Page 25 – The Pulse of Football

Feb

2025

Anthony Elanga, Nottingham Forest’s bargain creator

It is easy to go under the radar as a Nottingham Forest player this season.

Chris Wood, with his 17 Premier League goals this term, is casting a fairly large shadow at the City Ground. Morgan Gibbs-White, rumoured to be a transfer target for Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United over recent weeks, has been pulling the strings for Nuno Espírito Santo’s side too.

Murillo, who recently signed a new contract extension with the club, has caught the eye this term and was even earmarked by some as a potential Virgil van Dijk replacement at Anfield. Matz Sels, a one-time Newcastle United shot-stopper, has been the best goalkeeper in the Premier League this term.

So, lots of standout performers. As a result, some are going a little under the radar.

One such player is Anthony Elanga.

When the versatile winger joined Nottingham Forest for £15million in the summer of 2023, a lot of people thought Manchester United were the winners in that particular transfer.

Elanga had three goals and three assists for the Red Devils across 39 Premier League outings. He struggled to cement his place in the starting XI despite United being incredibly inconsistent at the time.

Getting £15million for him was viewed as a good piece of business.

Looking back now, not so much.

Elanga has been a revelation this term for Forest. It is all the more impressive when you consider just how remarkable Espírito Santo and his players have been. With 14 games left to play, Nottingham Forest are third in the table, three points behind second-placed Arsenal and nine off the top, albeit having played a game more. They are six clear of fifth-placed Manchester City and have given themselves a strong chance of claiming Champions League football.

Who had that on their bingo card at the start of the season?

Elanga has played his part in this campaign. Last weekend, he forced his way into the FotMob Team of the Week for his showing against Brighton. The 22-year-old claimed a hat-trick of assists in the historic 7-0 win. His FotMob rating of 9.5 could only be bettered by one player in the Premier League. It just so happens that the one player was his teammate, Wood, for his three-goal showing against the Seagulls.

Brighton had no answer to Elanga. Deployed in a two-man attack with Wood, the former Red Devil was popping up all over the pitch and causing havoc in the final third. He created the most chances in the match (three), had the highest Expected Assists tally (0.99) and only Wood could better his xG Involvement haul of 1.21.

The Sweden international has threatened this sort of devastating performance all season, if truth be told.

He’s chipped in with assists against Liverpool and Newcastle United. He’s scored against Aston Villa, Spurs and Brentford. Elanga has been responsible for 28% of the goals scored by Forest this term. He’s been extremely influential in their attacking play. And the 19-cap international has seemingly found his form at the ideal time too, having chipped in with six assists in his last seven outings for Forest.

Nottingham Forest’s decision to reject a reported £50million bid for him in the summer is now looking like an inspired decision. According to multiple outlets, Newcastle wanted the versatile attacker and stumped up what would’ve been a club-record sale for Forest. Some clubs would’ve jumped at the chance to make a quick £35million profit on a player they’ve had for 12 months.

Had they cashed in on him, the likelihood is that Forest wouldn’t find themselves six points clear of the Magpies in the race for a place in the Champions League.

The East Midlands club deserve credit on two counts. Firstly, for believing in Elanga enough to sanction a £15million deal when others felt it was an overpayment. And then for rejecting a mega offer for a player, believing he would be worth more to them in their team. The gamble appears to have paid off. If Forest get European football, it’ll be more beneficial to them than the transfer fee they would’ve banked last summer.

*Elanga’s passing numbers, Premier League 2024/25*

And clearly, the belief in him has given him a confidence he’d previously been lacking. It’s why his numbers have scaled. For example, he’s on 11 goal involvements in just 1,463 minutes this season. Last term, he finished with 14 goal involvements in almost 2,500 minutes.

Only Mohamed Salah (13), Bukayo Saka (10) and Antonee Robinson (10) have more assists than Elanga (eight) in the English top-flight. He’s an elite chance-creator. His Expected Assists per 90 average has risen from 0.15 last term to 0.21 this time around. He’s more of a creative threat now and this can only be a positive for Forest. He’s created more chances this term (33) than he managed last season (32).

Wood and Gibbs-White are the poster boys for this historic Forest season but, really, it should all be about Elanga. A bargain buy who is now delivering on his early promise.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Feb

2025

Pau Cubarsi: Thriving with Barca despite Flick’s high risk tactics

Barcelona’s defence might be vulnerable, but Pau Cubarsí is doing his best to hold things together as one of the best young defenders in the world.

By Graham Ruthven

Lamine Yamal stands out every time Barcelona play. Even as the Catalans ground out an unconvincing 1-0 win over Alavés on Sunday, the 17-year-old produced an outrageous dribble that saw him pass no fewer than seven opponents in a manner that was evocative of the moments Lionel Messi frequently produced in blaugrana.

Less eye-catching, however, is Pau Cubarsí. That, of course, is a byproduct of the teenager’s role as a centre-back, but Cubarsí should similarly be in the conversion around the best young players in the world even if he can’t dribble past seven opponents at a time. He might already be one of the best defenders around.

Cubarsí’s job in Hansi Flick’s system isn’t an easy one. The German coach likes to position his backline high up the pitch. Extremely high. This means there is frequently half the pitch behind Cubarsí for the 18-year-old to protect. Against some of the most dangerous forward lines in LaLiga and Europe, this has been a challenge.

It’s a challenge, however, that Cubarsí has embraced. Indeed, the teenager’s recovery instincts have been sharpened by Flick’s approach with Iñigo Martínez partnering Cubarsí more than any other player this season. Between the two of them, Barca have a strong enough defensive foundation to impose their game.

“Tactically, we train the defensive line but above all it is a matter of communication, that the four of us communicate and that we work well together. If one goes out, the others follow the line,” said Cubarsí when asked to explain the work that goes into making such a high defensive line work at the elite level.

“When I see it from the outside I think ‘ugh, a ball behind our backs could hurt us’, but on the pitch you trust the line and your teammates. If we all work together, they’ll be offside. It’s not the same if the ball is played by a center-back, who is farther away, as opposed to a midfielder. We also pay attention to whether the ball is under pressure or not. If there’s pressure, it’s easier to push up because it’s harder to play it behind us.”

A lesser player would have crumbled under the pressure of holding things together at the back for a club of Barcelona’s size and stature. Cubarsí, however, has grown with the weight of responsibility. Some have even talked about the 18-year-old as a future Barcelona captain. He is seen as a worthy successor to the likes of Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol.

This season, Cubarsí is averaging 81 completed passes per 90 minutes in LaLiga. Of the Barca players who have started more than 10 games, only Martínez ranks above the 18-year-old, illustrating how the Catalans have the passing range to play out on either side with Martínez usually the left-sided centre back and Cubarsí on the right.

*Curbasí’s passing numbers per 90, LaLiga 2024/25*

Unlike Lamine Yamal, Cubarsí wasn’t included in the Spain squad that won Euro 2024. Nonetheless, the 18-year-old is a big part of the national team’s future, starting Spain’s last UEFA Nations League match – a 3-2 win over Switzerland. Barring injury, Cubarsí will surely be included in the squad for the 2026 World Cup.

At club level, though, Cubarsí has plenty to achieve as part of a Barca team that is finally moving on from the Messi era. The conveyer belt out of La Masia is rolling again with Lamine Yamal, Cubarsí, Alejandro Balde, Marc Casadó, Gavi, Pedri and Fermín López all key figures having come through the Catalan club’s famed youth academy.

Across Europe, clubs are spending fortunes to find the centre back of the future. Manchester United paid £52m for Leny Yoro. Wesley Fofana cost Chelsea £70m. Joško Gvardiol came with a price tag of £75m for Manchester City (before Pep Guardiola converted the Croatian to a marauding left back).

That Barcelona can produce someone of Cubarsí’s talent in-house is such an advantage and it’s only through years of financial mismanagement that the club has turned back to La Masia. Homegrown players like Cubarsí, Lamine Yamal and co. are getting Barca out of the hole they dug for themselves.

Ultimately, Flick’s approach may be too reckless for Barca to win LaLiga or the Champions League this season. Barcelona might not be able to outscore every opponent they face with the system too extreme in its emphasis on the attack. If Barca can find the right balance, though, Cubarsí could be just as important to them as Lamine Yamal. Even without the dribbles.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Feb

2025

Preview: Valencia face daunting Barca test in the Copa Del Rey quarterfinals

Two of Spanish football’s most historic clubs clash in the Copa del Rey on Thursday, with Carlos Corberán hoping and praying his side can do a little better than the last time they faced Hansi Flick’s Barca.

By Alex Roberts

It’s been less than two weeks since Barcelona beat Valencia 7-1 but, if anything, Valencia were lucky it was only that. They had absolutely no answer to Barca’s ruthless attacking efficiency, although they managed to bounce back with a much-needed win over Celta Vigo in the game after.

Barca, on the other hand, seem to have navigated their way through a real rocky patch of form, winning seven of their last nine games across all competitions, easing any pressure on their German manager.

His head is already in Liverpool

Giorgi Mamardashvili hasn’t exactly set the world alight since his move to Anfield and subsequent loan back to Valencia, he was arguably the worst player on the pitch the last time these two sides met, and that’s saying something.

His LaLiga save percentage is well below what it was last season, 57.5% percent compared to 72.5. Yes, Valencia as a side have been poor, but Mamardashvili isn’t bailing his side out like he used to.

He didn’t have much to do in the win over Celta, but when he was called up, he stood on business, ending his game having made one save, six recoveries, and a decent 36% long ball accuracy rate.

*Mamardashvili’s player radar has taken a hit this season*

Lamine YaMessi

Lamina Yamal is an anomaly and he’s only getting better, breaking Lionel Messi‘s record for most dribbles attempted (21) and completed (11) in a single game in LaLiga for Barcelona in their 1-0 win over Deportivo Alavés.

He was just about the only player that didn’t score in Barca’s 7-1 win over Valencia last month, but he still had a major impact, providng the assist for Frenkie de Jong’s third minute opener.

Barca’s continued reliance in the 17-year-old is fully justified, let’s just hope he avoids the fate of some many La Masia graduates in recent years, we’re looking at you Ansu Fati.

A less than ideal injury

Sitting in the relegation zone, few players have managed to impress for Valencia as much as Javier Guerra has and after going off injured in the win over Celta, he’s a major doubt for the visit from Barca.

He bagged what turned out to be the winner in the 68^th minute before going off 12 minutes later, helping his side reach the dizzying heights of 19^th, just four points from behind Espanyol, who beat Real Madrid 1-0, in 17^th.

There are plenty of league games to go, but a decent Copa de Rey run would give the fans something to celebrate that isn’t just survival. That would be a hell of a lot harder to accomplish if Guerra isn’t on the field.

Ready for round two

Fermín López didn’t feature in the 1-0 win over Deportivo Alavés, instead Barcelona kept him at the training ground in some sort of Dragon Ball Z healing tank, ready to unleash him on Valencia like Goku on Frieza.

Nerdy references aside, López was incredible in the 7-1 win, scoring a brace and providing two assists in what was easily his best performance since breaking into the first team last season. His face will be the last thing Valencia fans want to see on Thursday.

Prediction

It’s hard to imagine it been any worse for Valencia this time around, but we still reckon they’ll get beaten fairly comprehensively. We’re going to go with 4-1 to Barca.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Feb

2025

Preview: Spurs go to Liverpool looking to protect a one goal advantage

Spurs have a one goal lead from the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final against Liverpool, but will that be anything like enough against the Premier League leaders?

By Ian King

Form since the first leg

Spurs managed a workmanlike win at Brentford last weekend on top of an eventual Europa League win against Elfsborg, so they have a little more spring in their step than they did a couple of weeks ago. But that may not be enough to slow the giant, red steamroller that is slowly moving towards them.

Liverpool lost at PSV in their final Champions League match, but they did finish atop the 36-team Megagroup. They’re unbeaten in the Premier League since the 14th September. They’re six points clear at the top of the Premier League with a game in hand, though that game in hand is against David Moyes’ White-Hot Everton, and anything could happen there.

Anfield is not a happy hunting ground for Spurs

When Spurs won 2-1 at Anfield on the 25th August 1993, it was the first time they’d done so since the 16th March 1912; a month and a day before the Titanic sank. They’ve beaten them three times there since; somewhat dramatically with a late winning goal from Jürgen Klinsmann in an FA Cup quarter-final in 1995, a 3-1 win in the League Cup Fourth Round in 1998, and in the Premier League in 2011. The last player to score a goal for a winning Spurs team at Anfield was Luka Modrić. It’s not a great record.

Key players

Mo Salah feels like an obvious choice for Liverpool, but they need goals and he remains an extremely ready source of them. The issue of his new contract remains one of the biggest question marks hanging over the second half of an otherwise outstanding season for Liverpool. Throughout his career, he’s only scored more against one opposition side – Manchester United – than he has in games against Spurs. Tottenham may need a big performance from their defence. Ben Davies and Archie Gray seem set to have a busy night.

Team News

It was not ideal news for Ange Postecoglou to find that Mickey van de Ven had lasted precisely one half against Elfsborg before twanging something again and is going to be absent for this match, despite having already been rested for the Brentford match, and that Radu Drăgușin is now out for the rest of the season. Liverpool are now back to pretty much full strength, with Joe Gomez now their only absentee.

Prediction

It might be considered typical Spurs fatalism to suggest that the odds are stacked against them, but good omens really are thin on the ground when it comes to away games against Liverpool, whether we’re talking about going 81 years without winning at THIS VERY STADIUM, or anything relating to what’s happened at either club this season. Spurs are 14th in the Premier League and it’s difficult to argue that they don’t warrant that position. They won the first leg 1-0, but that’s an exception rather than the rule for this fixture, both historically and contemporaneously. 4-1 to Liverpool doesn’t sound unrealistic.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Feb

2025

Mikey Moore: Determined to make the most of his chances at Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur’s injury crisis has hit them hard, but it has also given a generational talent an opportunity to make his mark on the first team.

By Graham Ruthven

It got to the point where Ange Postecoglou had no choice but to call on Tottenham Hotspur’s youth. With no fewer than 15 first team figures unavailable for the crunch Europa League fixture against Elfsborg, Spurs had simply run out of players. The club’s youngsters, however, saved the day, none more so than Mikey Moore.

Moore scored the third goal in a 3-0 win that sent Tottenham through the last 16, tenaciously dribbling to the edge of the box before angling a low shot back across goal and into the far corner of the net. Three days later, the 17-year-old started the 2-0 away win over Brentford. Moore has clearly made an impression on Postecoglou.

Spurs supporters have been aware of Moore’s potential for some time. He was the standout performer for the Tottenham youth side that won the U17 and U18 Premier League Cup. He was playing, and impressing, in the UEFA Youth League at the age of just 15. When Moore turned 17, Spurs wasted no time in tying him to a three-year contract.

Anyone who has watched Moore at youth or senior level will understand why there is so much hype around him. He is a winger with a unique profile who can dribble at pace and create in the final third. While Postecoglou has deployed him on either wing, Moore roams into the middle and even into deeper areas of the pitch to pick up the ball.

*Moore’s player traits, based on a very small sample size to date (top flight minutes)*

His first touch is instant. He’s comfortable in tight spaces. His composure on the ball also allows him to play his part in possession sequences. He’s a different sort of winger to the likes of Son Heung-min and Brennan Johnson who are primarily in the team to provide verticality and get in behind opposition defences.

James Maddison has publicly compared Moore to Neymar in the way they both play the game with flair. Postecoglou also once fielded a question in a press conference that draw parallels between Moore and Lamine Yamal, another generational winger who has made his mark on the elite level recently.

Of course, these lofty comparisons might be overblown considering Moore has played just 182 minutes in the Premier League this season, but this highlights the esteem he is held in. Tottenham believe they have a special talent on their hands and his emergence has been the silver lining of their recent troubles.

“There is no point denying it,” said Postecoglou when asked about Moore’s potential and the role he could play for Spurs in the years to come. “I love the way Mikey is taking it all in his stride, he works hard every day. He wants to develop, he understands that this is a journey. It’s very easy for a young guy like him, who has just turned 17, to feel like he has somehow made it, but you never get that sense.

“It’s exciting. You have got such a young player, who wants that responsibility to make an impact, rather than just sometimes with young players they are a bit worried about making mistakes. He is developing well. We have to be really careful about how we use him, and when we use him, that is the key for us, particularly in these early stages.”

Postecoglou looks like being the perfect mentor for Moore in his formative years. The Australian will instil work ethic in the teenager whose attacking instincts will be sharpened by being exposed to the high-risk, high-speed nature of Ange-ball. Moore is being moulded in the image of his manager.

Moore’s game time could be limited for the rest of the season. Son is still ahead of him in the pecking order while Johnson is expected to be fit again in the coming weeks. What’s more, Mathys Tel has arrived on loan from Bayern Munich and will be yet more competition for Moore in the wide areas.

The 45 minutes Moore played against Brentford on Sunday also exposed the refinements he must make to become a true difference-maker at the top level. Indeed, the 17-year-old was naive with some of his positioning and decision-making with Postecoglou making the call to hook him at half time in favour of Lucas Bergvall.

Nonetheless, Moore is at the vanguard of Tottenham’s next homegrown generation which includes Damola Ajayi and Dane Scarlett, both of whom also found the back of the net in the aforementioned Europa League win over Elfsborg. If Spurs are building for the future, Moore is surely a big part of that vision.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Feb

2025

Don’t forget about Oscar

Neymar this, Neymar that. We get it. His return to Santos is a big deal for Brazilian football and the sport as a whole, but he’s not the only member of that generation to return home this year – Oscar is back at São Paulo.

By Alex Roberts

The attacking midfielder has had one of the weirdest journeys in professional football. Leaving his boyhood club back in 2010, having made 12 appearances but failing to score a goal, for Brazilian rivals Internacional.

Oscar impressed the powers that be at São Paulo as a youngster, but he only made a single start during his first spell at the club, which, unfortunately, turned out to be quite ill-fated.

It was the second leg in the first round of the Copa Sudamericana, and it was thoroughly unremarkable, expect for the fact it went to penalties. Both Oscar and Juninho (not that one) had their spot kicks saved by Vinicius (again, not that one) in the Athletico Paranaense goal, ultimately eliminating his side.

He left São Paulo under frustrating circumstances. His agent at the time claimed his contract was null and void after the club failed to pay him what he was supposedly owed. Internacional scooped him up as a free agent, but that wasn’t the end of it.

São Paulo continued to claim Oscar belonged to them, and launched several appeals, preventing him from playing for Internacional in some crucial Copa Libertadores games. An agreement was eventually reached in 2012, and São Paulo were awarded €6 million.

His first season was hampered by several injury issues, but his immense talent was obvious. Oscar ended his time there with 19 goals and five assists in 70 appearances across all competitions. A tally that caught the attention of Europe’s elite.

Roberto Di Matteo’s Chelsea were fresh off the back of winning the ‘Miracle in Munich’, their first ever Champions League title. Wanting to build from that, they made a point of trying to sign some of the world’s best young talent. They’d already signed Eden Hazard; Oscar was up next.

The Brazilian made his debut in Chelsea’s first Premier League game of the season, replacing Hazard in a 2-0 win over Wigan. He had little impact, but when he made his first start, he well and truly announced himself.

‘Twas a cold Champions League night at the Bridge as the West London club welcomed Juventus for their first game of the 2012-13 campaign. Oscar played alongside Hazard and Fernando Torres in a front three, but he didn’t need either of them.

Oscar opened the scoring in the 31^st minute after his strike took a heavy deflection catching Gianluigi Buffon out, but it didn’t matter, because two minutes later, he would score Chelsea’s second-best goal since the turn of the millennium. Please Look up Didier Drogba’s vs Bolton if you want to see THE best.

Ashley Cole received the ball from Frank Lampard, he laid it off to Oscar who then turned Andrea Pirlo inside out before curling the ball into the top right corner. Of course, his hard work was undone when Juve scored twice to end the game 2-2.

That goal against Juve was the only real highlight of Oscar’s Chelsea career. He went on to win a Premier League, Europa League, and a League Cup, but as is so often the case at Chelsea, managerial changes and new tactical systems set him back.

Eventually, he was deemed surplus to requirements. He doubtless thought a number of European elites would come calling again, and maybe they did, but when push came to shove, the only real option he had was Shanghai SIPG, now known as Shanghai Port.

The Chinese Super League was Saudi Arabia before Saudi Arabia decided to launch their Premier League project. They lured a number of mostly aging stars to the league with promise of high wages and a project that ultimately never came to fruition. At just 25-years-old, Oscar’s move was by far the highest profile.

He would reportedly earn £400,000 a week in Shanghai. It’s the type of money that would set future generations up for centuries. We can discuss the morality of it all but is it worse than taking money from Roman Abramovich or some American venture capitalist?

Anyway, Oscar was a big fish in a small pond in China. When all the other superstars left, he remained, ending his time at Shanghai with three Super League titles, one Super Cup, one Cup, and a shed load of money.

China quite some distance from Brazil, and after eight years, Oscar was getting home sick. “I love Shanghai, but it’s just too far away from home for us,” he said. “We can’t stay here forever. My mum is getting older, my sisters are having babies. We want to be closer to home.”

Finally, on Christmas day 2024, his return to where it all began was confirmed, Oscar would be a São Paulo player once again. He’s a hell of a lot older, but also a hell of a lot wiser and he could be the guy to lead them to their first piece of major silverware since 2012.

Oscar made his second São Paulo debut in their game against rivals Corinthians, with fellow former wonderkid Lucas Moura on the opposite wing. Then, in the 56^th minute, after 15 years away, he finally got his first goal for his boyhood club, helping them to a 3-1 win.

He may not have had the career many had expected, but that doesn’t matter. Oscar is back at São Paulo, and all feels right once again.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from Brazil’s main national league and São Paulo’s state tournament on FotMob – featuring deep stats coverage and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Feb

2025

Preview: Madrid face Leganes in Copa Del Rey quarterfinal

Real Madrid face a critical stretch in their season with Carlo Ancelotti’s team up against Leganés in the last eight of the Copa del Rey.

By Graham Ruthven

Real response required

Few saw Real Madrid’s 1-0 defeat to Espanyol coming. Los Blancos had been on a five-match winning streak in all competitions and looked to have built momentum ahead of a trip to Barcelona to face a relegation-threatened opponent.

Against Espanyol, though, all the problems that troubled Madrid in the early part of the season emerged once again. They lacked creativity and failed to break down a low defensive block, leaving too much space for their opponents to counter into on the break.

Not for the first time this season, Carlo Ancelotti is facing criticism for his set-up of the team with many pointing out that the frontline of Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham destabilises the rest of the side.

Leganés, on the other hand, have recently demonstrated their ability to upset the odds, beating Atlético Madrid and taking points off Athletic Club last month.

Under Borja Jiménez, Los Pepineros (the Cucumbers!) have become difficult to break down, conceding just two goals in their last three games, which could make them a tricky opponent for Real Madrid in the same way Espanyol were.

Key players

Goalkeeper Marko Dmitrović has been a standout performer for Leganés this season, recently keeping clean sheets against Atleti and Athletic. However, Real Madrid’s forward line will present the Serbian with his toughest test of the campaign to date.

Juan Cruz could pose the biggest goal threat for the hosts from his position as a left wing back. Out of possession, the 24-year-old is expected to sit back in a back five, but he has the freedom to get forward when there is the opportunity.

Ancelotti could make changes to his team after the defeat to Espanyol with many fans calling for Brahim Díaz to start. The Spanish international gives Real Madrid cohesion and work rate on the right side.

Vinícius and Rodrygo will almost certainly feature at some point, though. If they are firing on cylinders, as they had been before the weekend, Leganés will be blown away.

Team news

Enrique Francesca remains out for Leganes after suffering an ACL injury in November while Seydouba Cisse will also miss Wednesday’s meeting with the Spanish champions after picking up a hamstring strain against Rayo Vallecano last week.

Sergio González was shown a straight red card in the defeat to Rayo, but his suspension only applies to league games and so the centre back will be available.

Antonio Rüdiger’s injury will rule him out of action for the next three weeks. This means the German defender will miss this Copa del Rey quarter-final as well as the Madrid Derby and two Champions League matches against Manchester City. His absence couldn’t have come at a worse time for Los Blancos.

Éder Militão is still sidelined through injury while David Alaba has yet to play a full 90-minute match since his own return from injury last month. This could see Raul Asencio start in central defence against Leganés.

Andriy Lunin is expected to start in goal having started Real Madrid’s last two matches in the Copa del Rey. But Ancelotti has confirmed that Mbappé and Bellingham will be missing due to slight knocks picked up over the weekend.

Prediction

Leganés will look to continue their recent strong run of results against Spain’s biggest sides but should be undone by Madrid’s superior firepower on the day, just. We’re saying 1-0 to Real Madrid.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Feb

2025

Preview: Newcastle United vs. Arsenal, can the Magpies defend their lead?

A place in the first Cup final of the season is up for grabs and, improbably, it’s Newcastle United who hold a serious upper hand to get there – but Arsenal couldn’t have had a bigger pre-match boost as they look for a second-leg overhaul here.

By Karl Matchett

Big ask, big reward

The Magpies took a 2-0 win from the Emirates a month ago and Eddie Howe has fans dreaming of, finally, ending the long wait for a significant trophy: the 1955 FA Cup final, still the last time they won a major honour. They have, remember, never won the EFL Cup. This is the opportunity of a generation for them to have a crack at it, and all they need to do…is not concede two against the team who have just put five past Manchester City.

Change in flow at a tricky time?

Newcastle will rightly point to their own in-form forward, Alexander Isak. His goal in the first leg came at a time when he also netted in eight Premier League games in a row – 11 goals in that period – but, since then, he had one shot and failed to score against Bournemouth, netted twice against bottom club Southampton, then had one shot again and didn’t score against Fulham. No run of form can go on without end, but Newcastle will hope the chance creation and clinical edge isn’t drying up at a hugely important time.

Recent form

As for Arsenal, they had 23 shots and didn’t score in that first leg, then had 26 shots, scored once and went out in the FA Cup in their next match. Since then it’s 15 goals in six games and they’ve won five of them. The Gunners don’t just have some winning rhythm again, they have enormously growing confidence, particularly after battering the champions in such emphatic fashion. Newcastle had won nine in a row before the recent loss-win-loss run, but perhaps that pendulum has just swung away from them ahead of this second leg.

Team news

Harvey Barnes and Callum Wilson are the squad options missing at St. James’ Park, but Joelinton remains a doubt. Bruno Guimarães is back from a ban and will start. For Arsenal, it’s the same faces as recently who are long-term absentees: Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Ben White. Neto is unavailable to play.

Key player

Obviously, Arsenal need goals to find a way back into the tie. But if they concede, that might be game over. Goalkeeper David Raya is third in the Premier League for clean sheets (eight), fourth for save percentage (72.8%) and top for lowest goals conceded per 90 (0.9). However, he’s also 13th for goals prevented; with -0.1, his value shows he basically concedes as many goals as you’d expect him to from the shots he faces – by number rather than the actual reflex stops we’ve all seen highlights of. The Spaniard has had a good season in terms of occasional sensational impact, but here Arsenal need him to excel.

*Raya’s goalkeeping numbers, Premier League 2024/25*

Prediction

Arsenal to find a route back into the match and pick up a win by two goals…From there, pick your own winner from the ensuing penalty shootout!

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Feb

2025

Analysis: Serie A title race set to go down to the wire between Napoli and Inter

There were two big twists in the Serie A title race this weekend as stoppage-time equalisers altered the results of both chief contenders, but their points gap has ultimately remained the same. Defending champions Inter are three points behind leaders Napoli with a game in hand, so there is effectively nothing to separate them in the current standings.

By Neel Shelat

While most of the big five European leagues have not produced that many great title races of late, Italy’s Serie A has been an exception thanks to its competitiveness and unpredictability. In fact, no team has managed to defend the Scudetto since Juventus’ dominance ended in 2020/21. Regardless of whether that trend continues, we look set for another memorable conclusion to the season as Napoli and Inter are going neck-and-neck at the top of the standings while Atalanta will be keen to pounce on any major slip-ups.

Antonio Conte’s instant impact at Napoli

The last couple of years have been topsy-turvy for Napoli, to say the least. The highs of 2022/23 – when the Serie A title came to Naples for the first time in over three decades – will likely not be matched anytime soon, but fans were swiftly brought back down to earth in 2023/24. The team looked like a shadow of its former self after the departure of head coach Luciano Spalletti, whose boots proved too big to fill. The club went through three head coaches en route to a 10th-place finish – their worst in 15 years.

Hopes were naturally not that high for this season, even more so since the Partenopei lost some key players in the summer transfer window including midfielder Piotr Zieliński and star striker Victor Osimhen. Although the new head coach who came through the door was four-time Scudetto winner Antonio Conte, few would have expected him to lead an instant title charge.

Indeed, the former Chelsea tactician got off to quite a shaky start in the south of Italy. Napoli needed penalties to beat second-tier Modena in their first competitive match of the season, while their Serie A opener ended in a comprehensive 3-0 defeat to Hellas Verona. However, they then seemed to turn a page as they won nine of the next ten games, and they have hardly looked back ever since.

Interestingly, Conte abandoned his generally favoured 3-4-3 system quite early on in the season. Although Napoli still do adopt a back-three-based shape both in and out of possession in certain situations, they have lined up in a 4-3-3 since late September. This system seems well-suited to get the best out of the players in the squad and has certainly worked from a defensive perspective.

Using their rock-solid defence, Napoli have edged out as many as eight wins by a one-goal margin so far this season. However, this does mean that their attack isn’t quite up there with the best. They are only fifth in terms of goals scored in the league and have looked prone to being blanked by disciplined defences. Conte’s trusted line leader Romelu Lukaku has been quite good, but he does not have a reliable strike partner after the mid-season departure of Khvicha Kvaratskelia.

*Napoli goals + assists, Serie A 2024/25*

Inter remain exceptionally well-rounded

Defending champions Inter are the favourites for many experts thanks to their all-round excellence. Simone Inzaghi has ensured that the Nerazzurri have remained up there with the very best teams in the world over the last couple of years by maintaining exceptional balance in his 3-5-2 system.

Their world-class defensive solidity has been on display for all of Europe this season as they conceded just once in well over 700 minutes of UEFA Champions League action. Their midfield has a great mix of experience and dynamism that enables it to control proceedings against all sorts of opponents, while their attack is simply irresistible when it clicks (which is quite often). Although some of their forwards’ form has been fluctuating, Inter have so many sources for goals including their strikers, wing-backs, midfielders and even wide centre-backs! It should be no surprise, then, that they have scored in every single one of their Serie A matches this season.

The current title holders can boast of the league’s best underlying numbers in both attack and defence at the moment, so they surely have to be backed to retain the Scudetto for the first time in 15 years.

Atalanta still in with an outside shout

While Napoli and Inter look set to be the two chief protagonists of the Serie A title race, it is worth mentioning Atalanta as well. The Bergamo-based club have never managed to get their hands on the top-flight title in their 117-year history, but they looked on course to changing that earlier this season.

La Dea led the standings in the month of December, but their streaky form has cost them since. They also started the season poorly by losing three of their first five league matches, though they soon turned things around to string together an 11-match winning streak in the division. However, they have won just one of their subsequent seven matches in domestic competition, thus dropping seven points behind the league leaders.

Atalanta’s attack has once again been excellent. They are the only team apart from Inter to average over 2 goals per game in Serie A, and each of their favoured front three of Mateo Retegui, Ademola Lookman and Charles De Ketelaere is in double digits for goal involvements. However, their defence seems to be holding them back as they have only kept seven clean sheets in 23 league fixtures and are conceding more than a goal per game on average. Quite simply, this is the difference between them and the top two.

It would be very difficult to overstate how good a job Gian Piero Gasperini has done in his nine years with Atalanta, but he will need to find some more solutions and hope for a bit of assistance from the rest of the league if he is to go one better than last year’s Europa League triumph.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Feb

2025

Premier League Team of the Week: Matchday 24

The Team of the Week is dominated by Nottingham Forest players. Are you really surprised though? Nuno Espírito Santo’s side ran riot against Brighton and recorded a 7-0 win just a week after being thrashed 5-0 by Bournemouth. It was the perfect response.

By Sam McGuire

The Forest quintuple are joined by three from Crystal Palace after the Eagles recorded yet another win against Manchester United at Old Trafford. No more spoilers though. Here’s the Team of the Week for Matchday 24 with a detailed look at exactly why they’ve made the cut.

Goalkeeper: Matz Sels

Sels was back to his brilliant best between the sticks after disappointing last time out. The 32-year-old made six saves against Brighton as Nottingham Forest claimed a 10th clean sheet of the season. No team has more clean sheets in the Premier League this term. He faced efforts with an Expected Goals on Target value of 1.33 and repelled them all on his way to an 8.8 rating – his highest FotMob rating of the campaign.

Right-Back: Daniel Muñoz

Muñoz was resolute against Manchester United as the Eagles claimed a 2-0 in over the Red Devils on Sunday. The right-back claimed an assist, setting up Jean-Philippe Mateta for the all-important second to kill off the game. The 28-year-old won 70% of his ground duels on his way to an 8.3 FotMob rating.

Centre-Back: Chris Richards

The versatile defender was deployed on the right side of a back three at Old Trafford and he put in a dominant performance. The 24-year-old won the most tackles (four) and won the most duels (nine). In fact, he won 100% of his ground duels, He made a total of 10 clearances and made two interceptions. He more than played his part in ensuring the Eagles finished with a clean sheet.

Centre-Back: Maxence Lacroix

The third and final Crystal Palace player to get into the FotMob Team of the Week. Lacroix, who signed in the summer from Wolfsburg, completed 80% of his passes. He won two of his three attempted tackles, made 11 clearances and four interceptions. He won 80% of his aerial duels and 50% of his ground duels at Old Trafford. He was another who put in a dominant showing for Oliver Glasner’s team.

Left-Back: Neco Williams

Williams was fantastic as a left wing-back for Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon. The former Liverpool full-back won the most duels (12) and won the most tackles (four). He was involved in 21 duels on the day, made three clearances, two interceptions and recovered the ball on three occasions. The 23-year-old also scored a goal, hit the woodwork with an effort and completed 86% of his attempted passes on the day. It was a dominant, all-round showing from the Wales international.

Midfield: Morgan Gibbs-White

Another week, another Morgan Gibbs-White masterclass. The 25-year-old was deployed in a three-man attack this week with Espirito Santo tweaking the shape after the humbling after Bournemouth. Gibbs-White scored a goal, claimed an assist and won a penalty for Forest on his way to an 8.7 FotMob rating. Gibbs-White completed two of his three dribbles, won all three of his tackles and come out on top in 70% of his ground duels at the City Ground.

Midfield: Thomas Partey

Partey completed 88% of his passes against the reigning Premier League champions as Arsenal hammered Manchester City 5-1 at the Emirates to send a message to their rivals. The 31-year-old scored a goal too, albeit via a big deflection, as well as completing 100% of his attempted dribbles. He was accurate with 75% of his long passes, attempted four tackles and recovered the ball on seven occasions. The midfielder won six of his seven duels too.

Midfield: Declan Rice

And yet Partey wasn’t the dominant Arsenal midfielder. That title belongs to Declan Rice. The former West Ham man and one-time Manchester City midfielder was utterly dominant on Sunday. He created the most chances (four), claimed two assists and finished with an 8.8 rating. He completed 89% of his attempted passes, completed 100% of his dribbles and won 100% of his ground duels.

Attack: Mohamed Salah

Salah became the first player to hit 20 goals in the Premier League this season when he netted twice in Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Bournemouth. The 32-year-old also created two chances, had four shots and completed two of his three dibbles. His second on the day was quintessential Salah as he guided a curled left-footed effort into the far corner, making it look ridiculously easy. His showing at the Vitality Stadium earned him a 9.2 FotMob rating.

*The race for the Premier League golden boot*

Attack: Anthony Elanga

The versatile winger partnered Chris Wood up front this week as opposed to playing in one of the wide areas. Elanga claimed a 9.5 FotMob rating. More often than not, such a rating would be the highest in the match. It is usually the highest of the week. This time, however, it wasn’t. And we’ll get to why in a moment. The former Manchester United man was in fantastic form though and chipped in with three assists against Brighton. He completed two of his three dribbles, and finished the game having created the most chances (three).

Attack: Chris Wood

Wood claimed the FotMob Player of the Match for Forest against Brighton. He also claimed the FotMob Player of the Week with a 9.6 rating. The New Zealand international scored a hat-trick against the Seagulls. He was in the right place, at the right time, time and time again. He was barely involved, attempting just nine passes in total, but when he was, he made it count. He landed all four of his efforts on target and completed 100% of his dribbles. He was unplayable and in this form he’s unstoppable.

(Images from IMAGO)

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