Tottenham host Borussia Dortmund in their seventh game of the Champions League group phase, with Thomas Frank desperately attempting to turn things around to try and save his job.
The two sides sit on the same number of points heading into this one, and they face each other for the first time since 2019, when Spurs secured a 1-0 victory away from home in the Champions League.
Team news
Spurs are set to be without a host of players for this one, with Frank recently confirming that João Palhinha is the latest to join the lengthy injury list. Micky van de Ven also misses out due to suspension, while Mohammed Kudus, Rodrigo Bentancur, and Pape Sarr are among those also sitting on the treatment table.
As for Dortmund, Marcel Sabitzer should be the only injury concern for the away side, with the midfielder not set to return until next month.
Tottenham struggling in attack in Europe
Spurs have struggled to create in the Champions League so far this season, which is not too dissimilar to their Premier League form. The north London outfit have created just 10.7 expected goals, ranking them in 17th place in the competition.
Although their last game in the competition saw them win convincingly 3-0 against Slavia Prague, the result on paper lacks plenty of context. Two of Tottenham’s goals came from the penalty spot, while the other was an own goal by Slavia Prague defender David Zima. Frank’s side will have to step it up against stronger opposition this week.
Dortmund free-flowing in attack
On the flip side to Tottenham, Dortmund have looked lethal in the final third in the Champions League this campaign. The German outfit have scored 3.2 goals per game on average, with no side managing more this season.
The defensive side of their game has let them down, conceding 2.2 goals per game, ranking them 26th in the league phase. Their last victory on the road against Spurs came all the way back in 2016, beating them 2-1 in the Europa League.
Solanke’s time to shine
Spurs have recently been boosted by the return of Dominic Solanke this month, and with Richarlison out injured, he could have a strong chance of leading the line. The English forward is yet to feature in the Champions League this term, but the game against Dortmund could be an opportunity to kickstart his campaign.
Solanke’s season summary since joining Spurs
In the Europa League last season, Solanke contributed with nine goals and assists in just eight starts as Spurs went on to lift the trophy. Whether he can replicate that in Europe’s elite club competition, remains to be seen.
Prediction
Tottenham’s home form has been their Achilles heel this season, giving Dortmund a real opportunity to come away with the three points. We’re going for a narrow 1-0 victory to the Bundesliga side.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Two of the Champions League’s top six meet in the penultimate gameweek – yet there’s still a lot of jeopardy around Inter Milan in particular to reach the last 16.
With six wins from six it’s a perfect scenario for Arsenal to resume their European campaign from, but they’ll know from this time last year – domestic rivals Liverpool having a perfect run before going out in the last 16 – that it’s far from conclusive over potential glory come May. Even so they head to Milan with some security in their pocket, which is more than can be said for their hosts.
Two-game turnaround
Inter look well-placed on the face of things. Sixth in the table, ahead of the likes of Real Madrid and Liverpool on goal difference…but it’s far from outrageous to suggest last year’s beaten finalists might take nothing at all from their final two games. They’ve already been beaten by Liverpool on home soil, so Arsenal could feasibly do the same; fast forward to the final round of fixtures and Inter are away to Borussia Dortmund, just one point further back in the table and who have only lost once at home all season.
As such, 12 points now is nowhere near enough to guarantee passage to the last-16, and was in fact only just about enough to manage top 24 last year (11). It’s imperative they find something from this clash then, if only to settle qualification nerves.
Free hit
By contrast, there’s no real pressure on Arsenal to go all-in on keeping up the 100 per cent record. Home to bottom club Kairat in the last match, the Gunners are already all-but-assured of finishing first in the league stage barring any shocks. It might, therefore, be a game Mikel Arteta opts to rotate a little as they battle on four fronts – especially given the senior depth available in some positions.
Recent form
Ignoring a penalty shootout defeat which was a draw in normal time, Inter are unbeaten in eight in all competitions since losing to Liverpool in early December. It’s 11 since Arsenal lost to Aston Villa around the same time. The Italians have kept three clean sheets in their last four; the Gunners have failed to score twice in the same period.
Team news
Denzel Dumfries and Hakan Çalhanoğlu are the big absentees for the hosts, both missing until after the league phase is finished.
Arsenal will be without Piero Hincapié but otherwise have a big squad available to Arteta to choose from – Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus will both be hoping for a start in attack after injuries, given Viktor Gyökeres’ ongoing indifferent form.
Key players
Lautaro Martínez might be one of the few capable of unlocking either one of these notoriously tight defences; he has four goals in Europe this term placing him above 93% of forwards for non-penalty xG, and above 92% for shots on target.
Prediction
A hard-fought game which neither want to lose…and which neither will: Inter 1-1 Arsenal.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Manchester City can take a huge step to the Champions League knockout rounds if they win in North Norway on Tuesday – but they’ll have to mount a much-improved display from the weekend defeat in the Derby.
Pep Guardiola’s side were utterly railroaded by their local rivals in the Premier League on Saturday, physically and outmatched – not often an assessment laid at the doorstep of that team, under this manager. In the end, though, they were lucky it was only a 2-0 defeat and a big step up in application will be demanded by the manager – especially given the uncertainty around their opponents.
Fresh or frozen?
Bodø/Glimt have only failed to win four of their last 13 home games, holding Tottenham to a draw but losing to Juventus and Monaco in Europe this term. However, Guardiola will be wondering if they are undercooked or raring to go – the summer calendar means Norwegian teams are out of season right now, with Glimt having ended their 2025 campaign by finishing one point behind title winners Viking at the end of November. There has only been one further game since then in Europe, so they are without a competitive fixture in 40 days. The new league season doesn’t start until March, so fatigue certainly won’t be a problem to start – but might be to finish.
Mid-season stutter
The last time Man City beat a team in the Premier League placed higher than 17th was over a month ago. They have had decent cup wins since – Newcastle in an EFL semi-final and ten past minnows Exeter – but in league terms it’s four without a win, losing ground in the title race, and in Europe the shock home defeat to Bayer Leverkusen isn’t out of memory yet either. It’s a bad time for silverware hopefuls to be losing their consistency and cohesion, and while a spate of injury issues doesn’t help, they also have one of the best pools of talent to call upon anywhere in the continent – as well as adding Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guéhi for an £85m mid-season boost. It’s time to deliver.
Recent form
There has been no ‘recent’ competitive action for Glimt, as mentioned, but they need to pull off a win here to have a prayer of reaching the playoffs. They are 32nd with three points and no wins. City have won two of the last six but competitions are muddled right now. In Europe they are fourth and a win here will almost guarantee the last 16.
City have to get Erling Haaland firing again for any chance of success in this competition or domestically. He has scored one goal since 20 December, a full month ago. The competition’s worst defence by xG conceded (17.2) may help remedy that. Haaland has six goals in five starts in the Champions League.
Prediction
Nothing spectacular but City should get the job done: Bodø/Glimt 0-2 Man City.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Real Madrid’s fans let their under-fire players feel their disgruntlement by whistling them on to the pitch for Saturday’s 2-0 win over Levante. The hangover of Xabi Alonso’s controversial exit has yet to fully clear.
However, a second win in-a-row against Monaco on Tuesday would point Los Blancos in the right direction and hint that Álvaro Arbeloa is capable of leading them until the end of the season at least.
While it took Real Madrid until the second half to truly get going against Levante, Arbeloa’s selection of Gonzalo García alongside Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior in the forward line offered hope that he could find the right balance where Alonso failed.
Monaco arrive in the Spanish capital on a five-game unbeaten run in the Champions League, but still need points in their final two League Phase to secure their place in the next round.
Three points is all that divides the two teams ahead of Tuesday’s clash and with Real Madrid still vulnerable after the events of the last week or so Monaco have reason to believe they can cause an upset.
Key players
Amid the chaos of the last week or so, Mbappé is enjoying arguably the best individual campaign of his career, scoring an incredible 28 goals in just 24 games.
Vinícius has netted just once in his last 18 appearances, but is capable of producing something out of nothing on the left wing. Nobody is averaging more dribbles per match for Real Madrid this season than the Brazilian.
Folarin Balogun will be Monaco’s biggest attacking threat. The USA international has scored in each of his last three Champions League outings and has the pace and physicality to give Real Madrid a problem in behind their defensive line.
Balogun could start as part of a front two alongside Mika Biereth. Sébastien Pocognoli has favoured a 4-3-1-2 shape since taking over as Monaco manager in October, hinting at the attacking intent the Ligue 1 outfit could play with against Real Madrid.
Maghnes Akliouche has registered two assists in the Champions League this season and could get in between the lines to create on the ball for the away team.
Álvaro Carreras is also unavailable through injury while Brahim Díaz hasn’t returned from Africa Cup of Nations duty after missing a decisive penalty for Morocco in Sunday’s final.
Hopefully Madrid are over their shock exit in the Copa del Rey. They’ve won under Arbeloa already and they did so at an unhappy Bernabéu, so another result here will put them in good stead, especially with the title race seemingly back on once they get to league action next weekend: Real Madrid 2-1 Monaco.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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They had never won the coveted trophy before 2022, but the Lions of Teranga have made the final in three of the last four editions of the tournament, and are enjoying a golden age of Senegalese football.
The conclusion of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations was beyond unpredictable. Senegal emerged victorious after one of the most dramatic incidents in a major tournament final anywhere in the world, as Brahim Díaz waited over 15 minutes before attempting a panenka for his last-minute penalty, sending it right into the waiting arms of Édouard Mendy.
The controversy surrounding the referee’s call and Pape Thiaw’s decision to take his players off the pitch naturally dominated all headlines, unfortunately at the expense of what was an incredibly high-quality match up to that point. Either side would have been a worthy winner, but in the end, Senegal might feel even more vindicated for overcoming what they perceived to be a gross injustice.
Top stats and momentum chart from the Final
Either way, the Lions of Teranga put together an incredible tournament campaign, winning all but one match and conceding just twice en route to the title. This was no fluke; Senegal are now unbeaten in 30 competitive fixtures and have not lost an AFCON match since the 2019 final. They went on to win their first title in the subsequent edition, and only lost out on penalties in the Round of 16 in the Ivory Coast last time around.
This run should be made even more impressive by the fact that Senegal had never won a major international tournament prior to 2021, having only reached one AFCON final in the past. The Lions of Teranga have finally found the formula for sustained success, as they have expertly negotiated several factors to produce a winning machine.
Managing a generational shift
The key players of Senegal’s 2021 AFCON-winning squad — the likes of Sadio Mané, Idrissa Gana Gueye, Kalidou Koulibaly and Mendy — were all around 30 years old at the time. So, the fact that their teammates were also around the same age should have been a cause for concern, especially considering what happened to the country’s previous golden generation. The Lions of Teranga reached both the AFCON final and World Cup quarter-finals in 2002, but they would only reach the Cup of Nations knockouts twice more in the following 15 years, missing out entirely on the world’s biggest stage.
The class of 2022 crucially got their hands on the elusive major trophy at the second time of asking, but the next challenge was to sustain that success. Four years on, it seems they have managed to do just that, all while seamlessly enacting a generational shift. While the aforementioned quartet remained integral to their most recent title, the rest of the XI around them almost entirely changed. The likes of Pape Gueye, Ismaïla Sarr and Pape Matar Sarr grew from fringe squad members to key contributors in these four years, while others such as Krépin Diatta, Lamine Camara, Nicolas Jackson and Iliman Ndiaye have been added to the fold.
This trend looks set to continue as four of Sunday night’s starters were under 23 years old, while 17-year-old Ibrahim Mbaye became the youngest-ever player to take to the field and win an AFCON final. Senegal now always seem well prepared to usher in the next generation, thanks in no small part to the greater talent pool that is available to them.
Domestic development balanced with diaspora recruitment
Changes to FIFA regulations in recent years have opened up greater possibilities for foreign-born footballers to represent different national teams to which they have familial or residential links. As a result, many teams have tapped into their diaspora to strengthen their squads and accelerate their rise up the rankings.
Morocco, as it turns out, are a great example of this kind of approach. The Atlas Lions have risen from 43rd in the 2020 FIFA rankings to a projected all-time high of 8th in this week’s forthcoming update. They have called up a number of foreign-born players of Moroccan heritage in the intervening years, most notably including AFCON 2025 top-scorer Brahim Díaz, who was a Spanish youth international and only accepted his first Moroccan call-up in 2024. In fact, seven of their starters in the final were born and raised in Europe.
Senegal’s recent FIFA ranking history
Senegal, for their part, had six French-born players in their XI including goalkeeper Mendy, three of the back four and game-winner Pape Gueye. However, some core members of the side had also been developed on home soil. The Lions of Teranga’s recent rise has been powered in no small part by the first generation of graduates from some of the country’s top academies, which were established in the early 2000s. Perhaps most notable among them is Génération Foot, the Dakar-based academy which entered a historic partnership with French club FC Metz in 2003.
Ismaïla Sarr, Lamine Camara and Pape Matar Sarr are some notable graduates who featured in Morocco, but the best player to have ever come through their ranks undoubtedly is Mané. The two-time AFCON champion and player of the tournament can surely now stake a claim to being the greatest footballer his country has ever produced, but his story might never have begun if not for Génération Foot. Born and raised in a village by the name of Bambali some 400 kilometres away from the capital, he eventually worked his way to the academy before moving on to Europe. The rest, as they say, is history.
Mané’s career history by club
Other academies have played their parts too. Diambars is quite well-known as it was founded in 2003 by Senegalese-born Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira. They can claim some credit for the success of Idrissa Gana Gueye, the Lions of Teranga’s all-time record appearance-maker. Young left back El Hadji Malick Diouf, who locked down Mohamed Salah and Díaz in the last two matches, developed through two academies in Dakar before making his way to the English Premier League via Norway and Czechia.
Consistency and tactical solidity
Besides setting up for success right from the grassroots level, Senegal have crucially also ensured that their main team is well run. Unlike most of their rivals on the continent, they have resisted the temptation to chop and change coaches after almost every major tournament and instead reaped rewards for backing long-term strategies.
Aliou Cissé, the Lions of Teranga’s captain at the 2002 World Cup, was the chief architect behind their recent rise as he coached the side for almost a decade from 2015 onwards. He was eventually replaced by Pape Thiaw, who was effectively promoted after a couple of years in charge of Senegal’s all-African-based second team.
Not a lot changed on the pitch as Thiaw preserved a largely similar tactical setup that emphasised possession and control, maintaining consistent roles for key players like Mané. While he has sometimes been criticised for being a bit too conservative with his selections, he can easily point to the results to justify his decisions.
Having stolen Morocco’s thunder in Rabat, Senegal’s next goal might be to emulate or even better their Atlasian brothers’ success on the world stage. They have been drawn into what is being regarded as the group of death at the World Cup alongside France and Norway, but the Lions of Teranga have no reason to fear anyone who stands in their way.
(Images via IMAGO)
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Barcelona and Real Madrid have had contrasting weeks. While Los Blancos sacked Xabi Alonso after losing the Spanish Super Cup, also losing to Albacete in the Copa del Rey to add to the chaos, Barca extended their best run of the season.
Victory over Racing Santander on Thursday was Barcelona’s ninth win in-a-row in all competitions. A win away to Real Sociedad would extend that streak to 10 games.
Hansi Flick’s team got the better of La Real in late-September, but lost the last time they visited the Anoeta last season. Nonetheless, Barcelona are in strong form and can tighten their grip at the top of LaLiga.
Recent H2H results
Real Sociedad, on the other hand, are attempting to build some momentum under new manager Pellegrino Matarazzo. The American claimed his first win over Getafe last week, but victory over Barca would make a real statement.
Key players
No Real Sociedad player has scored more league goals this season than Mikel Oyarzabal. The Spanish international has been deployed as a mobile forward by Matarazzo and will have space to exploit in behind Barca’s high line.
Brais Méndez found the back of the net in La Real’s win over Getafe, highlighting him as a potential threat against the league leaders, with Take Kubo a natural creator. Indeed, the Japanese international is averaging 2.1 dribbles per 90 minutes.
Gonçalo Guedes will give Real Sociedad some vertical threat. The Portuguese international recently scored against Atlético Madrid and could cause Barca problems in the final third.
Barca’s starting XI in the Supercopa Final
Barcelona boast one of the most fearsome frontlines in European football and so La Real must be wary of several threats, including Lamine Yamal who scored against Racing in the Copa del Rey on Thursday.
Robert Lewandowski could return to the lineup after being rested in the Copa while Raphinha is another who might come back into the team. This would result in Marcus Rashford being benched.
Flick could re-use the midfield trio of Frenkie De Jong, Fermín López and Pedri that pushed Barcelona to victory over Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final.
At the back, Joan García has enjoyed an impactful return from injury. The 24-year-old was outstanding in the recent win over Espanyol and is earning himself a reputation as one of the best goalkeepers in the world right now.
Team news
Yangel Herrera is an injury doubt for Real Sociedad ahead of this weekend’s clash against the league leaders with Iñaki Rupérez another player who could miss out for La Real.
Gavi remains sidelined for Barcelona with a long-term injury while Andreas Christensen is also expected to miss out for the visitors to the Anoeta.
Otherwise, Flick has a fully fit squad to choose from. The German coach could rotate in a number of areas due to the intense recent schedule Barcelona have faced, but the Catalans have options.
Prediction
Matarazzo is unbeaten since taking over at Real Sociedad in December but this, against a Barca side currently riding a massive high after their triumph in the Super Cup, is by far his biggest test to date. Therefore, we’ll go with an away win: Real Sociedad 1-2 Barcelona
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Forest’s recent home record against the stretched Gunners offers a glimmer of hope
Nottingham Forest experienced a rollercoaster of a week heading into last weekend, with Sean Dyche‘s squad securing a hugely important victory against West Ham to stay seven points above the Premier League’s relegation zone before suffering a Hollywood-style defeat to Wrexham and an early exit from the FA Cup. The furious Dyche labelled the team’s performance “unacceptable to the badge.”
Forest sit 17th in the table but continue to underperform their xG (the underlying numbers suggest they could be as high as 12th in the xG table), and an immediate reaction is both requested and expected by the fans against what could be a game-weary Gunners side at the City Ground.
The leaders continue the hunt for a long-coveted quadruple and with Arsenal’s busy fixture list culminating over the next few days, Mikel Arteta is making use of his full squad to remain in contention on all fronts. The set-piece specialists defeated Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final during the week, but given the Gunners’ recent record (2L, 1D, 1W) at the City Ground in recent years, the Spaniard will be wary of the threat that Forest pose despite their current league position.
Key players
Elliot Anderson earned a deserved rest after recording an assist against West Ham, but the Englishman’s presence was sorely missed in midfield against Wrexham and the coaching staff will have to think twice next time before resting Forest’s highest-rated (7.39) player this season. The 23-year-old has started each and every match of the Premier League campaign and his dominance in more than a few stats speaks of a complete midfielder. The energetic No. 8 is leading the squad in terms of assists (2), accurate passes per 90 (58.6)and chances created (31), displaying his all-round ability.
Anderson’s player traits comparison
With Viktor Gyökeres still finding his feet and adjusting to the Premier League, Leandro Trossard is Arsenal’s unsung hero this season and the tricky Belgian is the squad’s joint-top scorer (5) and assist maker (4) in the top flight. Despite the rich competition in the Gunners’ attacking line, the experienced forward is proving his worth to Mikel Arteta season after season, and it is not a coincidence to see him earn a FotMob rating of 7.26 so far, which is his highest rating during his time in the Premier League.
The City Ground not as tough a place to go as it usually is this season, as Forest only have the 16th best home record in England’s top flight. With Arsenal the best travellers, we’re expecting another low scoring away with for the Londoners.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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The current best side in West London travel to Stamford Bridge on Saturday as the race for the European spots really heat up. Is everyone really bad, or are they really good? This season has been weird.
Three games into his tenure and this will be Liam Rosenior’s first Premier League game as Chelsea manager. We can’t really judge just yet, but he seems to be cut from the same cloth as Mikel Arteta, in the sense that they would both do really well on LinkedIn.
Keith Andrews, on the other hand, has proven a lot of people wrong. Brentford currently sit in fifth and are well and truly in that European football race. Perhaps Thomas Frank was holding them back after all!?
Can anyone stop Igor Thiago?
The big, bearded Brazilian has been so good this season he’s even got Erling Haaland quaking in his boots. 16 goals in his 21 Premier League games, five of which have come in Brentford’s last two, Thiago is in the form of his life.
He’s one of those strikers that doesn’t really do much other than score goals, but in the words of Roy Keane, “that’s his job.” In the 3-0 win over Sunderland, he had 14 touches in the opposition box, so his teammates clearly have faith that he can bring home the goods.
In his first couple of games, it’s clear that Rosenior wants to emphasise playing out of the back at Chelsea, something Enzo Maresca recognised may not be the wisest move during his final year at the club. Thiago’s 16 goals have come from an xG of 12.57, so he’s clinical enough to make them pay.
Thiago’s shot map in the Premier League this season
Returning to his old ways
Over the past year or so, Robert Sánchez has been a remarkably reliable goalkeeper for Chelsea, keeping them in games at times as Maresca played to his strengths. In the midweek 3-2 defeat to Arsenal, it looked like he had reverted back to his old ways.
Sánchez was caught in no man’s land for Arsenal’s first goal, something that simply cannot happen when trying to defend one of their infamous corners. He then failed to get his hands on Bukayo Saka’s low cross, allowing Viktor Gyökeres to score a rare goal.
There are certain player at Chelsea that will be hit by Maresca’s sacking and Rosenior’s appointment harder than others. Rosenior uses his goalkeepers in a unique way, requiring them to heavily participate in build-up. Whether that got into Sánchez’s head or not, we don’t know, but he needs to get used to it.
Team news
Rosenior confirmed that an illness has swept through his Chelsea side, hence why Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens didn’t feature in the defeat to Arsenal. It’s unlikely they’ll be risked against Brentford either.
The manager has confirmed that Reece James (hip) and Cole Palmer (thigh) are set to return after their little setbacks, although it remains to be seen whether they would be able to start. Malo Gusto (unspecified) could also make his comeback.
Levi Colwill (ACL) and Roméo Lavia (thigh) are both out with no sign of them coming back any time soon. We’re starting to question whether Lavia even exists at this point.
Dango Ouattara has returned from AFCON duty with Burkina Faso and is available for selection. Frank Onyeka will return shortly after Nigeria were knocked out by Morocco, but this game is too soon.
Prediction
Chelsea don’t have a great recent record against Brentford, in fact they’ve won just one of their last five meetings. So, we’re going with a 1-1 draw.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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It’s all happening at Real Madrid, isn’t it? First of all, Xabi Alonso is sacked as manager following a poor run of form, with Los Blancos drafting in Álvaro Arbeloa from the Castilla to take over.
A snap decision by Florentino Pérez no doubt, with the President looking to echo Barcelona’s success under Pep Guardiola, who was promoted to the senior side after a year with the B team.
Things got off to a horrendous start for Arbeloa, however, as Madrid suffered a shock defeat in the Copa del Rey to Albacete – a team sitting 17th in the Segunda division.
Can Álvaro Arbeloa succeed at Real Madrid?
Alonso was appointed as a systems coach. A coach who had endured plenty of success at Bayer Leverkusen utilising a 3-4-3 system that brought the club a historic Bundesliga/German Cup double in 2023/24.
At Madrid, though, Alonso not only had to get his tactical philosophy across to the players, he had to manage a bunch of egos as well.
There were rumours of a falling out between the Spaniard and Vinícius Júnior in October last year, while the likes of Jude Bellingham and Federico Valverde have reportedly had run-ins with the manager.
As such, Arbeloa will be hoping to get the players onside immediately, although the midweek cup defeat has put a spanner in the works.
A victory over Levante would narrow the gap at the top of table between Real Madrid and rivals Barcelona to just a single point, until Barcelona play on Sunday that is.
Levante need to improve to avoid relegation
A trip to the Bernabéu is the last thing the club needs, especially as they remain four points adrift of safety in LaLiga.
Levante have only beaten Girona, Real Oviedo and Sevilla in the league this season, although the latter result came at the start of the month and offers plenty of hope they can retain their top flight status.
In September, they suffered a 4-1 defeat to Madrid and in order to avoid a repeat, they will be counting on forwards Karl Etta Eyong and Iván Romero – five and four goals respectively this term – to perform.
Brahim Díaz is still away on international duty with Morocco, as he bids to help his nation win the Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday.
For Levante, Roger Brugué, Unai Elgezabal and Victor García are the only absentees for this vital league clash at the Bernabéu as the visitors look to be in good health.
Prediction
While Arbeloa may have gotten off to a dismal start at Madrid, a win over Levante will apply the pressure back on to Barcelona ahead of their clash on Sunday.
As such, expect Los Blancos to come out firing against Levante on Saturday afternoon and seal their first league win since January 4.
Real Madrid 3-0 Levante.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow all the games from LaLiga on FotMob in the 2025/26 season – with in-depth stat coverage, including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.
Neither Spurs nor West Ham arrive for this match in a terribly good condition
It’s fair to say that neither Spurs nor West Ham United arrive at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for Saturday afternoon’s showdown in a particularly good condition. Spurs were dumped out of the FA Cup by Aston Villa last weekend and have now been rocked by the news that director of football Fabio Paratici will be leaving the club at the end of the January transfer window, while injuries are continuing to mount up.
West Ham United did manage to squeeze past Queens Park Rangers after extra-time in the Cup last weekend, but they haven’t won in the Premier League since the 8th November and their last league outing resulted in a 2-1 home defeat in a relegation six-pointer against Nottingham Forest and a seven-point gap opening up between them and Premier League safety.
Spurs have the edge in recent meetings between the two teams
This can be a difficult fixture to predict, though West Ham’s recent form in it hasn’t been great. Last season, Spurs won the corresponding fixture at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, while Spurs won 3-0 at The London Stadium earlier this season. West Ham beat Spurs 2-1 at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in December 2023, but this was their only win in their last nine meetings in all competitions.
Conor Gallagher’s Tottenham arrival gives them some cause for cheer, but West Ham could be set to lose one of their most accomplished players
There hasn’t been much to cheer about for Spurs fans recently, but the £35 million arrival of Conor Gallagher from Atlético Madrid last week did give them some cause for optimism. The former Chelsea midfielder has been in Madrid for the last two seasons, and his return to London gives his new club the sort of combative all-round midfielder that they’ve been missing for much of this season.
Gallagher’s player traits comparison
As one player arrives at Spurs, another could soon be leaving West Ham. There have been rumours that Lucas Paquetá could be set to leave the club for Chelsea, even though the player had previously been reported to be wanting to return to Brazil, such was his unhappiness at the way he perceived himself to have been treated over spot-fixing allegations, even though he was cleared of the charges in July 2025.
West Ham don’t want to sell him, but it does seem increasingly likely that he’ll be on his way before the end of this month, and if he is open to going to Stamford Bridge, a goal in this particular match would be the perfect way to intensify interest from elsewhere, or perhaps even sign off.
The Spurs injury crisis has deepened still further, but West Ham could also be missing key players
Spurs’ injury woes are continuing to get worse, with Richarlison limping off against Aston Villa in the FA Cup with a hamstring injury for which there is not yet a return date. Also suffering with his hamstring is Rodrigo Bentancur, who will now be missing for much of the remainder of the season. Destiny Udogie and Lucas Bergvall could return – Udogie hasn’t played since the start of December, while Bergvall missed the Villa match after picking up an knock in their previous outing against Bournemouth – but neither are confirmed.
James Maddison, Mohammed Kudus and Dejan Kulusevski remain long-term absentees. Yves Bissouma returns from AFCON duties with Mali – where he was sent off as they were knocked out by Senegal – but might not be with the club for that much longer. Pape Sarr, however, will not be back in time after Senegal beat Egypt in the semi-finals of the competition.
In a similar vein for West Ham, Malick Diouf also remains with Senegal, so will be missing this fixture for them. On the injury front, meanwhile, there has been confusion this week over whether Lucas Paquetá will be fit to play in this one – some reports have described his chances as “50-50” – but Mateus Fernandes could return after missing the QPR match as a result of an injury picked up in his last Premier League outing against Nottingham Forest.
Konstantinos Mavropanos was stretchered off against QPR and is almost certain to miss this one, too.
Spurs in this state versus West Ham in this state feels like a comedy of errors waiting to happen
At what point does push come to shove for the embattled Spurs head coach Thomas Frank? The Aston Villa match ended in another early cup elimination, with the thinnest possible silver line of them having played marginally better in the second half than they had in the first, and Spurs are still chasing their first win of 2026, despite having now played four games in all competitions this year.
West Ham have, broadly speaking, been terrible this season. Under normal circumstances, this should be a home banker of a win for the home side that even their comfortable win in Stratford earlier this season already feels like a distant memory. But they picked up a win – eventually – in the FA Cup against QPR and, while they have an injury list of their own and it’s nothing like that of their opponents, but their remains the suspicion that they could yet be on for a three-manager season through getting rid of Nuno Espírito Santo.
These are, then, two clubs with enormous structural problems which are manifesting on the pitch, and it’s possible that the losing manager will get the sack afterwards. Tension, therefore, will be high, and it’s difficult to imagine this match being anything but a skittish, accident-prone mess of a game in which, if there are to be winners, they get over the line as a result of a catastrophic mistake by their opponents. I’ll go for a 1-1 draw and for both clubs’ winters of discontent to continue.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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