Page 26 – The Pulse of Football

Feb

2025

Transfer of the Week: Patrick Dorgu could slot into Amorim’s side in multiple positions

Manchester United have waited until the very end of the mid-season transfer window to make their first senior signing under Rúben Amorim, but they have finally announced the arrival of Patrick Dorgu. The young Dane will be expected to have an immediate impact in helping plug a glaring gap in the Red Devils’ squad.

By Neel Shelat

Despite their shaky form going into and throughout the month of January, Manchester United never seemed to be in a rush to make new signings. In fact, there were hardly any reports of them even negotiating potential deals before they went in for Patrick Dorgu, whom they ended up signing for €30 million after a bit of back and forth.

United fans certainly have a lot of reasons to be excited about the Danish international’s arrival, but how much of an immediate impact he can have remains to be seen. While he has shown all the signs of having the potential to grow into an excellent player, he might not necessarily offer the best solutions for the various pressing issues in Amorim’s side.

Promising traits

Putting Manchester United’s current plight aside for a moment, it is quite easy to see why there is so much excitement around Dorgu in general.

The 20-year-old Dane did not take long to establish himself as a regular starter after getting his senior breakthrough at the start of the last season with Lecce. His exceptional versatility certainly helped his cause as his ability to play pretty much any position on both wings enabled him to consistently find a spot in the starting XI.

The main reason Dorgu is able to do a job in all of these various positions is that he has all the physical traits needed to excel on the wing. The young Dane has remarkable endurance, which is why he has played 1,840 out of a possible 2,070 league minutes this season in some of the most demanding roles on the pitch. He also possesses a serious turn of pace which he can use both to leave defenders in the dust going forward and to track back and support his side’s defensive effort.

Unlike many speedsters, the 20-year-old wide man does not mind getting stuck into physical challenges. He contests quite a high volume of duels and comes out on top in a good chunk of them, though he could yet improve his win rate by picking his battles a bit more carefully.

*Dorgu defensive numbers per 90, Serie A 2024/25*

Dorgu also is an excellent ball-carrier as he uses his speed to rapidly advance up the pitch. Although he is not a take-on specialist, he is incredibly tough to stop once he gets past a defender. He also makes smart forward runs in transition and consistently gets the ball into dangerous areas.

*Dorgu possession numbers per 90, Serie A 2024/25*

All things considered, the young Dane already is quite a handy all-round wide player, and of course, he has a lot of time to get better yet.

Clear fit in Amorim’s system

At the time of Rúben Amorim’s appointment, we highlighted the various misfits in Manchester United’s squad for his favoured 3-4-3 system. The wing-back positions were always likely to be a big pain point as he was forced to pick between more conservative full-backs and defensively shaky wingers in those roles.

Players of Dorgu’s profile – someone who is equally capable going both ways – are exactly what the Portuguese tactician needs, so he certainly should be happy with this signing. The main decision for him will now be which flank he uses the former Nordsjælland youth prospect on.

Despite being right-footed, Dorgu spent the majority of his playing time on the left side of Lecce’s defence. United’s squad is also weakest in the left wing back spot as Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia’s persistent unavailability has forced the likes of Diogo Dalot and Nouassair Mazraoui to plug the gap, so that position appears to be the clearest opening for the Danish international.

Is this the best move for both parties?

Lecce certainly cannot be displeased about their club-record sale, but both Manchester United and Dorgu might have some slight concerns about each other.

For all his promising traits, the 20-year-old Dane is far from the finished product. He has a good deal of development to do before he can be considered a top-class player, and he particularly needs to sharpen up in the aspects that Manchester United are lacking in right now.

Perhaps the biggest weakness in Dorgu’s game right now is his lack of end product in the final third. While he gets into great positions quite consistently, he leaves a good deal to be desired with his decision-making. He is a pretty trigger-happy shooter and does get good power on his efforts, but his accuracy is far from the best. His creative output is quite low, as he has created less than one chance per 90 on average this season.

*Dorgu passing numbers per 90, Serie A 2024/25*

Evidently, Dorgu cannot be expected to instantly reinvigorate Manchester United’s misfiring attack. Since he needs time to develop naturally, the Red Devils might have been better off bringing in a more experienced campaigner who would promise an instant impact.

At the same time, Dorgu might also be a little worried by the amount of experimentation Amorim has done in a bid to get his side to click. The most drastic of his measures were taken this weekend when the former Sporting coach benched both of his recognised forwards to deploy Kobbie Mainoo as a false nine, though it is safe to say that it did not quite work as he might have envisioned.

The prospect of consistent game time at a club of Manchester United’s stature will surely have been a big factor in Dorgu’s decision to move to Old Trafford, so the sight of such unconventional line-ups will not be too reassuring for him. The Red Devils’ recent track record with youth development has also been quite hit-and-miss, and it is unlikely to improve when their general performances are so poor.

So, while this move makes perfect sense on paper as Dorgu looks well on course to become a great player, he might find himself under a bit of pressure to perform immediately to ensure that his career continues on an upward trajectory.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

To keep up date with all the latest deals this window, check out the FotMob Transfer Centre. Download the free app here.

Feb

2025

Do recent transfers make the WSL the strongest women’s league?

Between Naomi Girma’s €1 million move to Chelsea, Kerolin’s free transfer to Manchester City and Jenna Nighswonger’s surprise switch to Arsenal, it is safe to say that the January transfer window saw quite a few blockbuster signings made in the English Women’s Super League. So, can it stake a claim to being the strongest women’s league in world football?

By Neel Shelat

The English Premier League irrefutably is the strongest domestic competition in men’s football, and by some margin at that. It continues to widen the gap to the chasing pack every year, as its astronomical broadcasting revenue (among other things) helps strengthen the spending power of all 20 of its clubs. Today, various models suggest that about 15 of its contestants can claim to be among the top 50 clubs in the world.

The picture isn’t quite as clear-cut in the women’s game. Many would agree that Barcelona have the strongest team in the world, but the lack of serious domestic competition for them prevents Spain’s Liga F from staking a claim to the top spot. The debate boils down to two other leagues: the English Women’s Super League – which has four of the strongest teams in world football – and the National Women’s Soccer League, which also has some very strong teams and is more competitive from top to bottom.

The lack of a women’s Club World Cup makes it all the more difficult to come up with a definitive answer, but one factor we can look at is transfer flows. There have been some major developments in that respect this month, as 2023 NWSL Defender of the Year Naomi Girma joined Chelsea for a world-record €1 million transfer fee, 2023 Rookie of the Year Jenna Nighswonger moved to Arsenal and 2023 MVP Kerolin signed for Manchester City.

With more rumours swirling about potential moves to England for other NWSL stars including Trinity Rodman and Sam Coffey, many have started to wonder whether the WSL is now firmly overtaking it as the strongest league in women’s football. However, a closer look reveals a more nuanced situation.

WSL’s lower table getting left behind

From the WSL’s perspective, it is worth noting that the league’s apparent uptick in spending is pretty much solely driven by the top clubs. Chelsea alone have been responsible for the vast majority of transfer spending this season as they also spent €500,000 on Keira Walsh besides bringing in Girma. They also paid a then world-record fee for Mayra Ramírez last year, while Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United also spent decent amounts on players from other European leagues.

Among the rest, the likes of Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur occasionally make a notable move (such as the Reds’ €250,000 signing of Olivia Smith last summer), but most of the lower table sides behind them hardly make any waves. As a result, the gap between the title contenders and the rest only keeps widening. At the time of writing, for example, fifth-placed Brighton & Hove Albion have half as many points as leaders Chelsea, while nearly half the division is averaging less than a point per game.

The financial disparity in the WSL is unlikely to be bridged anytime soon. As of last season, the top four accounted for two-thirds of the 12 clubs’ aggregate revenue. Interestingly, a significant portion of their income came in the form of ‘group income’, which Deloitte defines as “revenue attributable to the women’s club from full club-wide commercial agreements, and contributions from the men’s club”.

With that in mind, it should be easy to understand why sides like Chelsea, Arsenal and the Manchester clubs are running away at the top of the WSL; they are backed by some of the strongest and richest clubs in world football. Liverpool and Tottenham likely have the potential to match them, but the rest surely cannot keep up.

NWSL remains a hub for global talent

After recent developments, some have suggested that the NWSL’s financial regulations such as the wage cap and transfer budget will hold the league back as investment in the women’s game continues to grow. While that may be the case to some extent as star players might move abroad to earn bigger paychecks, it is undeniable that these rules have kept the league very competitive.

According to Opta’s women’s club rankings, all but one of the NWSL teams are among the top 30 in the world. The league’s top five are in the global top 15, while lowest-ranked Houston Dash are only 39th. By contrast, the WSL has four of the global top six, but each of its six bottom-half teams are below the Dash.

There are various factors besides financial restrictions that have kept the NWSL extremely competitive. For one, the collegiate soccer system provided the division with a constant stream of top-class talents. As recently as a few years ago, it was arguably one of the best talent development pathways in the women’s game, in lieu of professional clubs and academies. While its future is not quite so certain after the NWSL decided to do away with the draft, its historical impact cannot be overlooked.

As the women’s game continues to grow, the NWSL has established itself as a hub for top talents from all around the world. It is no coincidence that some of the very best African, Asian and South American players including Barbra Banda, Temwa Chawinga, Hina Sugita, Marta and Debinha are plying their trade in the league right now. While big transfers away such as those of Girma, Kerolin and Nighswonger make all the headlines, quieter signings such as Prisca Chilufya and Daiane underscore the fact that the NWSL’s status is unlikely to change anytime soon.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Women’s Super League with FotMob this season – featuring deep stats coverage and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Feb

2025

Preview: Graham Potter takes West Ham to Chelsea

It’s no more Mr Nice Guy for Graham Potter as he returns to Stamford Bridge for the first time since his doomed seven-month spell in charge of the club back in 2022-23. East London’s West Ham travel west to face Cheslea. Confusing we know.

By Alex Roberts

Enzo Maresca has had a week to mull over their disappointing 3-1 defeat to Champions League qualification rivals Man City in their previous fixture, and it’s fair to say he has some serious decisions to make.

Potter has only had four games at West Ham since replacing Julen Lopetegui, and they’ve been a mixed bag. A decent win over Fulham was quickly forgotten when they lost to Crystal Palace. Their 1-1 draw with Aston Villa last week was another good result, but that doesn’t mean they’ll get another today.

It’s OK to admit when you’re wrong, Enzo

The Italian has backed Robert Sánchez to the hilt all season, but he seriously struggled to look on the bright side after the goalkeeper’s performance in the defeat to Man City, admitting he doesn’t know if the Spaniard will keep his place beyond this season.

For many Chelsea fans, the prospect of him staying between the sticks for the next few months is daunting, especially considering no goalkeeper has made more mistakes leading to a goal in the Premier League this campaign.

*Sánchez goalkeeper stats, Premier League 2024/25*

Filip Jörgensen is the only viable option to replace Sanchez currently with the squad, although they do have a couple lads out on loan who could do a decent job, including Djordje Petrovic, who supplanted him last season. If Maresca is going to pull the trigger on Sánchez, he needs to do it soon.

Aaron Wan Maldini

The great Italian one said, “If I have to make a tackle, then I’ve already made a mistake. Wan-Bissaka doesn’t quite subscribe to that school of thinking, but he may well be one of the best one-on-one defenders in the Premier League.

He’s only been dribbled past five times throughout his 22 Premier League appearances, that’s pretty decent going for a defender playing for a side in the bottom half of the table. The thing is, even if you do somehow get past him, he ain’t letting you go.

With 115 recoveries, 30 tackles won, and 41 interceptions made, whoever Maresca plays against him, likely Jadon Sancho, will have to be at their tricky best.

Nicolas Jackson needs a goal

Jackson was arguably the best forward in the league earlier in the season, but it’s been a while since he bagged, seven games to be precise, and old questions about his ability to lead the line for top four side are starting to pop up again.

He had a hand in all of Chelsea’s goals the last time they met West Ham, scoring a brace and providing the assist for Cole Palmer’s goal.

His hold up play and ability to create space for his teammates remains the most important aspect of his game but improving in front of goal need to be a priority, although we’ve been saying that for some time now.

They just can’t seem to get it right!

West Ham’s luck with striker signings is unfathomably bad. The club had signed a remarkable 52 forwards since David Gold and David Sullivan took over all the way back in 2010, and Niclas Füllkrug appears to be the latest of numerous big investments.

Potter was forced to play Mohammed Kudus up top in the 1-1 draw with Aston Villa because of the German’s injury, and he played well, completing more dribbles than any other player (6) and ending his game with a 100% pass accuracy rate.

Still, they need a focal point, and a deal for Evan Ferguson is reportedly progressing. He’ young, had injury issues, and is incredibly raw, but he really can’t be any worse than what they’ve had for the past 15 years.

Prediction

Sorry Chelsea fans, we think it’s going to be another frustrating night for you, we’re going to go with a 1-1 draw at the Bridge.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Feb

2025

Preview: Inter out for Derby Day revenge against Milan

Defending Serie A champions Inter are going neck-and-neck with Napoli in the title race, so anything but a win against local rivals Milan will be a disappointing result for the Nerazzurri.

By Neel Shelat

Milan’s shot at an unlikely head-to-head treble

16 points separate Italy’s premier capital clubs going into this big game as Milan have had a very disappointing season so far. Even so, they have been responsible for both of Inter’s domestic defeats this term – first in an early league meeting and then in the Supercoppa last month.

These results are made even more surprising by the fact that Milan had lost a record-equalling six consecutive derbies over the last couple of years. It is worth noting, though, that both wins required dramatic late winners in games that Inter controlled for the most part.

If the Rossoneri manage to pull off another victory, this will be their first league double over Inter since 2010/11. It will also be the first time in two decades that they register three wins over their bitter rivals in the same season.

Conceição’s side yet to show consistency

Sérgio Conceição‘s side certainly displayed the grit and fighting spirit he promised in their Supercoppa triumph, but they are yet to show some much-needed consistency. They have drawn with Cagliari and lost to Juventus in Serie A, while both of their wins in the league have required late turnarounds. They suffered some more disappointment this week as a loss to Dinamo Zagreb bumped them out of the UEFA Champions League’s top eight.

Injuries and absences have obviously not helped the Rossoneri cause, and they will have to deal with some big ones tonight. New signing Kyle Walker could be in for a trial by fire as Emerson Royal picked up an injury last week while Alessandro Florenzi has been out since the start of the season. Malick Thiaw will be missed at centre-back as both he and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are contending with a hamstring injury, while Youssouf Fofana’s yellow card suspension could well force Ismaël Bennacer to complete his first full 90 of the season.

Inter’s rock-solid defence setting them up for success

Simone Inzaghi’s Inter have consistently been one of the best teams in Europe over the last couple of years. They are perhaps best known for their fluid and eye-catching attacking play, but their defensive record has been even more impressive this term.

They conceded just one goal in their eight UEFA Champions League matches despite facing the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen. In the league, their title rivals Napoli are the only team to have conceded fewer goals.

Of course, Inter also have some serious firepower up front and in the wings, while their experienced midfielders can dictate proceedings against almost any opponents. So, the Nerazzurri are as close as they come to being a complete package.

Prediction

With no noteworthy absences, a full-strength Inter should be expected to control the match and get the better of Milan by a goal or two.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Feb

2025

Preview: Arsenal and Man City set for heavyweight clash

The race for second place is on between Arsenal and Manchester City this Sunday afternoon.

By Ian King

Two sides looking up

Arsenal’s run of fine form in both the Champions League and the Premier League has continued unabated over the last seven days. Last Saturday they overcame one of the more bizarre refereeing decisions of the season to win 1-0 at Wolves, and during the week they came from a goal down to beat Girona in the Champions League. They’re unbeaten in twelve Premier League matches and finished third out of 36 in the Champions League megagroup.

Are Manchester City BACK? Recent results would seem to indicate that they are. They’ve won four out of their last five in the Premier League, and got through against Brugge in the Champions League, albeit after a little bit of a scare. It’s probably too late for City to catch Liverpool at the top of the table, but a late run for second place is starting to take on that sheen of inevitability that always seems to come when they start winning matches relentlessly.

Title contenders in recent years

Arsenal’s form in this fixture has been much improved over the last couple of seasons. They’re unbeaten in their last four meetings, although three of those did end in a draw. But City don’t have to look back much further than this for consolation. Prior to the 2023 Community Shield, they’d won 15 of the previous 16 meetings between the two sides in all competitions.

Key players

Where Arsenal have dropped points of late, against both Brighton and Aston Villa, it’s been because of sloppiness having got themselves into a comfortable winning position. As such, the return of William Saliba to their first eleven would be a big boost to Mikel Arteta. For Manchester City, Kevin De Bruyne is exactly the sort of creative outlet that Pep Guardiola needs in midfield to unlock the Premier League’s joint-stingiest defence.

Team News

Saliba’s return is welcome news for Arteta, but Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus remain on the sidelines. For Manchester City, Omar Marmoush may return to the first eleven after having missed their Champions League game because he wasn’t registered to play in that competition, while Rico Lewis may step in at left-back. John Stones played against Brugge, but Abdukodir Khusanov may be preferred for this one.

Prediction

It remains the case that it will take something most unexpected for Liverpool to be knocked off the top of this year’s Premier League table, but that doesn’t mean that there’s nothing to play for at The Emirates. Arsenal need to keep going, whether Liverpool have a slip or not. Manchester City, meanwhile, have a point to prove having recovered from a slump that’s already starting to feel like a bit of a fever dream to all who witnessed it. There’s little between these two teams and they’re both playing well. I’ll go for the 2-2, but this particular match feels…unpredictable.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Feb

2025

Preview: Man United vs. Palace and the battle of the back threes

Perhaps tough love was what Manchester United needed all along, who knew? Well, that and a head coach capable of a solid tactical setup. Do they finally have both in place?

By Karl Matchett

Battle of the back threes

Not a regular occurrence in the Premier League these days, but this fixture will see two managers go head-to-head who are wedded to a tactical ideal which stems from playing a three-man defence. For Rúben Amorim, he has been super clear: United hired me to play this way so the players better get on board and show they can do so. A lot of moving parts still have to be sorted out and no doubt new signings will still change a lot of the XI by the time August rolls around, but it’s still clear to see that the foundations are being put in place for what Amorim believes will work long term.

Oliver Glasner has had a few extra months to put those foundations in place in similar fashion, and after a terrible start this term, seems to have rediscovered the formula to get his team moving up the table. Palace can look sensational in attack in short bursts, and if the ability of Michael Olise has been sorely missed this term, the boss will also point to injuries down the spine of the team which has hampered consistency and progression at times.

These teams rank 10th and 13th for xG, 14th and 16th for goals actually scored. They might both be slightly better than the league table shows right now, but only one has the expectation and pressure which rightly comes with the outrageous expenditure they’ve made.

Recent form

Five wins in the last six for United, but in league terms it’s still just two wins from seven, so starting to find consistency is of paramount importance if Amorim wants this period to be more than two steps forward, one and a half steps back. Palace had won four and drawn two of their last six before defeat to Brentford last time out – and they’ve not lost away in the Premier League since late October.

Team news

The names are familiar for Manchester United who’ll be missing in action: Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Jonny Evans. For Palace it’s still the midfield pivot pairing of Adam Wharton and Cheick Doucouré who are the big absentees, with Joel Ward, Franca and Chadi Riad all sidelined too – the latter is out for the whole season.

Key player

It seems obvious and boring to pick out Bruno Fernandes but…it’s Bruno Fernandes. He’s still United’s chief lock-unpicker, most likely to take a half-chance and has the best movement in tight matches. Palace rank ninth for lowest xG conceded, while United are ninth-lowest for shots on target. They’re fifth-worst for shot conversion too, with Palace even lower down that list. Fernandes – highest xG in the team, highest key passes, most big chances created, top of the league in his role for long passes per 90 – is the one who can find or force a breakthrough.

Prediction

Only a goal in it either way…so we’re just about leaning towards a home win: United 1 Palace 0.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Feb

2025

Preview: Barcelona playing catch up vs. Alaves in LaLiga

The form book suggests Sunday’s meeting between Barcelona and Alavés could be one-sided as Hansi Flick’s side hit their stride again.

By Graham Ruthven

No margin for error

The gap between Barcelona and Real Madrid at the top of LaLiga could stand at 10 points by the time Hansi Flick’s team kick off against Alavés on Sunday afternoon.

Real Madrid will have faced Espanyol the night before with the table-toppers firm favourites to extend their winning run to six games. This would pile the pressure on Barca to match the pace of their fiercest rivals.

Since dropping points away to Getafe two weeks ago, Barcelona have scored 12 goals in wins over Benfica and Valencia, also drawing 2-2 against Atalanta when their place in the Champions League top eight was already secured.

Barcelona’s chances of catching Real Madrid depend on whether their defence can hold out. Flick’s high defensive line has given countless opponents space to attack in behind this season, making Barca vulnerable.

It might only be February, but Barcelona have no margin for error in the title race. Sunday’s home match against Alavés at Montjuïc is a must win.

Alavés, on the other hand, are on a run of just one win in their last nine matches, but did claim three points in their last away outing against Real Betis. Eduardo Coudet will hope that result can give his team confidence to upset the odds in Catalonia.

Key players

Anyone who has watched Barcelona this season will be well aware of the players who pose an attacking threat to every opposition team they come up against.

Lamine Yamal is the Catalans’ creative hub, registering 15 goal involvements in just 18 league appearances this season. The teenager found the net against Atalanta on Wednesday and is a danger cutting inside off the right wing.

Robert Lewandowski gives Barcelona cutting edge in front of goal while Raphinha is in the form of his life this season. Indeed, only Lewandowski and Kylian Mbappé have scored more league goals than the Brazilian winger this season.

Kike García will be Alavés’ primary goal threat with the veteran centre forward expected to lead the line for the visitors on Sunday. Carlos Vicente, who has three league assists this season, will provide support from the wings.

Realistically, though, Alavés will need fill-in goalkeeper Jesús Owono to be in top form if they are to stand any chance of earning a result at Montjuïc with centre back Abdel Abqar also sure to be under pressure.

Team news

Marc-André ter Stegen, Andreas Christensen, Iñigo Martínez and Marc Bernal are all long-term absentees for Barcelona with Dani Olmo also expected to miss Sunday’s match against Alavés.

Flick could rotate his starting lineup after fielding a full strength team against Atalanta in the Champions League during the week with Fermín López and Ferran Torres two players who could come into the side.

Goalkeeper Antonio Sivera will be sidelined for Alavés as they travel to Montjuïc this weekend. Central midfielder Joan Jordan is another player who will miss out for the visitors through injury.

Prediction

All the signs suggest that this is going to be another high scoring win for Hansi Flick’s side but, as always, it’s hard to say that Barca will keep a clean sheet: Barcelona 4-1 Alavés.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Feb

2025

Preview: Madrid travel to Espanyol on Saturday night

Struggling Espanyol host Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid on Saturday with both teams in need of points for different reasons.

By Graham Ruthven

It’s happening again

We’ve been here before. How many times have Real Madrid slogged through the first half of a season before finding top gear in the new year? On the basis of their recent form, Los Blancos are repeating their favourite trick.

Carlo Ancelotti’s team will arrive in Barcelona to take on Espanyol this weekend on the back of five straight wins in all competitions. Since losing to Barca in the Spanish Supercopa, Real Madrid have scored 20 goals, averaging four goals a game.

Sitting four points clear at the top of LaLiga, Saturday’s match is an opportunity for Real Madrid to put further distance between themselves and Barcelona who don’t face Alavés until Sunday afternoon. By then, the gap between the rivals could be 10 points.

While Espanyol are scrapping against the threat of relegation, Manolo’s team have lost just one of their last six matches. They’ve also won just once over this stretch, but Los Periquitos have become harder to beat in recent weeks.

Nonetheless, Real Madrid will present a different sort of test. This is a match that could have significant bearing on the top and bottom of the table.

Key players

Javi Puado could pose the biggest goal threat for Espanyol against the LaLiga table-toppers with veteran defender Leandro Cabrera charged with stopping Real Madrid in the other direction.

Carlos Romero is a key outlet down the left side, although the 23-year-old could be forced into the left back position due to the injury to Brian Oliván. This could have an impact on Espanyol’s ability to get out from the back.

Concerns over Kylian Mbappé’s place in the Real Madrid forward line have well and truly faded away. The Frenchman has scored eight goals in his last six games in all competitions including a hat-trick in last week’s comfortable away win over Real Valladolid. This is now Mbappé’s team.

Rodrygo has similarly been in excellent form of late, registering seven goal involvements in his last four outings. The Brazilian has been playing on the left side and so he will likely be shifted to the right wing now that Vinícius Júnior is back from suspension.

Jude Bellingham is thriving in the free role he has been given by Ancelotti with the England international back to his box-crashing best, scoring in the mid-week Champions League win over Brest.

Team news

José Gragera and Salvi Sanchez will miss out through injury for Espanyol this weekend while Oliván is a doubt after being forced off against Sevilla in the Catalans’ last league outing.

Roberto Fernández could be in line for a debut after joining on loan from Braga in the transfer window.

Vinícius will make his return from suspension after missing the last two LaLiga matches following his red card against Valencia at the start of January.

David Alaba is still working his way back to full fitness after missing 13 months of action through injury while Éder Militão remains a long-term absentee. Dani Ceballos is also expected to be sidelined for this weekend’s trip to Catalonia.

Prediction

Espanyol are becoming harder to beat but once Madrid get going on a run like the one they are currently on, Ancelotti’s side are near-impossible to stop: Espanyol 0-2 Real Madrid.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Feb

2025

Preview: In form Bournemouth out to test leaders Liverpool

Bournemouth will host Liverpool in the Premier League at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday as two of the most in-form sides go head-to-head.

By Matt Smith

The Cherries could find themselves venturing into the top four with a victory, while Arne Slot’s men will be hoping to extend their lead at the top.

When the two teams met earlier in the season, Liverpool secured a comfortable 3-0 win at Anfield, with Luis Díaz scoring a brace and Darwin Núñez grabbing the other.

Sinisterra could return for the Cherries

Andoni Iraola has been forced to deal with a host of injury troubles this season, and the Cherries still have a significant number of players on the treatment table.

The Bournemouth boss did confirm that there are no new injury concerns heading into the game against Liverpool, and Luis Sinisterra could be back in contention. After recovering from a hamstring injury, Iraola said he needs to be ‘assessed again’ before they make a decision as to whether he will be available.

Kluivert untouchable for Bournemouth

Justin Kluivert hasn’t always been a guaranteed starter since arriving at Bournemouth, but he’s beginning to flourish under Iraola this season. In the last four games, the Dutch attacker has provided nine goals and assists combined, helping the Cherries score 16 goals during that time.

The 25-year-old is arguably in the form of his life – something we covered here – so Liverpool will have a task on their hands keeping him quiet. The former Roma forward has often been deployed in wide areas during his career, but Iraola is getting the best out of him in an attacking midfield role.

Slot receives triple boost

Arne Slot confirmed in his press conference ahead of the trip to Bournemouth that Diogo Jota, Darwin Núñez, and Joe Gomez all trained on Friday.

The Reds were able to rest a host of players against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League during the week, allowing some of their more senior players plenty of recovery time.

Gakpo red hot for Slot’s side

Naturally, Mohamed Salah is the danger man for Liverpool and takes the majority of the plaudits, but Cody Gakpo’s form of late has been seriously impressive. The Dutch attacker is starting to make the left forward position his own in Slot’s system.

Against Ipswich last time out in the Premier League, Gakpo found the back of the net twice while also providing an assist. The 25-year-old is providing a real threat off the left for the Reds, cutting inside on his right foot regularly. That’s where a couple of his goals this season have come from, while he’s also proving to be a danger in the air.

Prediction

Liverpool haven’t lost away from home this season, but Bournemouth have won six of their 11 games at the Vitality Stadium. Both sides are unbeaten in their last five league games and have accumulated the same number of points. We’re going to go for a 1-1 draw in this one.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Jan

2025

Antonio Conte has revitalised Napoli and the hunt for the Scudetto is on

Antonio Conte inherited a mess as Napoli manager, but has since transformed the Partenopei who are genuine Scudetto challengers once again.

By Graham Ruthven

Napoli’s season hardly could’ve got off to a worse start. An opening day defeat to Verona reflected a chaotic summer that culminated with a public plea by Antonio Conte for new signings. Piotr Zielinski had left the club. Victor Osimhen was on his way out. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia would follow him six months later. Many Napoli fans were braced for a difficult campaign.

Instead, Conte has moulded Napoli in his own image. They are sitting top of the Serie A table having won their last seven league games in-a-row with the recent victories over Atalanta and Juventus a sign of how formidable a force Conte’s side have become. The turnaround from the start of the season has been remarkable.

Of course, Napoli’s success isn’t surprising in the context of Conte’s managerial career. He is the greatest Italian coach of his generation having won titles in Italy and England. The 55-year-old is a natural born winner with an unwavering strength of character that makes him a formidable force of nature in the dugout.

Even accounting for this, though, what Conte is doing right now at Napoli is unprecedented. He had better squads at Juventus, Inter and Chelsea. He had never before taken over a club in such a damaged condition. All things considered, winning the Scudetto with Napoli this season would be the greatest triumph of Conte’s career to date.

Conte had to tactically rebuild Napoli from the ground up. Under Luciano Spalletti, they had played a high-energy, high-intensity game that made Napoli one of the most entertaining teams anywhere in Europe, but ultimately wore them out. The drop off was evident last season as the defending champions finished a lowly 10th.

Handed a group of players in desperate need of revitalisation, Conte focused most of all on his midfield. This is the engine room of any Conte team and it would be the same for Napoli. Scott McTominay was signed from Manchester United with Billy Gilmour also brought in from Brighton for depth.

Moving away from the back three for the first time in his managerial career, Conte established André-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Stanislav Lobotka and McTominay as his starting trio in the centre of the pitch with Anguissa and McTominay given the freedom to get forward, leaving Lobotka as the anchor.

This set-up was clear in the way Napoli attacked Atalanta in a season-defining win over the Bergamo outfit two weeks ago when McTominay found the back of the net from a box-crashing run and Anguissa recorded two assists. The two free number eights have been central to Napoli’s resurgence this season.

Romelu Lukaku has also become a central pillar of Conte’s team, silencing those who believed the Belgian striker was washed up after a difficult period at Roma. He has registered a goal involvement in his each of his last four league appearances with Lukaku once again the focal point of a Conte team targeting trophies.

In some ways, Conte has changed his ways to point Napoli in the right direction again. There wouldn’t have been a role for a player like McTominay in his previous title-winning teams. As already referenced, he has abandoned the back three shape that had worked so well for him in the past. There are no wing backs as such in this Napoli side, although Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Mathías Olivera are still expected to get forward.

At the same time, though, Conte has instilled so many of the same principles that turned Chelsea, Inter and Juventus into frontrunners. Conte’s players don’t just play for him, they fight for him. When Matteo Politano won a throw-in to wind down the clock late on against Atalanta, he celebrated like he’d scored a goal. This was after Giovanni Simeone made a tackle on the floor with his head.

“We must never extinguish the enthusiasm because it’s our lifeblood,” said Conte when asked about the spirit that has grown within his team over the course of the season so far. “However, we must stay grounded because what we’ve done so far is extraordinary. It’s nice to see that, despite the difficulties with the [transfer] market and injuries, nothing changes.”

There’s a long way to go for Napoli to win their second Serie A title in three seasons. Inter still have a game in-hand that could take them to the top of the table. The Nerazzurri’s superior depth might give them the edge down the final stretch of the title race. Having already matched their points tally from last season, though, Napoli could achieve something special, even by Conte’s standards.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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