would they defend as a team? Absolutely not.

Even after Messi and Neymar left, it felt like Mbappé plus 10 others on the pitch. They reached the Champions League semi-finals last season but, objectively speaking, weren’t great. They finished second in their group on eight points having won just two of their six matches. They only qualified for the knockout stage due to having a superior head-to-head goal difference against AC Milan.

They beat Real Sociedad in the round-of-16 and then lost the first-leg of their quarter-final clash 3-2 to Barcelona, at home. They did hammer Barca at the Camp Nou, 4-1, after an early red card to Ronald Araújo.

PSG then lost 2-0 on aggregate to Borussia Dortmund in the semi-final.

Given their spend over the years and the squad at their disposal, performances should’ve been better in European competition, right?

Domestically, they dominated last season.

They finished nine points clear of Monaco to win Ligue 1 and also beat Lyon in the final of the Coupe De France.

Mbappé finally departed in the summer, leaving for Real Madrid on a free transfer. PSG didn’t go big in the market to replace their poster boy. The highly-rated Désiré Doué joined from Rennes for €50million to bolster their attacking options. Other areas of the team were strengthened but it was sensible business rather than moves you’d associate with FIFA Ultimate Team.

Their Champions League campaign didn’t get off to the best of starts this season – they lost to Arsenal, Atlético Madrid and Bayern Munich. They also drew with PSV. However, three successive wins helped them make it to the play-offs. This included a 4-2 victory over Manchester City having been 2-0 down. They then destroyed Brest in the play-off game, racking up an aggregate 10-0 win.

They head into their game against Liverpool on a 10-match winning streak. In fact, they’re unbeaten since their 1-0 loss to Bayern Munich in November.

During this winning run, Luis Enrique’s side have scored 40 goals and conceded just seven. Ousmane Dembélé is in the form of his career. He’s currently the leading scorer in Ligue 1 with 18.

PSG dominate the FotMob average player ratings too with Achraf Hakimi, Dembélé and João Neves making up the top three this term across Ligue 1.

Bradley Barcola has found his feet too, despite there being some concerns over his role within the squad following the arrival of Doué, and has 12 league goals to his name. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is a threat. The Georgian international joined from Napoli in January and has seamlessly slotted in to Enrique’s XI.

Doué is chipping in with goals and assists now and was the star of the show in the recent 4-1 win over Lille.

After that particular game, the manager added fuel to the fire, saying: “We’re not going to change much, today was a test, Liverpool and Lille have similar things, we put them under such pressure that they could no longer play from the back, they had to play long.

“It will be different, it will be very complicated of course, but we are in the best period of the season. We will play against the best team in Europe, qualified brilliantly, but it is not in our mentality to speculate, protect ourselves, stay defensive, we will attack and we will try to turn that in our favour.”

“I know Liverpool very well, without a doubt they are the team in the best form in Europe both in terms of results and play. It could have been a Champions League final, we’re going to try to do it with our weapons.”

Things are now just well balanced. Enrique has a team rather than a collection of players. And it is pretty evident when looking at the stats too.

They top Ligue 1 for goals scored, averaging 2.9 goals per 90. They have the highest xG – 63.9 (66 goals). They’ve carved out 131 big chances – the only team in France to be in triple digits. They’re robust defensively too, conceding 23 goals from an xG Against of 23.2.

In Europe, their record is alright too. They have the fourth highest xG and rank second for big chances created with 48. The games against Brest boosted these numbers but their output is still impressive when you consider they faced off against Arsenal, Atlético, Bayern and Manchester City.

PSG look well equipped. They have a fluid front three with a Plan B option in Gonçalo Ramos if needed. They can stack their midfield in a variety of different ways to either dominate the ball or dominate space. Defensively, they look fairly solid these days with Lucas Beraldo and Willian Pacho rotating alongside Marquinhos. Nuno Mendes is back at left-back and Hakimi is owning the right-flank.

This is no longer a FIFA Ultimate Team XI. This is a proper team with multiple ways to win a match. And that is why they’re a concern. PSG of yesteryear wouldn’t have worried me at all. Arne Slot’s ruthless Reds would’ve done a professional job on them. This iteration, however, could be more of a problem for the Premier League leaders.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Mar

2025

Preview: Heavyweights collide as PSG host Liverpool

Two of the most in-form teams in Europe are set to square off in the UEFA Champions League’s Round of 16 as French champions PSG face Premier League leaders Liverpool.

By Neel Shelat

An entertaining open game in the offing

Especially in recent years, clashes between Europe’s very best teams have often been fairly cagey affairs. However, both Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool’s performances this season suggest that their meeting will really live up to the billing. They are the top scorers in their respective leagues by sizable margins and have also averaged over 2 goals scored per game in the UEFA Champions League.

One of the keys to Liverpool’s success under Arne Slot has been their ability to deal serious damage in transition, so they certainly will not mind an end-to-end affair at the Parc des Princes. Although Luis Enrique is generally thought of as a more control-oriented coach, he too has shown a willingness to let things open up in big games of late, so both sides could well go at it with hammer and tongs.

Dembélé and Salah: two of the world’s most in-form attackers

A big reason why both teams won’t mind letting the game open up is that they will back their star attackers to make the difference when given the opportunity to run at goal. Ousmane Dembélé and Mohamed Salah are arguably the two most in-form players in the world right now, and will surely be competing for the next Ballon d’Or at this rate.

*Domestic league stat comparison, Dembélé vs. Salah*

Although Salah’s numbers look better over the course of the season, the French forward has been on an absolute tear of late after being deployed in a central role as the answer to PSG’s striker issues. He has scored a whopping 21 goals in his last 18 appearances across all competitions, just a few more than the Egyptian international’s 17 in the same period.

PSG’s scintillating form

Paris Saint-Germain are the most in-form team among the Champions League’s last 16. They have won 19 and drawn the other two of their last 21 matches across all competitions, with the list of results including a 4-2 triumph over Manchester City, three wins over Monaco including one in the French Super Cup and a 10-0 aggregate thumping of Brest in the UCL playoff that got them to this tie.

Could this be the season PSG break their UCL curse?

Paris Saint-Germain have famously never won Europe’s premier continental competition despite billions of Euros’ worth of investment in recent years under Qatari ownership. They faltered on the final hurdle in 2020 and subsequently looked to assemble an all-star squad including an attacking trio of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Neymar, but the iconic trophy remained elusive.

With each of those players having now left the club, this season marks the beginning of a new era for PSG. Indeed, Luis Enrique is among many who believe that they are a better team now, but only time can tell whether they will miss some star power in the Champions League knockouts.

Prediction

With little to separate the two sides, this tie should be expected to go down to the wire. A score draw will set up an equally exciting second leg at Anfield.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Champions 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.

Mar

2025

Preview: Benfica and Barcelona go again in the Champions League

Benfica and Barcelona meet for the second time in this season’s Champions League with a place in the quarter-finals on the line this time.

By Graham Ruthven

High expectations

Nine goals were shared between Benfica and Barcelona the last time they met in this season’s Champions League with the Catalans leaving Lisbon with a famous 5-4 win which saw them score three goals in the closing stages.

The Portuguese side have made a habit of generating such excitement in the Champions League this season having made the last 16 with a 4-3 aggregate win over Monaco. Bruno Lage would surely settle for something calmer on Wednesday.

Barcelona, however, aren’t involved in many calm games. They were the top scorers of the league phase, netting 28 goals in just eight matches, and come into Wednesday’s fixture against Benfica having scored eight goals in their last two outings.

Benfica also enter the last 16 tie in strong form, winning seven of their last eight in all competitions. They have also scored in all but one of their home games this season. Barcelona will be tested.

Key players

Vangelis Pavlidis has scored an impressive seven goals in nine Champions League matches, making him one of the most prolific forwards in the competition so far this season. The Greek will be a big threat in behind Barcelona’s high defensive line.

Kerem Aktürkoğlu and Ángel Di María will also carry a threat in the wide areas, although the latter is carrying a knock and might have to start Wednesday’s game on the bench.

At the back, Nicolás Otamendi and Anatoliy Trubin will have to be in top form to keep Barcelona’s incredible attacking line at arm’s length. Benfica might need some fortune on their side to get through the game.

Barca have an array of attacking talent, most of whom could make the difference at the Estadio da Luz. Two of the top four scorers in this season’s Champions League are Barcelona players with Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha combining for 17 goals.

Lamine Yamal continues to get better and better with the teenage sensation set to start on the right side of the Barcelona attacking. His dribbling ability and natural creativity makes him so difficult to play against.

Ronald Araújo is expected to keep his place in central defence alongside Pau Cubarsí, but can Barca keep things together at the back when so many opponents have been able to expose them defensively this season?

Team news

Florentino Luís will miss out through injury for Benfica with Alexander Bah, Manu Silva, Tiago Gouveia and Renato Sanches also sidelined for the Portuguese side. Di María could also miss out.

Bruma, however, will return to the fold after a three-game ban carried over from the Europa League when he was a Braga player. The Portuguese international could start in the attacking line if Di María is absent.

Gavi missed the weekend win over Real Sociedad due to illness, but should be available to start against Benfica on Wednesday. The 20-year-old could come into Barca’s midfield unit for the match.

Andreas Christensen is injured again after suffering another calf strain while Marc-André Ter Stegen and Marc Bernal are still working their way back from long-term injuries.

Prediction

We think there will be goals, again, and that Barca will take home a narrow advantage to defend in next week’s second leg: Benfica 2-3 Barcelona

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Champions 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.

Mar

2025

Preview: Arsenal travel to PSV in the Champions League Round of 16

The ‘new’ Champions League moves into its ‘old’ format now: two legs, no do-overs, win and in or give up the ghost and wait until next year. The one intriguing alteration: teams can already map out their route to the final from this point on, and Arsenal might feel aggrieved at their potential path.

By Karl Matchett

Tough side of the draw

Flip a coin as to whether you see foresight as a motivational factor or a mood-killer – it’ll probably depend on your own team and their possible options. For Arsenal, that means if they come through a last-16 tie against PSV, they know lying in wait will be either giant from Madrid, then probably Liverpool or Paris Saint-Germain. None of those are easy, but it’s the Champions League: it’s not supposed to be easy!

Focus on the job in hand

For Mikel Arteta and his underperforming squad, there’s a different response too: your so-called easy game is this one. PSV are not just in one of the weaker top leagues in Europe, they’re also wildly out of form themselves.

But it’s time for the Gunners to forget about visions of glory right now; instead, they need to concentrate on the “one step at a time” approach, the methodology of just getting the job done which lies ahead of them – especially considering they haven’t done that in three of their last four matches, beating only relegation certainties Leicester since that thumping 5-1 win over Man City. Until consistency is back on the agenda, forget talk of trophies.

Recent form

PSV still sit second in the Eredivisie, but they have fallen to eight points off Ajax following a run of one win in seven in the league, and just two wins in eight in a packed fixture list across all competitions since the start of February. Arsenal played only five times in that period, winning twice, while in Europe their record was strong in the league phase: six wins from eight saw them finish third.

Team news

Malik Tillman and Ricardo Pepi are the big absentees for PSV, but they’re also without Serginio Dest and ex-Arsenal striker Lucas Pérez, now a 36-year-old veteran who has just joined on a short-term deal. On-loan Man United man Tyrell Malacia may also be left out.

Arsenal are missing forward foursome Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz, while Takehiro Tomiyasu is still absent for the long haul too. Mikel Merino seems set to continue up front.

Key player

If Arsenal want any chance at real success this year, they need Martin Ødegaard to step up again and rediscover top form. Naturally for a player as creative as him, he needs great movement ahead of him to really maximise his talent, but the captain simply has to find a way. Compared to Europe’s other midfielders he’s 91st percentile for shots, 98th percentile for chance creation. Make it count.

*Ødegaard player traits – comparison against similar players in Europe’s Top 5 Leagues*

Prediction

Over two legs, this is an Arsenal victory all the way – there’s an argument to say it’s the most one-sided tie of the last 16: PSV 1 Arsenal 2.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

Mar

2025

Preview: Madrid derby to set the tone on opening day of UCL Round of 16

There are a good few thrilling ties in store in the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League’s Round of 16, but none will likely be as fierce as the battle between Madrid rivals Real and Atlético.

By Neel Shelat

Draws galore in recent derbies

There has been incredibly little to separate the two Madrid giants over the last year or so. Each of the last three meetings between these two teams has ended in a 1-1 draw, while the two cup matches in early 2024 required extra time to settle each tie.

Evidently, goals have been flowing in recent Madrid derbies. In fact, neither side has managed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last 10 clashes. Across that period, the goals per game averages out at 3.3.

Atleti out to end rotten UCL record against Real

Atlético Madrid have never won a UEFA Champions League knockout tie against their local rivals. They have come across Los Blancos four times in the competition, with all the meetings coming in a three-year stretch.

The first of these matches was the famous 2014 final when Sergio Ramos’ stoppage-time header took the game to extra time, in which Carlo Ancelotti’s side eventually ran away to register a 4-1 victory. Atléti then lost to a late Chicharito goal – the only strike across two legs – in the 2014/15 quarter-finals, before suffering even more disappointment in a penalty shoot-out defeat in the 2016 final. The record UCL champions would go on to defend their title in 2017, defeating Atlético en route in the semi-final.

Los Colchoneros also fell short in the only Madrid derby tie in the old European Cup. That was all the way back in 1959, when goals from Alfredo Di Stéfano and Ferenc Puskás decided the play-off match after a 2-2 aggregate draw in the semi-final.

Atleti did win the most recent continental meeting between these teams in the 2018 UEFA Super Cup, but they will need something special to break a nine-match winless streak at the Santiago Bernabéu if they are to replicate such a result.

Big misses in Real’s midfield

Injuries and absences have been a big talking point for Real Madrid throughout the season, and this game will be no exception. While Ancelotti’s side seem to have found a way to make do without Dani Carvajal and Éder Militão, the short-term absences of Dani Ceballos and Jude Bellingham due to a hamstring issue and suspension respectively could well prove much tougher to mask.

Following Toni Kroos’ retirement, one of Real’s biggest challenges this season has been replacing his playmaking and connecting qualities in midfield. Ceballos and Bellingham have proven critical in that respect, so the hosts could be in for a frustrating night without them.

Atléti building another head of steam

Atlético do not have any major injury issues to worry about and are only expected to miss César Azpilicueta and Koke for this game. With a near full-strength squad, they have gone unbeaten for 10 matches in their second-best run of the season after the 15-match winning streak from late 2024.

Prediction

With some serious firepower in both attacks, a score draw should be expected. The 1-1 streak could well keep going.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

Mar

2025

Mattia Zaccagni is blooming in his role as Lazio’s captain and chief creator

The clock was ticking towards full time in the Stadio Olimpico, and Lazio needed a goal. Serie A table-toppers Napoli were headed for their eighth victory in 10 matches until the 87th minute, when Boulaye Dia fired a pass that skirted past Tijjani Noslin and found its way towards Mattia Zaccagni. Whilst a slew of Napoli players sprinted towards him, Zaccagni slowed things down with his back towards goal, patiently deliberated his options, and waited for his cavalry to arrive before finding Dia, who caressed a shot into the bottom-left corner. It was the sixth straight match where Lazio avoided defeat against Napoli, and it was also the third straight match where Zaccagni provided an assist.

By Zach Lowy

Since that 2-2 draw in Rome, Lazio have drawn 0-0 at Venezia and lost 2-0 to Inter in the Coppa Italia quarterfinal, but they nevertheless remain a strong contender for UEFA Champions League qualification and can book their ticket via two different paths: Lazio sit fifth in the league table, two points behind Juventus who occupy the fourth and final Champions League spot, whilst they will go into their UEFA Europa League Round of 16 match against Viktoria Plzeň as the overwhelming favorites. But if they are to claim their first European trophy in 26 years, they’ll need Mattia Zaccagni to be at his brilliant best.

After developing at AC Bellaria Igea Marina, Zaccagni joined Hellas Verona in 2013, where he played for the youth teams before cutting his teeth with then Serie C sides Venezia and Cittadella on loan. Zaccagni broke into the Hellas first-team in 2016/17 and emerged as a regular contributor as the Gialloblu oscillated between the top-flight and second tier, but it wasn’t until the 2019/20 season that he managed to make a name for himself in Serie A under Ivan Jurić. Having previously been utilized as a holding midfielder, Jurić moved him to an attacking midfield role, where he has played ever since. The Croatian manager saw that Zaccagni interpreted football differently to his other players – he was someone who had the creativity, dynamism and vision to improvise and create a solution out of thin air.

“He’s one of the most intelligent players I’ve coached so far,” stated Jurić. “He has the rare ability to play well while also making the game easier for his teammates.”

It wasn’t long before Italy’s biggest teams came calling, with Lazio signing Zaccagni on loan with a conditional obligation to buy for €7.1 million on August 31, 2021. After gradually adjusting to Maurizio Sarri’s tactics in 2021/22, Zaccagni enjoyed a career-best season in 2022/23, registering 10 goals and 7 assists in 35 league appearances as Lazio finished second. He took a step back in 2023/24 with 6 goals and 2 assists in 28 matches as Lazio regressed to seventh, causing them to sack Sarri in March, but that didn’t stop Italy manager Luciano Spalletti from calling him up for the 2024 UEFA European Championship. Two years after making his Azzurri debut, Zaccagni was going to be playing in a major tournament for the first time.

After riding the bench vs. Albania and playing a half-hour vs. Spain, Zaccagni was thrown on for the final minutes of their group stage match vs. Croatia, who were winning 1-0. If the result held, Italy’s campaign would go up in flames. In the final minute, Riccardo Calafiori trotted infield and found an unmarked Zaccagni. Rather than taking a touch to steady himself, Zaccagni chose to speed things up and blast a rocket into the top-right corner, keeping Italy’s title hopes alive by a razor-thin margin. Italy ended up losing to Switzerland in the following round, but the message was clear: Zaccagni was ready to take the next step and cement himself as one of the best players in Serie A.

Lazio rewarded Zaccagni’s stellar displays with a contract extension until 2029 before undertaking a summer rebuild that saw them lose three veteran leaders in attack in Felipe Anderson, Luis Alberto, and all-time leading scorer Ciro Immobile. Zaccagni took the No. 10 shirt from Alberto and the captain’s armband from Immobile, and it’s obvious that this added responsibility has worked wonders for his confidence. Zaccagni has excelled on the left side of attack in Marco Baroni’s 4-2-3-1, capable of attracting multiple opponents before deftly maneuvering past them and generating a numerical superiority in the final third. He has the anticipation and fearlessness to get to loose balls before his rival, as well as the ingenuity and finesse to protect the ball and force his marker into fouling him in order to stop the flow.

*Zaccagni player traits – comparison vs. similar players in top 5 leagues*

Having previously been accustomed to ‘death by 1000 passes’ under Sarri, Lazio are now employing a more direct attacking approach under new manager Marco Baroni. It means Zaccagni has far more time and space to work with instead of being congested into the final third, and it also means that his teammates will look to provide him with the ball almost immediately. And whilst Zaccagni was previously used to being double-teamed, the arrival of Nuno Tavares means that Lazio now have a left back who can bomb forward, attract the attention of the opposing defenders, and enable Zaccagni to shift inside and wreak havoc.

“Zaccagni has become more of a leader,” stated Vittorio Campanile, the co-host of the English-language podcast Lazio Lounge. “He’s the most experienced player we have in the team alongside Alessio Romagnoli. He’s the Lazio player with the most quality, and as such, he needs to be the leader.”

“What Baroni wants is a winger that starts from the left and moves centrally before making a key pass or a shot on target in the half-spaces, which dovetails nicely with Zaccagni’s style. Zaccagni always shined with Sarri by moving centrally and trying to finish rather than going to the corner and whipping in crosses. He loves to be one-on-one with the defender, and 75% of the time, he’ll win the duel and create chances as a result.”

*Zaccanagi shooting numbers, Serie A 2024/25*

Zaccagni may not be the quickest player or the tallest at 5’9”, but when it comes to in-game intelligence, he’s a titan on the pitch. He has the intangible ability of being in the right place at the right time and choosing the passing option that, even if it isn’t the most aesthetically pleasing, yields the highest chances of resulting in a goal. He’s capable of instigating counter-attacks with his adroit footwork, ball manipulation, and audacious dribbles, and when the going gets tough, he’s the player that other Lazio players look for to create a golden opportunity. He’s someone who, on account of reading the game a step quicker than the other 20 outfield players, has the know-how and pausa to slow the game down before stepping on the gas and pushing the attack into overdrive.

As he approaches 30 years old, Mattia Zaccagni is hitting the best form of his entire career. Having registered just nine goal contributions in 36 appearances last season, he’s already provided 17 goal contributions in 32 for Lazio, who will visit Milan on Sunday. Zaccagni has not only established himself as a role model for Lazio’s younger players like Nicolò Rovella and Gustav Isaksen, but he’s staked his claim as one of the best players in Serie A. He’s created 44 chances – second only to Genoa’s Aarón Caricol (51) – and he is the top rated Serie A player in FotMob’s database, with only Ademola Lookman (7.53) close to his 7.55 average rating.

*Zaccanagi’s creative stats, Serie A 2024/25*

Back when he was enjoying his breakout season in Verona, Jurić stated, “If [Zaccagni] can learn how to be more incisive in the last 20-25 metres, he can aspire to be in the national team.” So far, Zaccagni hasn’t quite managed to nail down a place in the Azzurri setup, making just nine appearances, playing just four minutes since the Euros, and missing out on the last two international call-ups. With Spalletti preferring a 3-5-1-1 formation with two strikers working in tandem, it seems there isn’t quite a natural fit for Zaccagni in the line-up. However, if he continues to deliver the goods for Lazio, Spalletti may have no other choice but to recall him for the March international window.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow all the action from Serie A on FotMob – with in-depth stat coverage including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Mar

2025

Preview: Inter Miami face road trip to Houston

Inter Miami will be seeking their first win of the new MLS season when they face Houston Dynamo in Texas on Sunday night. Lionel Messi registered assists for both goals in his team’s opener against New York City FC last week, which finished 2-2. He and teammate Luis Suárez will now be looking to get off the mark in the goals column in MLS.

By James Nalton

Messi contributing in all comps

As was the case with Inter Miami’s 2025 MLS opener against New York City, the game against Houston comes on the back of a midweek Champions Cup game against Sporting Kansas City.

Wednesday’s second leg was a much more comfortable affair compared to the first, both in terms of the weather conditions and the scoreline, as Inter Miami cruised to a 3-1 win to progress 4-1 on aggregate.

Messi got on the scoresheet once again, making it two in two in the Champions Cup so far, while Suárez scored his first goal of the season.

Inter Miami are in four competitions this season, with the Club World Cup and Leagues Cup to come, and are back in Champions Cup action against Cavalier of Jamaica next week.

Their focus is currently split between two tournaments, as it might be for much of the season, but Messi’s involvement in goals has been constant, with two goals and two assists in three games across all competitions so far.

One to watch – Telasco Segovia

When Inter Miami were a goal behind and a man down against New York City last week, a goal from the 21-year-old Venezuelan rescued a point in the 10th minute of added time.

It was a coolly taken finish in the circumstances, lifted over the onrushing NYCFC goalkeeper Matt Freese following the pass from Messi. The type of finish you might see from Messi himself.

Segovia came off the bench in that game, but started both Champions Cup matches.

Coach Javier Mascherano obviously sees him as a key part of the team, and he could end up being the replacement for Diego Gómez who left for Brighton in the January transfer window.

Shaky defence

When Playing Out From The Back Goes Wrong took plenty of headlines in MLS last weekend, with ten goals coming from such defensive errors.

Inter Miami were involved in one of these as Jordi Alba passed straight to NYCFC forward Alonso Martínez to score.

There were other such moments that produced chances for the opposition that didn’t result in goals, so it’s an area Mascherano will have to work on if his team are to become more convincing.

Will Miami have a problem in Houston?

Dynamo have paired one of the most underrated deep-lying midfielders in the league, Artur, with one of the highest-rated young American playmakers around, Jack McGlynn, as they look to service forward and designated player Ezequiel Ponce.

McGlynn joined Houston from Philadelphia Union in the offseason in one of the league’s first cash-for-player trades.

The move made waves, especially as McGlynn was a Union homegrown player and widely considered one of the most gifted American talents on the verge of the national team.

Dynamo hope Artur and others will pick up the defensive work while McGlynn executes his Andrea-Pirlo-like-but-left-footed passing, set-piece delivery, and long shooting; though Artur’s own passing and distribution is not to be underestimated.

Prediction

Houston lost their opening game of the season against FC Dallas so will be looking for their first points. Miami seek their first win but might have to settle for a draw once again as their defence still looks vulnerable.

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

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Mar

2025

Preview: Barcelona looking to continue title charge against Real Sociedad

Barcelona host Real Sociedad on Sunday as they look to continue their excellent form in LaLiga. Hansi Flick’s side will be aiming to extend their run of straight wins to six in the league against La Real, who have a strong record against Barcelona in recent years.

By Matt Smith

When the two sides met earlier in the season, Real Sociedad secured a 1-0 victory thanks to a goal from Sheraldo Becker. Their last win at Camp Nou came back in 2023, and they’ll be hoping for a repeat of that result once again.

Flick could receive a defensive boost

Barcelona will be without long-term absentees Marc-André ter Stegen and Marc Bernal, but Flick shouldn’t have any fresh injury troubles to contend with.

Andreas Christensen could return for the home side after recovering from his recent fitness problem. We could see a host of changes from Barcelona after resting key stars such as Ronald Araújo, Gavi, and Robert Lewandowski in the Copa del Rey semi-final last time out.

Raphinha unstoppable for Barcelona

Brazilian winger Raphinha has been a major standout for Barcelona so far this season, contributing 20 goals and assists combined in LaLiga. The former Leeds United man has created a whopping 73 chances, more than any other player in the league.

*Raphinha’s passing stats, LaLiga 2024/25*

Only Lewandowski has contributed with more goals and assists combined in LaLiga, while he also has the highest average FotMob rating at 8.04. Raphinha has already surpassed his goals and assists tally from last season and will undoubtedly play a crucial role in Barcelona’s race for the title.

La Real hit with double suspension blow

Real Sociedad will be without both Becker and Takefusa Kubo to face Barcelona with the duo missing the game due to suspension. Igor Zubeldia will be back and available for selection, however, after serving his LaLiga ban in their previous match.

The away side could be without Arsen Zakharyan for the trip to Barcelona after he suffered a minor injury in La Real’s game against Leganés last time out. Jon Pacheco also looks set to miss out.

Zubimendi the enforcer

Although Martin Zubimendi is often known for his quality on the ball, his ability off it can sometimes go underrated. When facing a side of the quality of Barcelona, with La Real likely to have less of the possession, Zubimendi’s defensive side of the game could shine through.

The Spanish midfielder’s numbers when it comes to recoveries, tackles, and winning duels are up there with the best in LaLiga. Although comfortable in possession, Zubimendi can do the dirty side, and that will undoubtedly be imperative if they want to get a result against Barcelona.

Prediction

With Barcelona playing on their own turf, it’s difficult to see past a victory for Flick’s side. Real Sociedad have only conceded on average 0.9 goals per game, fewer than Barcelona, so it should still be a tight affair. We’re going for a 2-1 victory to Barcelona.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Mar

2025

Preview: Man United face Fulham in FA Cup showdown

Look at this fixture from a Premier League perspective and it’s 14th against ninth – a candidate for a bog standard Saturday 3pm kick-off, you’d be thinking. As it is, this is the FA Cup and it’s a huge chance for both to make a statement for very different reasons.

By Karl Matchett

Can the magic of the cup be restorative?

Every time it seems Manchester United have hit new lows over the past couple of seasons, they find a way to produce another. They very nearly did that in a more literal sense in midweek, more than once being in danger of losing to relegation-threatened Ipswich which would have seen them drop to 16th in the table, improbably.

Instead they turned that game around – and now sit 14th! Upwards! – and can hope for home comforts to help them through in the FA Cup. In recent years this competition has been dominated for the most part by the biggest and most in-form sides or those with the deepest squads – but United themselves won it last year and there’s reason for fans and players alike to believe they could replicate it.

Consider: Liverpool are already out, United knocked out Arsenal themselves, Man City are a shadow of previous years. This competition is wide open at the last-16 stage, and one big performance now followed by a kind draw in the quarters means a Wembley day is very much within reach.

*The last meeting between the two sides back in January*

Eyes on the prize – but which?

It’s worth factoring in Fulham’s priorities here, though. What is of more value to the club and to manager Marco Silva? They’ve been largely good this term, if inconsistent from time to time, but ninth in the league table isn’t the whole story – they are only four points off fifth which carries a probable Champions League spot.

Europe of some sort is definitely within reach with a strong finish to the season – but the aforementioned open nature of the cup goes for Fulham, too. Their honours list is effectively the Intertoto Cup of 2002 and a few Second Division (or Championship) titles. They’ve reached the FA Cup final once, and lost.

Do they gamble league form on going for potentially the best-ever day in their history?

Recent form

At home, United have won three and lost two of the last five under Rúben Amorim. On a longer basis it’s seven wins in 11 games, though that includes questionable quality levels of opposition. For Fulham it’s five wins in seven of late, with four wins on the bounce away from home.

Team news

United have seven still out injured including Amad Diallo and Lisandro Martínez. Patrick Dorgu was sent off last time out and it wouldn’t be a shock to see Amorim sideline Alejandro Garnacho for his petulant reaction to being subbed. The same absentees for Fulham as recently: Reiss Nelson, Kenny Tete, Harry Wilson. Emile Smith Rowe could be fit to return, however.

Key player

Rasmus Højlund hasn’t scored since playing Viktoria Plzeň in December. Joshua Zirkzee isn’t first choice but has two goals in cups since then. United remain reliant on Bruno Fernandes for creating and scoring alike.

*Manchester United goals + assists, Premier League 2024/25*

Prediction

Rotations might benefit the hosts more than the visitors so a narrow win for Amorim: Man United 1 Fulham 0.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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