Page 165 – The Pulse of Football

Jan

2023

This Weekend: The Bundesliga returns, Arsenal vs. Manchester United and Feyenoord vs. Ajax

The best matches to follow this weekend

Friday

🇩🇪 We start this preview with the welcome return of the Bundesliga after an unprecedented 10 week break. And being clever, the league have pushed Bayern’s trip to RB Leipzig as the first game of the re-start. That’s first vs. third, albeit there is currently a six-point gap between Leipzig and the leaders.

Bayern come in to the game in the midst of an injury crisis – eased, in part, by the signing of Gladbach keeper Yann Sommer in the aftermath of Manuel Neuer’s skiing accident . A youthful Bayern side rallied to draw 4-4 in a training ground friendly with Leipzig’s Austrian cousins from Salzburg last week but we suspect it’ll be a different sort of line-up for this one.

Leipzig do themselves have a long list of injuries to key players but they’ll be hoping to start strongly and continue the 13 game unbeaten run that they took in to the extended winter break.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 In England, we’ll be visiting our partners at Sheffield United as the Championship title race takes centre-stage on Friday night. The Blades, who sit second in the league, host Hull City looking to keep the pressure on leaders Burnley. Kicking off just 15 minutes later, Vincent Kompany’s Clarets take on West Brom who have risen to sixth on the back of an impressive change in fortunes following the appointment of Spanish coach Carlos Corberán.

🇦🇷 Argentine giants Boca Juniors and Racing Club are set to clash in the Supercopa, the country’s traditional curtain raiser. League officials might be hoping a chance of scenery keeps the lid on this one with the game taking place in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi – the last domestic meeting between these two ended with 10 red cards being shown in the final minutes of a very heated encounter!

Saturday

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 There are some heavyweight ties in the Premier League this weekend and they start with the lunchtime kick-off between Liverpool and Chelsea – two big clubs currently struggling for form. Sat level on points but down in ninth and tenth in the league both Jürgen Klopp and Graham Potter will be looking for a statement result that can energise their respective teams as we head in to the second half of the season.

Brighton, who’s win over Liverpool moved them above the Reds last weekend now face a Leicester City side who are on a five game losing run in the league.

And later in the day, Newcastle go to Crystal Palace hoping to better Manchester United’s draw there on Wednesday night – a result that will enable them to re-take third place for at least 24 hours. Only five sides in the division have scored less goals than Palace this season so the Magpies may be confident of extending their league high record of 11 clean sheets.

🇮🇹 In Serie A, it’s been a strange week for Salernitana. Having suffered a whopping 8-2 defeat at Atalanta, the club decided to sack coach Davide Nicola only to change their minds and re-hire him two days later. Nicola was hailed as a hero for keeping the club up last season, their first in the top flight for over 20 years, but the first game of his new spell in charge will be a tough one – the great southern derby against league leaders Napoli. The Partenopei will no doubt still be riding the high of last week’s 5-1 humiliation of Juventus.

🇩🇪 The Bundesliga restart continues with games for two of this season’s surprise packages. Freiburg currently sit second and boast the second best defensive record in the league, something they’ll test as they go to seventh placed Wolfsburg.

Union Berlin were the early pacesetters but defeat – at Freiburg – just before the winter break saw them drop down to fifth. However, an impressive run of six straight wins in recent friendlies should have restored the fan’s faith that they can maintain a challenge for the European places – they start the second half of the campaign at home to mid-table Hoffenheim.

🇪🇸 With the top two not in action until Sunday, the sides just behind them are the biggest draw in tomorrow’s games in LaLiga. Real Sociedad can make it 10 games unbeaten with a positive result at Rayo Vallecano and a win would would put them level on points with Real Madrid.

Atlético Madrid currently sit seven points behind the Basque side, in fourth, and Diego Simeone will be hoping that his side’s habit of dropping points in winnable looking matches isn’t in evidence again as they take on Real Valladolid.

🇪🇬 The battle between Cairo giants Zamalek and Al Ahly, arguably African football’s biggest club rivalry, is another game to watch out for on Saturday. The hosts are the two-time defending champions but find themselves off the pace despite having lost only one of their 13 games while Egypt’s most successful club, Al Ahly, remain unbeaten and sit top of the table.

Sunday

🇪🇸 Fresh from a successful week that saw them tour the world; lifting the Supercopa against Madrid in Saudi Arabia before thrashing third tier AD Ceuta, in the Spanish enclave on the northern coast of Africa, Barcelona will be enjoying home comforts on Sunday. There, they face Getafe looking to maintain their three point advantage in the title race.

It looked like it was going to take Madrid a little time to recover from the disappointment of losing last weekend’s clásico as they went 2-0 down at Villarreal in the Copa Del Rey on Thursday evening but Carlo Ancelotti’s side recovered to win that tie with three second half goals. They face another stiff test this weekend though as they go to eighth placed Athletic Club where they never enjoy a warm welcome from the Basque locals.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 The headline clash back in the Premier League is leaders Arsenal against old rivals Manchester United. After the recent dominance of Manchester City and Liverpool its somewhat refreshing to see these two once again battling it out towards the top of the table!

Heading into the weekend Arsenal boast a five point advantage over City with United a further three points back. United missed the chance to cut that deficit due to a last minute Palace equaliser on Wednesday night, a result which ended their run of nine straight wins, while the Gunners have had the week off to bask in their Derby Day heroics at Spurs last Sunday.

Elsewhere, Manchester City entertain Wolves just 72 hours after Thursday’s dramatic 4-2 comeback win over Spurs and Leeds United face Brentford.

🇩🇪 Borussia Dortmund must wait until Sunday to get their season back underway and they do so at home, against Augsburg. The Black and Yellows currently sit outside the top five but they are faring better than fellow giants Gladbach (8th) and Leverkusen (12th), who face each other in the day’s other game.

🇳🇱 It’s de Klassieker time in Dutch football! Feyenoord take on Ajax in what looks like being an even more crucial than usual match-up between the Eredivisie’s two fiercest rivals. Three-time defending champions Ajax are in relative crisis(!) having drawn each of their last four games in the league – two of which have come since the turn of the year. Meanwhile, Feyenoord have looked strong and remain unbeaten since a 4-3 defeat to PSV way back in September.

Ajax have however won the last six meetings between these two, but could we be seeing a changing of the guard – both in the league, and this game?

If you want to follow any of the games mentioned above, click on the relevant link and tap the bell icon to receive all the key match updates.

Or join us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to discuss all the important football going on this weekend!

Cover Image from IMAGO

Jan

2023

Bundesliga Restart: Football finally returns to Germany

Guten Tag, the Bundesliga return is upon us, and not before time. It has been 10 weeks since German clubs tasted competitive action – that’s almost as long as the summer break.

The World Cup is finished and the Winterpause is no more. For some the break was nothing but bad news, for others it signalled a welcome return and for a lucky few it brought a belated Christmas present, but all that is now finished – Matchday 16 is GO!

By Chris Williams, our Bundesliga expert

National Disaster

No preview of the Rückrunde could ignore the goings on in Qatar. When the football got underway Hansi Flick’s side massively underachieved. For the second time in a row Germany failed to get out of the World Cup Group stage. Whilst not universal favourites, the 2014 winners were expected to punch around the Quarter Final mark.

Only Jamal Musiala and Niclas Füllkrug left the Middle East with nods of acknowledgement, the latter proving he was the striker Flick was searching for. The 29-year-old, who plies his trade at Werder Bremen, came off the bench three times – netting twice and providing one assist in his 66 minutes of action.

Bayern’s bad luck

The old saying ‘it never rains but it pours’ certainly rang true for the Bavarian club over the winter break. Sadio Mané was joined on the treatment table by Lucas Hernandez, who ruptured his ACL whilst on international duty for France.

Post-World Cup, Manuel Neuer broke his leg whilst skiing – cue the complaints of why contracted players on thousands of pounds a week can undertake dangerous pastimes.

Bayern did indeed investigate and Neuer didn’t do anything outside of his agreement with the 10-time champions, you could almost hear the ruffling of papers in Munich that day as other contracts were checked for eyebrow raising anomalies.

It is an incident that has left Bayern scratching around for a goalkeeper as the knockout stages of the Champions League loom large. Sven Ulreich has been a dutiful number two over the years, but a series of gaffs have cost the Rekordmeister in some major fixtures.

The natural course of action would have been to recall Alexander Nübel from his two-year loan at AS Monaco, but the intricacies of that deal meant the French club held all the cards – and they vetoed an early release.

As Friday’s kick off in Leipzig edges closer, Borussia Mönchengladbach’s Yann Sommer becomes the man Hasan Salihamidžić and co will look to, the Swiss ‘keeper fills the gap left by Neuer. Gladbach proved a hard nut to crack in the transfer market, the Bavarians had to stump up €8m with an additional €1.5m to follow conditionally to get their man.

Haller hat-trick

In what could be the best news story you’ll hear in all of 2023, Borussia Dortmund’s Sébastien Haller is back on a football pitch and scoring goals once again.

Unable to make his BVB debut in the summer, after a routine scan in July led to a diagnosis of testicular cancer, the 28-year-old bagged a seven-minute hat-trick in his first outing since getting the all-clear.

It may have only been during a 3×30 minute training fixture in Marbella versus Swiss side FC Basel, but it did give us all something to smile about. With 34 goals and nine assists across 43 games for Ajax last season, Haller was expected to help fill the gap left by Erling Haaland – hopefully now we’ll get to see him back to his very best and doing what comes naturally.

Leverkusen lure Mbamba

He’s one of the most highly rated young defensive midfielders in Europe, and 18-year-old Noah Mbamba has chosen Bayer Leverkusen as his next destination. The versatile Belgian had been on the radar of a few Premier League clubs, but the Club Brugge prodigy cited the Bundesliga as a place he can develop.

“I like German club football and Bayer 04 are well known for giving young players the best opportunities to achieve the top level” he said at his unveiling.

Predominantly a defensive midfielder he can play slightly higher, or on either side, of the midfield. But it isn’t just breaking up the opponent’s attack he’s good at, Mbamba also has an eye for goal.

With three goals and one assist in nine Challenger Pro League appearances this season, Leverkusen are getting a player who influences at both ends of the pitch.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every match from the 2022/23 Bundesliga season live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Jan

2023

LaLiga Review: Supercopa glory for Barça and Derby delight for Real Sociedad

The big two met at the culmination of the Supercopa tournament in Riyadh while the rest of the league got on with the day-to-day back in Spain. Here’s our round-up of the most significant matches from the weekend.

By Ben Hayward, LaLiga expert

Barcelona beat Madrid in the Supercopa

Barcelona beat Real Madrid 3-1 in Riyadh on Sunday to win the Supercopa de España, their first trophy under Xavi, and perhaps the start of a new era for the Catalan club after three difficult years.

Gavi got a goal and two assists and a superb showing on the left of midfield, Robert Lewandowski scored for the first time in El Clásico and Pedri netted the third in a one-sided contest. Thibaut Courtois spared Real Madrid from further damage with some important saves and Karim Benzema grabbed a late consolation. But this was all about Barça.

“The team is together, united: we are a family,” defender Ronald Araújo said. “I think it’s something very special because it’s the start of a new era.” And Xavi agreed. “I’m very happy with the players because, ever since I have been here, they want to win and they are working to achieve that,” he said. “We are creating a team and I hope it’s the first of many [trophies].”

Meanwhile, Carlo Ancelotti will need to find solutions after a dismal display from his side. “We have to learn,” he said. “It’s a difficult moment. We knew before the match that we were not at our best. We have to prepare for the next match and move on. This match showed some weaknesses.”

In LaLiga, Madrid are three points behind Barça with 16 games played each. With those two absent at the weekend, as well as Valencia and Real Betis following their participation in the Supercopa in Saudi Arabia, there was a reduced programme in Spain’s top flight.

Real Sociedad win Basque Derby

Real Sociedad came out on top in the Basque derby at the Reale Arena, cementing their third place in the table with a deserved 3-1 after first-half goals from Alexander Sørloth and Take Kubo and a Mikel Oyarzabal penalty following a foul and red card for Yeray Álvarez with just over an hour gone.

Imanol Alguacil’s side have won 11 of their 17 matches in LaLiga this season and moved seven points clear of Atlético Madrid in fourth after the Rojiblancos were held to a 1-1 draw at Almería.

“I feel a tremendous emotion and total enjoyment watching the team, the fans, looking at the third place in the table,” Alguacil said after the derby. “When I was a boy, I would go to bed angry and wouldn’t speak to anyone when la Real lost. Today has been [all about] enjoyment.” No doubt the fans can identify with those words.

Two more points dropped for Atlético

Atlético Madrid’s inconsistent form continued with that disappointment at Almería. Diego Simeone’s side took the lead through Ángel Correa, but were pegged back by an El Bilal Touré effort later in the first half and went on to miss a number of clear chances on another frustrating day in front of goal.

“We have the feeling that we lost two points,” Simeone said afterwards. “But the goals will come.”

Atlético are fourth, level on points with Villarreal (held 1-1 at Celta Vigo) in fifth and Betis in sixth, the latter with a game in hand after missing the latest round of matches due to their participation in the Supercopa.

Sevilla still in big trouble

Sevilla remain in big trouble after a 2-1 defeat away to Girona. Jorge Sampaoli’s side had beaten Getafe the previous weekend and looked to be on course for another positive result following Tanguy Nianzou’s towering header in the first half at Montilivi, but defensive frailties soon returned.

Girona equalised within a minute of the restart through the evergreen Cristhian Stuani and the Catalans took all three points following a terrible mix-up at the back with two minutes left, when Nianzou lost the ball in his own half and allowed Yangel Herrera in to score the winner.

“I’m not blaming anyone, but we can’t have any more individual mistakes,” Ivan Rakitić said after the game. And Nianzou was self-critical. “I have to improve in certain areas, especially in terms of concentration,” he said. Sampaoli saw no positives, either. “A defeat leaves you with nothing,” he said. “We have to keep working.”

With 17 games played, Sevilla sit in 19th, two points behind 17th-placed Real Valladolid and one adrift of their next opponent Cadíz. That all-Andalusian clash next weekend already looks like a big one.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every match from the 2022/23 LaLiga season live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Jan

2023

Serie A Review: A Neapolitan special

This week, we’re dedicating this full column to league leaders Napoli due to their incredible 5-1 victory over Juventus.

By Matteo Bonetti, US Serie A expert

Napoli’s historic night

It was one of Napoli’s greatest moments since the days of Diego Maradona more than three decades ago. On a Friday night in a stadium named after the Napoli legend, the Partenopei put on a performance worthy of Diego’s legacy. It’s hard to overstate just how incredible a 5-1 victory for Napoli is over their biggest rival Juventus. More than just a footballing derby, it’s the old North vs. South battle in Italy. During the 2010s, Juventus’ nine consecutive Scudetti made sure that Napoli’s competitive sides couldn’t reclaim a trophy they hadn’t won since 1990. It was a period when Napoli were always the bridesmaid, never the bride. They were tagged as the anti-Juve, but always fell short at the very end.

This season feels so different. For starters, having a nine point lead at the top of the table is something unprecedented for the current winter champions. Their style of play isn’t just the best in Italy, but one of the most aesthetically pleasing worldwide. Napoli hold the ball for longer than anyone else in Serie A, with an average possession of over 60%. They also press frenetically the second they lose the ball, which often times leads to them winning it straight back and having another long period of uninterrupted passing combinations.

What makes Napoli’s record even more remarkable is how this was supposed to be a rebuilding season for them. After a summer in which the club saw their most influential players leave in every department – Ospina in goal, Koulibaly from the defence, Fabián Ruiz from the midfield and then the two popular attackers Dries Martens and Lorenzo Insigne. Apart from Fabián, the others were older players on expensive contracts who were entering the tail end of their career.

The work that Napoli sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli did last summer is one of the finest I’ve seen from a person in his position. To be able to identify younger, low cost solutions from smaller leagues to come in right away and seamlessly transition to Serie A was incredible. The likes of the Korean defender Kim Min-Jae and winger Kvicha Kvaratskhelia have had the most incredible impact right away.

It was once again Kvara as the catalyst in Napoli’s success against Juventus. The Georgian winger had his way for most of the night against Juve’s defender Danilo, especially in the one-on-one situations. Kvara inadvertently set up Victor Osimhen’s first goal by unleashing a bicycle kick that was parried right onto the waiting head of the Nigerian striker. Kvaratskhelia then was on the receiving end of an Osimhen assist, after Juve’s centre-back Bremer made another backbreaking error in his own box which Napoli pounced on. Finally, Kvara curled in a pinpoint cross for Osimhen’s headed brace. A world class performance for a 21-year-old who looked fearless in the biggest Serie A match of his life, a game that could’ve either opened up the Scudetto race with only a four point gap, or extend Napoli’s lead to double digits atop the standings.

The other player who lit up the Stadio Maradona was Victor Osimhen. The Nigerian has finally gone half a season without picking up a serious injury, something that has kept him out for months in the past. What Osimhen has been able to do with continued playing time is look like the best striker in the league. He’s now the current Serie A capocannoniere with 12 goals, including 10 of them coming in the last 10 league matches. Osimhen’s dynamic style has made him virtually unplayable. If the opposing defence plays a high line, the striker will torch them on the counter with his lightning pace and control. If a defence sits back, Osimhen’s accurate heading ability becomes a problem if you force everything wide and allow Napoli to cross it into the box.

On the Juventus end, nothing went right. For a team that had only conceded a league best seven goals all campaign, they nearly doubled that tally with the five Napoli scored past them. It was the ultimate battle between attack and defence, and Napoli boss Luciano Spalletti’s approach made the pragmatic, defensive style of Allegri seem archaic. In hindsight, Juve’s formation was perplexing. Having Federico Chiesa and Filip Kostic play as wingbacks who were rooted deep in their own half defending in a back five seemed like the worst way possible to utilise two natural wingers who do their best work in the final third. What’s even more puzzling is how Juve still seemed content to sit back and apply little pressure when they were down multiple goals. When they finally did show a bit more life, the game was well out of reach. It’s a Juventus system based on keeping a clean sheet rather than piling on the goals, so when the defence looks so utterly poor, it feels like there’s no chance for this team to succeed against such a dynamic attack.

What we’ve learned by now is that Napoli are truly the best side in Serie A. This no longer feels like a midseason fairytale. There’s enough evidence both in European play and domestically that Napoli’s depth and identity is going to lead to continued success. They play the best football and are managed by one of the great offensive minds of the 21st century, the massively underrated Luciano Spalletti. Spalletti’s fearless approach, as seen by his side constantly playing high up the field and pressing even with a four goal lead, shows you just how ruthless this team are. It would be an incredible story for Serie A if Napoli were to lift the Scudetto, and the party in Naples would probably be one heard around the world given the religious passion the Napoletani faithful show for their club.

Closing Notes…

Paulo Dybala scored a fantastic brace to secure Roma a win against Fiorentina, while Mexican keeper Memo Ochoa conceded eight goals as Salernitana got obliterated by Atalanta. Lecce’s unbeaten streak in Serie A is now at six, with wins against Lazio and Atalanta, followed by a 2-2 draw at home against Milan over the weekend.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every match from the 2022/23 Serie A season live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Jan

2023

Last Weekend: <strong>Monumental Manchester derby, Napoli batter Juventus and more</strong>

Last Weekend: Monumental Manchester derby, Napoli batter Juventus and more

We are approaching the midway point of the 2022/23 season in most major winter leagues, so things are starting to really heat up now. Across Europe, there were some massive top-of-the-table clashes this weekend, many of which had the added twist of being local rivalries. We will be going over some of those, as well as a number of other consequential results in this edition of Last Weekend.

By Neel Shelat

🇮🇹 Italy: Napoli 5-1 Juventus

Serie A got its big game in early, as Napoli took on Juventus on Friday night. This was a match between the top two, but seven points separated the hosts from the Bianconeri prior to kick off.

Juventus did come into this game on a superb run of form, though. They had won each of their last eight league games, all with clean sheets to boot. Napoli, meanwhile, suffered their first defeat of the Serie A season a week and a half ago, so this was being built up as a crunch fixture for both.

In recent history, Juventus have always tended to win these big games by hook or crook, whereas Napoli have a bit of a reputation for choking at such times. For that reason, this result was nothing short of seismic.

Napoli did not just beat Juventus; they completely blew them out of the water. Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia were simply too hot to handle all game, and they both returned three goal involvements. Besides them, defender Amir Rrahmani and substitute Eljif Elmas got on the scoresheet for the Partenopei.

There was a lot of talk about Juventus’ aforementioned clean sheet record prior to this match, but a quick look at the data made it clear that it was bound to end sooner rather than later. Prior to this match, they had conceded well under half the amount of goals their xGA projected, and their defensive stats still show a massive overperformance.

Napoli, on the other hand, are the best side in league in terms of goals scored and xG, and second-best in the division in terms of goals conceded and xGA. Clearly, their 10-point lead at the top is very deserved, and they are well on course to win their first league title since 1990.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England: Manchester United 2-1 Manchester City

It is hard to recall an English weekend in recent history with title-defining derbies of the proportion and impact that we saw over the last couple of days. On Sunday, Premier League leaders Arsenal visited the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in a huge North London Derby, just a few hours after their clubmates were involved in a table-topping WSL derby against Chelsea.

Perhaps the most meaningful derby result came the day before those matches. Second-placed Manchester City visited United with four points between the two sides, but a noteworthy gap to Arsenal. Quite simply, this was a must-win game for both teams, not that there ever are any other options in such a derby anyway.

The first half was not the best from an entertainment point of view, but it featured a gripping tactical battle. The home side did fairly well in their 4-2-1-3 high block with player-marking through midfield which generated some good counterattacking opportunities, but their final action was not always on point. City controlled proceedings for the most part, but they too looked sloppy in the final third.

A couple of tactical tweaks at half-time seemed to give Pep Guardiola’s side the edge in the second period, so they looked to be on course to pick up all three points when substitute Jack Grealish turned in Kevin De Bruyne’s cross on the hour-mark. Out of seemingly nowhere, though, Manchester United equalised in very controversial fashion with just over 10 minutes to go when Bruno Fernandes slotted home Casemiro’s through ball. The Manchester City defence was passive since the clearly-offside Marcus Rashford made a run towards the ball, but he did not touch it, and in accordance with the laws of the game, did not interfere.

Perhaps the nature of that call and, of course, the timing of the goal completely shifted the game’s momentum. A Manchester United winner looked inevitable, and it came in the 82nd minute when the electric Alejandro Garnacho set up Rashford for his eighth goal in the last seven games (with at least one in each). With that, a seemingly comfortable win for City turned into absolutely nothing in a game of fine margins.

Manchester United will definitely feel that they too are now in the title race.

🇪🇸 Spain: Real Madrid 1-3 Barcelona

The first Clásico of 2023 was not played in Spain, but in Saudi Arabia, which hosted the Supercopa de España. Both Real Madrid and Barcelona needed penalties in midweek to advance past Valencia and Real Betis respectively and set up a date against each other in the final on Sunday.

When the day arrived, it was Barcelona who sprung a bit of a tactical surprise. They adopted a very aggressive player-to-player defensive approach which really unsettled their opponents, switching to more of a 4-2-3-1 formation in the process.

In possession, Xavi set his side up in their usual asymmetrical system, which sees the left-back advance far forward while the right-back stays deep. In midfield, both Pedri and Gavi were quite advanced, and they really stole the show.

The 18-year-old Spanish international proved to be the difference-maker in the first half, as he got a goal and assist along with Robert Lewandowski to put Barcelona two goals to the good going into the half-time break. The second half was all about controlling the match, but Pedri got a third in the 69th minute, putting the result beyond doubt. Karim Benzema did get on the scoresheet late on, but that was just a consolation goal.

So, Barcelona lifted their first trophy in Xavi’s tenure as a manager, and also their first since the departure of Lionel Messi. They should no doubt celebrate this achievement, but must also refocus quickly on greater and grander ambitions, such as winning La Liga.

🇳🇱 Netherlands: Ajax 0-0 FC Twente

While Barcelona seem to be on the up again, Ajax are rather slumping as their four-season streak of Eredivisie titles is under real threat this time out.

After going down to 10 men in the first half, they could only manage a goalless draw against FC Twente. That was their fifth consecutive match without a win in the league, and the first time they failed to score in their last 38 Eredivisie games. Perhaps most concerningly, though, this was just their first clean sheet in the last 10 league games.

That leaves Ajax in third place, five points behind league-leaders Feyenoord, as we approach the midway point of the season. AZ are a point above them, while PSV have the same points tally but an inferior goal difference.

Twente are just one point and two spots behind the defending champions in what is turning out to be a brilliant campaign for them, although they will also be disappointed with this result as they missed the chance to leapfrog them in spite of having a numerical advantage for the majority of the match. Still, for a side last promoted as recently as four seasons ago, that is a great position to be in.

The upcoming weekend could prove to be pivotal in the Eredivisie title race, as Ajax visit the leaders in the first Klassieker of the season.

🇨🇱 Chile: Colo-Colo 1-1 Magallanes (3-4 pens)

Football is back in Chile for the 2023 season, and its return was marked by the Supercopa. It featured the country’s most successful club and Primera División holders Colo-Colo, and Deportes Magallanes.

Magallanes’ story is quite fascinating. Formed in 1897, they have one of the richest histories in the country, having won the first three Chilean top-flight titles back-to-back in the 1930s. However, they have been fallen giants in recent history, as their last Primera División match was in 1986, and they were down in the third tier as recently as 2010.

2022 was incredible for them, as they not only won the Primera B and secured their return to the big time, but also went on an unforgettable run in the Copa Chile which saw them win their first major trophy since 1938 and also qualify for the Copa Libertadores as well as this match in the process.

Of course, they were still the clear underdogs in the Supercopa, and it seemed they would get a taste of reality in the top flight when they conceded the opener 22 minutes in. Magallanes took just four minutes to equalise, though, and then held on till the full-time whistle.

Having won two of their last three cup ties on penalties, they were well-prepared for what was coming up next. Colo-Colo went first and missed, but they were right back in it when Magallanes’ third effort was saved. Their last two takers delivered under great pressure, while Gastón Rodriguez saved the fifth penalty to help his side start 2023 with more silverware.

🇵🇹 Portugal: Rio Ave 0-1 Paços de Ferreira

The main match in Portugal this weekend was the Derby de Lisboa, which ended in a 2-2 draw between league-leaders Benfica and Sporting. Naturally, therefore, we will be focusing on the club at the other end of the table.

That team is Paços de Ferreira, who are having a really torrid time this season. 15 matches in, they had just three points, not a single win, and not even a clean sheet! That was a pretty shocking return for a club that qualified for Europe just two seasons ago and finished a respectable 11th last time out.

Unsurprisingly, they have changed head coaches in the middle of the campaign. César Peixoto was the man who was leading the team last summer, but he was told to pack his bags in October. His replacement was José Mota, who had played close to 200 matches for the club between 1987 and 1996 and had also managed them for almost 300 games in two separate stints in the 2000s.

This time, though, Mota just got seven matches – four league defeats and a winless elimination from the group stage of the League Cup – before losing his job. His replacement? You guessed it: César Peixoto.

Two games into his second tenure, the 42-year-old head coach is unbeaten and has tripled Paços de Ferreira’s points tally with a draw and a win. They also finally managed their first clean sheet of the season en route to three points against Rio Ave, who were no pushovers having started the match in the top half of the table.

Of course, Paços are still rooted to the bottom of the table and have a long way to go if they are to escape relegation, but they seem to finally be heading in the right direction.

Cover Image from IMAGO

Jan

2023

Premier League Review: United beat City and Arsenal win the North London Derby

We had a couple of potential season-defining results this weekend in the Premier League as a number of teams suffered hefty blows to their ambitions. We take a look at the biggest talking points from across the action in England’s top tier.

By Sam McGuire, Premier League expert

Brighton March on

The Seagulls continue to soar in the Premier League this term and are now up to seventh following their 3-0 win over Liverpool on Saturday. It was a deserved victory for Roberto De Zerbi’s men as they dominated the ball (61%), had more shots (16 to 6) and had almost double the xG of their visitors (1.94 to 1.05).

Solly March was the star of the show as he netted twice and assisted Danny Welbeck for his goal. His FotMob rating of 9.1 was truly deserved. The 28-year-old ran riot at the Amex, attempting four shots and creating four opportunities for teammates. He did it all on the day and was rewarded for such an eye-catching showing.

Red Devils Derby delight

It was a controversial Manchester derby as United came from behind to dent City’s title hopes.

The away side took the lead on the hour mark as Jack Grealish nodded home a Kevin de Bruyne cross. Pep Guardiola’s side dominated the ball but United continued to look dangerous on the break.

Bruno Fernandes scored a hotly debated goal after Marcus Rashford, clearly in an offside position, raced onto a through ball. However, officials deemed the No.10 didn’t interfere with play as he didn’t touch the ball. With Ederson all at sea, Fernandes calmly passed the ball into the net.

Rashford then got on the scoresheet himself to continue his remarkable goalscoring run. While it might’ve felt like a smash and grab, United did have significantly more big chances (four to one) and had an xG of 1.72 to City’s 0.65.

They deserved the win.

Can a free-kick be as dangerous as a penalty?

They can be when James Ward-Prowse is on the pitch. The Southampton midfielder curled home yet another free-kick in the 2-1 win over Everton. He also netted the other goal for the Saints as they claimed all three points to put them level with the Toffees and West Ham United in the table.

It was a fairly even match ultimately decided by a moment of magic. It is something Everton could desperately do with right now with their last win coming in October.

Southampton, meanwhile, are showing signs of life under new boss Nathan Jones. This may have been their first win in the Premier League under him but across all competitions now, they are on a three-match winning streak.

Another clean sheet for Newcastle

They may have been fortunate but Eddie Howe’s side kept an 11th clean sheet of the season in the 1-0 win over Fulham. Nick Pope did have to pick the ball out of his net but Aleksandar Mitrović’s penalty was ruled out for a double touch. The Serbian powerhouse slipped when striking the ball and the ball struck his standing leg before looping into the goal.

You need that bit of luck though when you are battling for a top-four place. Newcastle deserved all three points too after peppering the Fulham goal for the entire match. Their xG haul of 2.36 was enough to win two matches. The hosts also had four times as many efforts as the visitors in what was a very one-sided game.

Newcastle are now just a point behind Manchester City and will fancy their chances of playing Champions League football next season.

Hugo Lloris costs Spurs…again

If you are to get anything against Arsenal this season you have to frustrate them. You can’t gift them a goal – which is exactly what Hugo Lloris did in the North London derby. With just 14 minutes on the clock, the Frenchman inexplicably parried Buyako Saka’s cross into his own net to give Arsenal the lead. From there, it was complete dominance from the Premier League leaders.

Top of Antonio Conte’s to-do list this summer is now likely to find a new goalkeeper. This is Lloris’ fourth error leading to a goal this season. Spurs are now five points behind Manchester United having played a game more.

(Images from IMAGO)

You can follow every match from the 2022/23 Premier League season live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Jan

2023

This Weekend: European Derby Days and massive games galore

The best matches to follow this weekend

By Bill Biss

Friday

🇮🇹 Your match feed should be brimming with big name match-ups over the next few days, not least tonight in Serie A, where leaders Napoli meet nearest rivals Juventus.

The Neapolitans boast a seven point lead but have, since the re-start, lost their unbeaten record, and found strugglers Sampdoria tough to break down in the 2-0 win last weekend. Juve have been typically pragmatic since the turn of the year, picking up consecutive 1-0 wins thanks to late goals, results that take their current winning streak to eight games. Amazingly, they’ve also kept eight straight clean sheets in that run.

Saturday

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 After last weekend’s FA Cup drama, it’s back to the regular Premier League schedule for England’s top flight clubs. Aston Villa face Leeds United on Friday night before a run of six games take us through Saturday.

Among the fixtures, in-form Brighton host the unpredictable Liverpool knowing that a win would see them switch places with the Reds and move in to seventh. The two played out an exciting 3-3 draw at Anfield back in October with Leandro Trossard scoring a hat-trick for the Seagulls.

There’s also a battle in the bottom three as Everton face Southampton at Goodison Park. Nathan Jones relieved some of the pressure on his new position with an unexpected Carabao Cup win over Manchester City in the week and he’ll be hoping to transfer that form to the league where the Saints haven’t won since mid-October.

But clearly the day’s biggest draw is the Manchester Derby. Pep Guardiola will undoubtably bring in more of his star players from the start for this one as City look to get back to winning ways and keep the pressure on Arsenal at the top of the table. For their part, United are aiming to win their first derby in four having conceded 12 goals in the last three meetings between these two city rivals.

🇪🇸 With the top two (plus Betis and Valencia) away in Saudi Arabia contesting the Spanish Supercopa, it’s up to third placed Real Sociedad to hold the fort in LaLiga. And fittingly, they have their biggest game of the season – the home derby against Basque rivals Athletic Club. The Bilbao side may sit down in eighth but they are unbeaten in five competitive games and have the third best goalscoring record in the division – scoring at a rate of 1.5 goals per game to Real Sociedad’s 1.4.

🇮🇹 In Serie A, defending champions Milan go to Lecce – where depending on the result of the big Friday night game – a win could take them second in the league. But they’ll need to shake off the shock of losing to Torino in the Coppa Italia during the week. Fourth placed Inter, who required extra-time to defeat Serie B side Parma in their Coppa R16 tie, now face relegation threatened Hellas Verona. That was the Nerazzurri’s fifth game without defeat.

Milan and Inter will then turn their attention to the small matter of next Wednesday’s Supercoppa, a game also being played in Saudi Arabia.

🇳🇱 The Eredivisie returned to action last weekend and both leaders Feyenoord, and three-time defending champions, Ajax, were held to 1-1 draws. That left the Amsterdam club still in need of three points to catch up with their old rivals – points that might be tough to come by with their Saturday fixture coming against FC Twente, who sit just behind them in what is a heavily congested top five. Feyenoord will look to reinstate their slender advantage when they go to Groningen on Sunday.

Sunday

🇪🇸 The format of the Spanish Supercopa – pitting last season’s league and Cup winners together with the runners-up in both competitions and taking them off to Riyadh is designed to give us a spectacle. And for the first time since moving to this format, the league have finally got what they wanted – an additional Clásico to add to the two regular league meetings between Real Madrid and eternal enemies Barcelona!

Both sides required penalty shoot-outs to get through the midweek semi-finals, with Thibaut Courtois Madrid’s hero against Valencia and Marc-André ter Stegen pulling off two crucial saves for Barça against Real Betis. That sets us up nicely for Sunday’s showdown, and gives Xavi’s Barcelona the chance to avenge October’s defeat at the Bernabéu.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 The Premier League weren’t content with providing just the one derby this weekend – they’ve also lined up the North London Derby for Sunday afternoon! League leaders Arsenal travel the short distance to Tottenham Hotspur aiming to extend their current unbeaten league run to 11 games. But they’ll have to do so against a side who looked refreshed in the recent win over Crystal Palace but then only managed a 1-0 win at home against League One Portsmouth in the FA Cup. There hasn’t been a draw between these two rivals in seven previous meetings.

Elsewhere, Palace go to Stamford Bridge looking to heap more misery on Chelsea and their under-pressure coach Graham Potter. That game comes just 72 hours after the Blues lost to West London rivals Fulham for the first time since 2006.

A result that might also be bad news for Newcastle United, who now have to face a Fulham side still riding that high from Thursday night.

There’s also something of a Super Sunday in the Women’s Super League as the return of the league is headlined by the clash between the top two – Arsenal and Chelsea.

🇫🇷 World Cup winner Lionel Messi returned to the PSG line-up in the midweek round of Ligue 1 action – scoring the second in a 2-0 win over bottom side Angers. With Lens only drawing at the same time, that gave the Parisians a six point lead in the title-race – a lead they’ll want to at least maintain in Sunday’s clash with Rennes. The Breton side are themselves in the hunt for a top four finish so should provide stiff opposition.

🇵🇹 In keeping with this weekend’s theme, two of Portugal’s three super clubs – Benfica and Sporting are set to meet in the latest edition of the Derby de Lisboa. Benfica have been dominant this season, going 13 games unbeaten at the start of the league campaign and progressing from their Champions League group. They currently sit six points clear of Braga at the top of the table and will be dreaming that a win against their city rivals will take them another step closer to a first title in three years – an unusually long wait for them.

Sporting appear to have gone backwards a little after finishing first and second in the last two seasons and they currently lie down in fourth, 12 points behind the leaders.

🇧🇪 To round things up, we’ll point you in the direction of one last game of national-level interest taking place on Sunday: The battle between Belgium’s two most successful, and therefore biggest rivals – Club Brugge and Anderlecht. Neither are particularly in a rich vein of form, with three-time defending champions Cub Brugge currently on a run that has seen them win just one competitive game since October and Anderlecht, who sit 11th, fairing little better.

It’s certainly been a baptism of fire for Club Brugge’s new coach Scott Parker – he’s had to face runaway leaders Genk – a game they lost last weekend – and now arch-rivals Anderlecht in his first two games managing in a new country.

If you want to follow any of the games mentioned above, click on the relevant link and tap the bell icon to receive all the key match updates.

Or join us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to discuss all the important football going on this weekend!

Cover Image from IMAGO

Jan

2023

LaLiga Review: Barcelona edge ahead as Madrid slip up

With LaLiga back in full swing, the title race is hotting up and as you’d expect, that dominates our review of the weekend action.

By Ben Hayward, LaLiga expert

Villarreal beat Madrid on a historic day for Los Blancos

Three Frenchman, two Brazilians, two Germans, a Croat, a Belgian, an Austrian and a Uruguayan lined up for Real Madrid at Villarreal in LaLiga on Saturday. It was the first time in the club’s almost 121 years of history that there had been a starting XI in an official match featuring no Spanish players. And if that was not exactly good publicity for Los Blancos, worse was to follow: they lost – and deservedly too.

Villarreal and Madrid had drawn their previous five meetings at the Estadio de la Ceramica in LaLiga, so the champions already knew it would be tough. And there was an early scare for Los Blancos as Francis Coquelin flicked an audacious back-heeled effort against the post after five minutes. Quique Setién’s side then took the lead just over a minute into the second half as Ferland Mendy carelessly gave the ball away in his own half, Dani Parejo found Gerard Moreno and the striker squared for Yéremy Pino to fire home. Mendy almost got back to make amends, but could not block the ball on the line as it hit him on its way in.

Two absurd penalty decisions at either end followed after that. Madrid levelled from the spot through Karim Benzema after the ball had brushed Juan Foyth’s arm in the box, only for Moreno to quickly cancel out the Frenchman’s effort as David Alaba was penalised when the ball hit him on the ground. At least they had one each.

Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois went forward as the visitors sought a late leveller deep into added time, but Villarreal came away with the ball and Moreno missed an empty net from way out. On the sidelines, Setién held his head but it was all over and his side earned a win which should keep him in the job for a while after recent pressure.

“We played an extraordinary match against an extraordinary opponent,” Setién said. And he also praised Pepe Reina after the 40-year-old goalkeeper started following Geronimo Rulli’s move to Ajax on Friday. “Pepe is doing phenomenally well,” he said. “It’s the perfect combination: a veteran like him and a youngster who has just arrived but has already played for the first team [Denmark under-21 keeper Filip Jorgensen].”

Villarreal are up to sixth, level on points with fifth-placed Atletico, but Madrid missed a chance to move above Barcelona at the top of the table. “We made mistakes,” coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “We have to read situations better.” And on the penalties, he added: “I wouldn’t have given either of them.”

Incidentally, Madrid did finish with two Spanish players on the pitch after Luis Vázquez and Marco Asensio came on as substitutes. But it made little difference in the end on a day of unwanted headlines for Los Blancos.

Advantage Barcelona after top level clash

Unlike Madrid, Barcelona came out on top in a tough away match of their own at the weekend. Xavi’s side beat Atlético Madrid 1-0 at the Metropolitano on Sunday thanks to Ousmane Dembélé’s 22nd-minute goal, which was created by a moment of magic from Pedri as the midfielder waltzed past a number of opponents before finding Gavi, who in turn squared for the French winger to fire home. Atleti’s players appealed for a foul by Gavi, but there was not enough in it to deny the goal.

Neither team were at their best after that in a game of few clear-cut chances, but Atlético probably had enough to deserve a draw as José Giménez headed inches wide, Antoine Griezmann forced Marc-Andre ter Stegen into a fine save and the French forward was denied in added time by a vital block from Ronald Araújo on his goal line.

Dembélé hit the side netting in the second half and Barça also saw a Ferran Torres effort ruled out for offside. The former Valencia winger was later sent off in added time along with Atlético’s Stefan Savić for a contest which would not have looked out of place in the wrestling ring.

But Barça wrestled away the three points and move three clear of Real Madrid at the top of LaLiga. “Today, without playing well, we took the three points,” Xavi said. “We suffered. This win is a big boost to our morale. We have struck a blow and shown that we are candidates for the league title.”

They should be. With 13 wins from 16 and 41 points out of a possible 48, this has been an impressive season so far for Barça in LaLiga. And this win came without Robert Lewandowski, missing through suspension.

For Atlético, though, it was another opportunity missed as the Rojiblancos were unable to convert any of their 20 shots on the night. Diego Simeone’s side drop back out of the top four and the Argentine said: “The reality is that we lost, even though it’s true we did enough to merit a different result. I think we did more good things than bad things. But we were missing the most important thing of all: the three points.”

Atlético are a point behind fourth-placed Real Betis, who won 2-1 at Rayo Vallecano. Real Sociedad are four points above the Andalusians in third after a 2-0 victory at Almería, which featured a goal from David Silva on the occasion of his 37th birthday.

And at the other end of the table, Sevilla secured a 2-1 win at home to Getafe on Sunday to finally move out of the bottom three, although Jorge Sampaoli’s side are ahead of 18th-placed Cadíz – surprise 1-0 winners at Valencia on Friday – on goal difference alone. Meanwhile, bottom club Elche are still without a win after 16 games. They lost 1-0 at home to Celta Vigo (Iago Aspas was the match-winner, naturally) on Friday.

(Images from IMAGO)

You can follow every match from the 2022/23 LaLiga season live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Jan

2023

FA Cup Review: 10 talking points from a dramatic third round

The FA Cup third round always delivers and it was no different this time around. We had a number of shock results and controversial moments. So we thought we’d piece together a bumper review, recapping some of the biggest talking points and a number of statistical standouts.

By Sam McGuire

Rashford’s rampant form continues

Marcus Rashford has now scored in five successive matches for Manchester United following his return from the World Cup. The England forward had a hand in all three of the goals, converting from the penalty spot in added time to add gloss to the scoreline.

Rashford ran riot at Old Trafford, creating three chances and attempting seven dribbles on the night as he gave Seamus Coleman the runaround. His 8.3 FotMob rating was more than deserved.

LiVARpool

Following the 3-1 loss to Brentford, everyone expected a reaction from Liverpool. Jürgen Klopp expected one too having named his strongest possible team while Wolves fielded a weakened XI.

Yet the Reds needed luck on their side to avoid defeat. Granted, the visitors had a serious slice of luck for the opener when Alisson passed the ball to Gonçalo Guedes. However, after that, it was Liverpool getting the rub of the green. Last season, Mohamed Salah’s goal would’ve been ruled as offside. There was controversy late on when VAR was unable to check a late Wolves winner and the referee had to stick the linesman’s decision of offside. Nobody is certain whether it should’ve been ruled out.

Questionable decisions aside, Wolves went toe-to-toe with Liverpool’s best XI and held their own. The xG on the night was practically identical and the away side even had more efforts on goal.

A proper FA Cup tie

This may not have been the FA Cup clash Wrexham hoped for but they certainly put on a show against Coventry City. At one point in the tie, the non-league side had a 4-1 lead over their hosts. The Championship team scored two during a seven-minute spell to set up a nervy finish but Phil Parkinson’s side had enough about them to claim a 4-3 victory. Their reward is a home tie against high-flying Sheffield United.

The run comes to an end

Heading into their FA Cup tie against Sheffield Wednesday, Newcastle United had not lost a football match since the final day of August. And even then, Liverpool needed a 98th-minute winner to beat Eddie Howe’s men at Anfield.

The Magpies, even with their weakened XI, were favourites to beat the Owls. In truth, it should’ve been a routine win for the Premier League’s surprise package this season. They created chances with an xG value of 3.37 but weren’t able to make the most of these opportunities.

Sheffield Wednesday ran out 2-1 winners courtesy of two Josh Windass goals. Bruno Guimarães halved the deficit but Howe’s side weren’t able to make their dominance count.

A smash and grab at Blackpool

Steve Cooper took the opportunity to rest players for the FA Cup clash against Blackpool as he focuses on Premier League survival. However, even with plenty of fringe players starting, very few would’ve envisaged a 4-1 win for the hosts.

It wasn’t a 4-1 sort of game either. Forest had more shots, better opportunities with almost double the Expected Goals haul and created four big chances to Blackpool’s one.

Chesterfield denied a famous win

West Bromwich Albion had been in fine form under Carlos Corberán. The Baggies had won eight of their last nine outings and found themselves just a point off the play-off spots in the Championship.

They took the lead on two occasions against Chesterfield but then needed a stoppage-time goal to level the tie at 3-3.

Chesterfield actually finished with an xG of 2.08, significantly higher than the xG accrued by the Baggies. The non-league side will feel aggrieved not to have recorded a giant killing.

Burnley continue their fine form

Bournemouth have now lost five successive matches under new permanent manager Gary O’Neil. The FA Cup tie against Burnley was an opportunity for them to halt their bad streak and give the players a confidence boost with a win. Vincent Kompany’s men had other ideas though, heading into the break with a 3-1 lead. The game eventually finished 4-2 but the stats show it was a much closer affair.

Both teams had a similar number of efforts and finished with a near identical Expected Goals total. The big difference, ironically, was that the Burnley players had confidence and made the most of their opportunities.

From heroes to villains

Unai Emery went strong with his team for Aston Villa’s FA Cup match against Stevenage. Despite taking a first-half lead, the hosts struggled to impose themselves on proceedings. Morgan Sanson netted the opener but Villa failed to add to that, even failing to create high-value chances.

The hosts equalised from the penalty spot in the 88th minute and then won the game in the 90th. It wasn’t a deserved win but it was the sort of result you see in the third round of the FA Cup. Keep yourself in the game long enough and there is always that chance of something magical happening.

A Cardiff collapse

This game had everything.

There was the threat of a cup upset after Cardiff City took a 2-0 lead. Then, there was the drama of a handball on the line that resulted in a red card and a missed penalty as Leeds hunted for an equaliser. Then, with time running out, Jesse Marsch’s side scored in the third minute of added time to book a replay with the Bluebirds at Elland Road.

Remarkably, Leeds racked up chances with an xG value of 4.29 but just couldn’t find that elusive winner.

More pressure on Potter

Chelsea and Graham Potter could’ve avenged their mid-week Premier League loss to Manchester City at the Etihad by knocking Pep Guardiola’s men out of the FA Cup. Both teams rotated but it was City with too much class on the day.

They coasted to a 4-0 win and it was yet another game in which Chelsea created nothing under Potter. The visitors attempted just three shots, all from poor positions, for an Expected Goals total of just 0.09.

City, by comparison, created four big chances and had an Expected Goals total of close to 2.8. It was, yet again, a very one-sided result at the Etihad.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every match from the 2022/23 FA Cup live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Jan

2023

Serie A Review: Three takeaways as football returns to Italy

Serie A is back and so is our regular Italian football column rounding up some of the main talking points from the latest action.

By Matteo Bonetti, US Serie A expert

Juventus are Scudetto contenders

It’s incredible what a few months can do. It feels like only yesterday that we were talking about the awful state of Juventus in Serie A and the Champions League, where they were knocked out of the group stages and were playing a dull and uninspired brand of football under their manager Max Allegri. But since their 2-0 loss away to Milan in early October, Juventus have been perfect domestically. Eight wins in a row and perhaps more impressively – 8 consecutive clean sheets. They’ve reverted back to the version of Allegri’s Juve that last won the Scudetto, a team that wins no matter the playing style. While this win streak hasn’t seen the most scintillating football, what it has seen is the emergence of youth. 21-year-old Nicolo Fagioli scored back-to-back goals in two games right before the World Cup break, while the teenage midfielder Fabio Miretti has already played 15 league games for the club. This goes along with more minutes for another teenager, Argentine winger Matías Soulé. These young players have given Juventus a new type of spark that they desperately needed in what was becoming one of the most boring teams to watch in Europe.

Adding to the youth movement, Juventus have only good news on the horizon; Federico Chiesa – who is one of the best players in the league when healthy – is finally fit enough to play significant minutes for the club, after missing a year of action due to a devastating ligament injury. Paul Pogba is also ready to take his first competitive minutes for Juventus, after being sidelined since his return to the club form Manchester United last summer.

Given their woeful start to the season combined with the absence of key players, Juventus’ current second place in the table is as improbable as it is extraordinary, given the circumstances they were in just a few months ago.

Napoli get back to winning ways

Napoli were the only undefeated team remaining in the top five European leagues before last Wednesday, when they were finally dealt their first loss of the season, away to Inter. The result isn’t really one that should worry the Napoletani faithful, as they lost to a team that was favourite for the Scudetto with every bookie before the start of the season. There’s no shame in dropping points to a strong Inter side that is injury free, but the issue was how quickly they could recover mentally. In another tricky game, Napoli had to travel to the Marassi stadium over the weekend to face a Sampdoria side that had started off their 2023 campaign with a win under new manager Dejan Stanković, who has given the team much needed life after the failed stint of Marco Giampaolo.

Against Samp, Napoli looked like the team we’ve become accustomed to seeing – quick, dynamic, ruthless under pressure and unstoppable on the counter. With Kvicha Kvaratshkelia quiet once again given his usual standards (at least this time he didn’t get hacked into oblivion like he did in the Inter game), it was Victor Osimhen who took charge by being his usual brilliant self. Osimhen scored a fantastic goal with a perfectly timed run at the near post, finishing off Mario Rui’s cross with a precise first time finish. It was the Nigerian’s pace which caused Sampdoria to pick up a red card, as Thomas Rincon took out the players’ legs from behind, as he was making his way in to the box.

Another positive performance came from Eljif Elmas. The North Macedonian midfielder has been a supersub for most of his career with Napoli, but clearly has the tools and talent to warrant a starting role as he continues to grow. Elmas’ versatility has been called upon by Luciano Spalletti as he filled in for Kvara at left wing before the World Cup, and against Samp, replaced Zielinski in central midfield. It’s this type of adaptability in various positions that will allow Elmas to keep getting called upon in rotation, especially since Napoli are now competing on three fronts with domestic action, Champions League and the Coppa Italia.

We’ll have a lot more answers after this coming Friday, when Napoli take on Juventus at the Maradona, in what’s become the most anticipated game of the season so far in Serie A.

Romelu Lukaku is becoming an enigma

Who exactly is Romelu Lukaku? So far, he’s been a far cry from the unstoppable, world class player that terrorized Serie A under Antonio Conte at Inter, won the club a Scudetto and became the best player in the league – prompting a massive money deal back to Chelsea. Since then, the Belgian striker has been a shadow of himself.

Lukaku scored 47 goals in two seasons under Conte, where he played in a direct counter attacking formation that suited him to perfection. At Chelsea, he only managed eight goals and was in and out of the lineup, often making the headlines for events that happened off the pitch that made him seem like a malcontent with the situation in England. Inter saw this failure at Chelsea as a perfect chance to bring back their hero at a discounted rate. Since his return, Lukaku has managed one goal in six appearances for the Nerazzurri. He’s battled injury and fitness issues since the summer, and endured a frustrating World Cup with Belgium to cap off a 2022 calendar year that he probably couldn’t wait to turn the page on.

While Lukaku looked noticeably heavier and slower at the start of the season, the issue now seems to be more mental than anything else. How else could you explain misses from point blank range with Belgium or the inability to latch onto a simple ball? There’s certain football moves that can’t be simply blamed on form or fitness. These are elementary errors that we’re seeing from Lukaku in the most basic aspects of being a footballer. The hope is that he just needs a few goals under his belt to build up his confidence and get back to the form that made him the most feared player in the league. Inter certainly do need him. While Lautaro Martínez has made improvements to his game since Lukaku’s first stint at Inter, he still can’t offer the one man wrecking crew style counter attacking threat that made the Belgian so unstoppable. Inter are also in fourth place and need something truly special to make up the 10 point difference to leaders Napoli. Lukaku still has plenty of time to work himself back into form, but from a Nerazzurri perspective, that time is hopefully now.

(Images from IMAGO)

You can follow every match from the 2022/23 Serie A season live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.