Inter Miami return to MLS action fresh from a Messi-inspired win in the Champions Cup quarterfinals. They’ll be hoping for more of the same at the historic Soldier Field stadium in Chicago against the Fire on Sunday night.
Lionel Messi’s season so far has been sporadic due to injury, but the last two games suggest he is back to full fitness and back in his groove.
There was a moment in the previous league game against Toronto where he beat a defender in a small space near the byline before getting a shot away that was reminiscent of the Barcelona Messi.
He netted Miami’s only goal in that game and scored a wonderful goal in the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal on Wednesday to help his team back from two goals down on aggregate against Los Angeles FC. His penalty late in the game gave Miami a 3-2 win and a place in the semifinals.
Messi already tops FotMob’s MLS average rating chart for 2025 as well as leading the way on a per 90 basis for shots and shots on target, expected assists, xG plus xA, and successful dribbles.
Chicago reignited?
Chicago Fire have been in the doldrums for years, finishing outside the playoff places for 13 of the past 15 seasons.
During that time, they were handed the Wooden Spoon twice and last season finished 28th out of 29 teams.
The four-time US Open Cup winners will be hoping for a revival in 2025 under new head coach Gregg Berhalter.
The former United States men’s national team coach has taken on a dual role as head coach and sporting director, similar to that of an old-fashioned English-style manager who oversees both coaching and recruitment.
They have made a promising start to the season, and Inter Miami will have to watch out for the threat of striker Hugo Cuypers — who has the second-highest total xG in the league so far this season behind Christian Benteke — and fellow attackers Jonathan Bamba and Philip Zinckernagel.
Potential Miami slip-ups
Though they are the favourites to claim the MLS Supporters’ Shield trophy once again, Inter Miami won’t always look entirely convincing within games.
Even on their way to a record-breaking points haul in 2024, they lost four games and drew eight, and their expected goal difference last season placed them in the lower regions of mid-table.
There is always a sense that their defence can give up goals, and their wins are often decided by moments rather than sustained good play.
Anyone regularly predicting Inter Miami games (see below) might have expected the dropped points to come in recent games against Philadelphia, Atlanta, or Charlotte, but the fact that such a game and result played out against struggling Toronto FC shows the unpredictable nature of MLS.
Toronto could even have won that game, and Chicago Fire will take some heart from this going into this weekend.
Prediction
All of that said, you still have to go with an Inter Miami win in Chicago, though maybe more narrow than might normally have been predicted, given the Fire, like Miami, have scored at least one goal in each of their MLS games so far this season.
(Cover Image from IMAGO)
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Newcastle had some good news this week without even kicking a ball, with Arsenal’s win against Real Madrid guaranteeing five English qualifiers into next year’s Champions League. They’ve also won four in a row since getting knocked out of the FA Cup by Brighton last month.
News of Manchester United’s revival may have been slightly over-exaggerated. They’ve only lost one of their last five, but it remains the case that, of the four League wins they’ve managed in the 15 games played since their 2-1 win at Manchester City in the middle of December, three of them have come against those occupying the relegation places.
Newcastle aiming for a historic double
Newcastle have won three of the last four meetings between these two, including a 2-0 win at Old Trafford in December. A Newcastle win would complete their first League double against Manchester United since 1930/31, when they won 7-4 at Old Trafford and 4-3 at St James’ Park.
This season’s earlier meeting
Key players
Two Newcastle players will need to be on their best behaviour. Dan Burn and Joelinton must get through their next two Premier League games while avoiding yellow cards or face a two match suspension. The cut-off point for collecting 10 yellow cards and being served a two match ban falls after this match and their upcoming midweek game against Crystal Palace, next Wednesday.
From a Manchester United perspective, all eyes will be on goalkeeper André Onana following two pretty egregious goalkeeping mistakes which handed Lyon a 2-2 draw in their Europa League match. This sort of thing just keeps on happening, doesn’t it? On a more positive front, Leny Yoro scored his first goal for the club during this match; his performances in an otherwise struggling team have been one of the few standouts of their season so far.
Team News
Newcastle have two potential key absentees for this match. Joe Willock will definitely be out because of FA concussion protocols following a head injury towards the end of their recent match at Brentford, while it remains to be seen whether Anthony Gordon will be considered fit enough to play after picking up a groin injury on international duty for England. Sven Botman, Jamaal Lascelles and Lewis Hall will also be absent.
Manchester United’s injury problems are easing somewhat, with Kobbie Mainoo making a brief appearance against Lyon, though Matthijs de Ligt, Ayden Heaven and Toby Collyer will all be missing alongside Amad Diallo, who’s out for the rest of this season.
Prediction
It doesn’t take much to cast a dark cloud over Manchester United these days, and Onana’s antics in France on Thursday night have had precisely that effect. United’s mushiness in front of goal coupled with Newcastle’s fire power and need for points to maintain their Champions League chase indicates a comfortable home win. I’ll go for a 2-0 home win and no end to Manchester United’s 2024/25 purgatory of form.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Chelsea are limping towards Champions League qualification. They remain in touch with the top four but only by the grace of results going their way. It can only last so long, a win against Ipswich is much needed if they want to fulfil their ultimate ambitions.
Ipswich are all but relegated at this point, sitting 18th, 12 points off Wolves in 17th. It’ll be the second consecutive season all three promoted sides go right back down but only the third time it’s happened in Premier League history.
Still, they did manage to beat Chelsea in the reverse fixture and this is exactly the kind of game Enzo Maresca’s side have struggled in all season. Could a great escape be on!?
An audition for Liam Delap
Ipswich may well go down but it’s unlikely that Liam Delap will. The striker has been linked with almost every side in the Premier League but few more than Chelsea. The West London side have been in need of a striker for around three years. Delap may well fancy himself as the man to fill that spot.
With 12 Premier League goals, the only Chelsea player to have scored more is fellow Man City academy graduate Cole Palmer. He’s also in red-hot form, scoring in his last two league games.
Chelsea will be making moves in the summer, there is no doubt about that. Delap will have plenty of options but considering Palmer’s rise to prominence, a move to the capital may well be at the top of his list.
Some puzzling decisions from Enzo Maresca
It’s been an odd week for the Italian. He decided to rest Palmer and Nicolas Jackson for what was arguably the more important game against Brentford, only to go and do the same this for the 3-0 win over Legia Warsaw.
The fans are starting to get a little antsy. Maresca’s football isn’t exactly entertaining and some of his decisions are starting to confuse. There are only seven games of the Premier League campaign left, it would be in his best interests to field his best eleven for all of them.
Failure to qualify for the Champions League could well be the final nail in the coffin of Maresca’s relationship with the fans. It remains to be seen whether it would cost him his job, however.
Dara O’Shea is leading from the back
Speaking of players that could well stay in the Premier League even if Ipswich don’t, O’Shea has impressed this season. He was fantastic in the unfortunate 2-1 defeat to Wolves last time out, providing the assist for Delap’s goal as well as being solid at the back.
The Republic of Ireland international made ten clearances, including one off the line, two blocks, and four recoveries. Unfortunately, his hard work was undone by a little bit of magic from Pablo Sarabia and a goal from Jørgen Strand Larsen.
It’s been a tough season for defenders in newly-promoted sides. Being asked to play out from the back when they simply don’t have the facilities is a tall order. O’shea has acquitted himself well, however, and Ipswich would do well to keep him.
O’Shea player traits – comparison against similar players in big five leagues
Prediction
This one is probably a little harder to predict than it should be on paper. On one hand, Ipswich are destined to go down, on the other, Chelsea have failed to impress since the start of December. We’re going with a 1-0 Chelsea win.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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A lot has changed for Real Madrid in the past week. First, the home defeat to Valencia saw Carlo Ancelotti’s team lose ground in the Spanish title race. Three days later, the 3-0 loss to Arsenal hit Los Blancos’ chances of winning the Champions League hard.
Real Madrid could be under even more pressure by the time they kick off against Alavés on Sunday depending on Barcelona’s result against Leganés on Saturday. There could be a seven-point gap between the two rivals.
Madrid’s last five results
The Bernabéu outfit are on the brink of a full-blown crisis. Ancelotti is facing criticism with many now of the belief that the Italian will depart as Real Madrid manager at the end of the season. Another defeat would further deepen the malaise around the club.
Sitting just two points above the bottom three, Alavés are fighting the threat of relegation, but enter Sunday’s match on the back of an extremely valuable away win over Girona.
Alavés have lost just one of their last five league matches and will make themselves difficult to beat. There’s plenty at stake for both teams despite their contrasting positions in the table.
The fight to avoid the drop
Key players
Kylian Mbappé failed to make much of an impression in the loss to Arsenal, but the Frenchman has still notched 22 goals in LaLiga this season. He will be an obvious threat against Alavés, presuming he features.
Vinícius Júnior is struggling for his best form at the moment. The Brazilian missed a penalty in the home defeat to Valencia and is clearly low on confidence. Ancelotti might take the opportunity to play him back into form.
Brahim Díaz could be rotated into the lineup. The Morocco international has proved himself as a good depth over the course of the season and is the sort of cohesion player Real Madrid missed against Arsenal during the week.
Carlos Vicente scored the Alavés winner against Girona last weekend and will give the Basque hosts a threat down the right side. He could be key considering Real Madrid’s weakness in behind the full backs.
Kike García has netted 11 times in LaLiga this season and will lead the line for Alavés. If he can exploit the space in behind the Real Madrid backline as Valencia did, he could enjoy a fruitful afternoon.
Team news
Ancelotti will surely rotate his team for the match against Alavés to boost Real Madrid’s slim chances of a comeback against Arsenal next week.
Dani Ceballos, Dani Carvajal, Ferland Mendy and Éder Militão are all long-term absentees. Ancelotti faces a decision between Lucas Vázquez and Fede Valverde at right back while Brahim could start after playing just five minutes against Arsenal.
Antonio Sivera, Jon Guridi and Tomás Conechny will all miss the match at Mendizorrotza through suspension. Otherwise, Eduardo Coudet will have a full squad to choose from.
Prediction
In a way, this is a very similar match up to last weekend’s game for Madrid. Alavés are desperate for points in their bid to avoid the drop, just like Valencia, and will be motivated by seeing what Valencia managed to achieve at the Bernabéu. But surely Madrid can’t let that happened again? We’ll go with Alavés 0-2 Real Madrid.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Liverpool’s 26-match unbeaten run was ended by Fulham last weekend as the Cottagers claimed a 3-2 win over the champions elect at Craven Cottage. That result had been on the cards for a while for Arne Slot’s men.
The Reds are threatening to limp over the line to claim a 20th league title. They’ll want to put any lingering doubts to bed this weekend as they host West Ham United at Anfield.
Running out of steam?
Liverpool found themselves 3-1 down to Fulham at half-time on Sunday afternoon having taken an early lead courtesy of Alexis Mac Allister’s worldie.
The Reds looked sluggish and defensively fragile despite the back four only missing Trent Alexander-Arnold. Caoimhin Kelleher, again, started in place of Alisson who missed out due to the concussion protocol.
It was Liverpool’s experienced players in their backline who looked nervy. Ibrahima Konaté nearly gifted Fulham a goal early on with a loose touch in his own penalty area. Andrew Robertson had three chances to clear the ball prior to Alex Iwobi’s goal while Virgil van Dijk was done by Rodrigo Muniz for the third.
Is it nerves or have these players just played too much football this season? Slot barely rotates and both Robertson and Van Dijk aren’t getting any younger.
It is a difficult question to answer right now, but these players have won it all, a title run in should be their bread and butter. If it isn’t nerves, uncomfortable conversations might need to be had.
No new manager bounce but still plenty to prove
Graham Potter was hired by West Ham United in January and the idea was he’d be able to get them playing football while moving them up the table.
There was supposed to be a spark. There wasn’t.
In his 11 league matches as manager, they have won just three matches – beating Fulham, Arsenal and Leicester City. They’ve suffered defeats to Crystal Palace, Chelsea, Brentford, Newcastle and Wolves during this period.
Heading to Anfield, the Hammers are winless in four. They are in no danger of relegation. They are also in no danger of playing European football next season. They’re in purgatory right now just waiting for the campaign to end. Potter will be assessing his options and seeing who has a role to play for him next term.
So while there’s nothing at stake, a good performance against the runaway leaders could prolong a West Ham career or two.
A peek into the future for Liverpool
For the last two Premier League games, the Reds have been without Trent Alexander-Arnold. The right-back suffered an ankle injury against Paris Saint-Germain and Slot was forced to use Jarell Quansah at full-back in the Carabao Cup final before opting to use Curtis Jones there against Everton and Fulham.
Alexander-Arnold’s absence coincides with Liverpool forgetting how to attack. Prior to the international break, the Reds had an xG per 90 average of 2.27 in the Premier League. In the two games since the break, the xG average has been 1.5.
Liverpool haven’t figured out how to attack without the No. 66 in their team. They haven’t really figured out how to get the ball to Mohamed Salah either, with the Premier League’s top scorer blanking in both games.
Injury issues
Slot is still without Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez but Alisson should be available for the game against the Hammers while the return of Conor Bradley has come at the perfect time. The flying right-back transformed the Liverpool attack in the final 20 minutes against Fulham and he grabbed an assist.
If he’s fit enough to start on Sunday, the Reds will have an entirely different dynamic to their right flank, and Salah might be much more involved.
West Ham, meanwhile, are without Michail Antonio and Crysencio Summerville, a one-time Liverpool transfer target. Other than that, Potter has no injury or suspension concerns to navigate or manage.
Prediction
Liverpool need a reaction to the loss. They need a reaction to a number of poor performances dating back to February. With Anfield behind them and the title up for grabs, we’re saying it’ll be a 3-1 win for the hosts.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Never one to shirk an argument, even with his own fans (as Arsenal supporters will attest), Granit Xhaka ended up in the stands after Bayer Leverkusen’s shock DFB Pokal semifinal exit to third-tier opposition. With Xabi Alonso’s team faltering on all fronts, it was an image to symbolise the frustration that had built up over the entire season.
It was always going to be difficult for Leverkusen to replicate what they achieved last season. Not only did The Black and Reds win the first Bundesliga title in the club’s history, they did it unbeaten. It would have been an unbeaten Treble had Atalanta not pulled off a surprise win in the Europa League final.
This season, the Bundesliga title race has been a non-event. Leverkusen are within six points of Bayern Munich at the top of the table, but at no point has it ever seemed likely that the defending champions would successfully defend their crown. Normal service has resumed with the Bavarians back on top.
Some perspective is required, though. While Leverkusen have certainly suffered a drop-off, their current points tally of 62 points is the third-most they have ever had at this stage of a Bundesliga campaign. The Black and Reds only need seven more points from their final eight games to match their second-best tally.
Leverkusen’s net spend last summer was just €20m. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich spent €53m on Michael Olise alone 12 months after Harry Kane was signed for €95m. The financial gulf between the Bavarians and the rest of the Bundesliga has once again become apparent in the table. Last season was the exception that proved the rule.
And yet individually Bayer Leverkusen still have a number of players operating at the peak of their powers. Only Kane has scored more Bundesliga goals this season than Patrik Schick who has made himself the first-choice centre forward at the Bay Arena, dislodging Victor Boniface who came close to leaving for Saudi Arabia in January.
Nobody has registered more Bundesliga assists than Florian Wirtz who has made another step up since last season. Along with Jamal Musiala, the 21-year-old is seen as the future face of German football and is the player around whom Alonso has moulded his Leverkusen team. Everything is geared towards Wirtz.
Bundesliga goal and assist leaders, 2024/25
Others, however, have struggled to keep up their performance levels. Last season, Álex Grimaldo created 18 Big Chances in the Bundesliga, ranking him second in the league in this metric. This season, the left wing back is ranked 15th having generated nine Big Chances. Bayern have three players ranked ahead of him.
Xhaka hasn’t been the same dominating presence in the centre of the pitch. The Swiss international was the best midfielder in the Bundesliga last season. This season, Leverkusen have been worse off for Xhaka suffering a dip in his statistics in and out of possession. He hasn’t been the same driving force.
Defensively, Alonso has scrambled for solidity. He has chopped and changed from game to game with Mario Hermoso signed on loan from Roma in January to provide another option. Leverkusen kept a clean sheet in the 1-0 win over Heidenheim last weekend, but that was the first shut-out recorded by Alonso’s team in five matches.
Leverkusen’s frustration which surfaced after the DFK Pokal defeat to Arminia Bielefeld surely has its root in the fact they have run into a stronger Bayern Munich this team. Not just content with bettering their rivals in the Bundesliga, the Bavarians also eliminated Alonso’s side from the Champions League in the round of 16.
Ultimately, this season could prove to be Alonso’s last at the Bay Arena. Recent reports claim Real Madrid have held talks with the former midfielder as Carlo Ancelotti’s future grows increasingly uncertain. Other names have been mentioned, but Alonso is the standout candidate. Having achieved plenty at the Santiago Bernabéu as a player, the former midfielder could soon return as a manager.
Of course, many believed Alonso was destined to leave Leverkusen last summer when Bayern Munich and Liverpool were both searching for a new manager. Instead, the Spaniard stayed, enthused by the opportunity to make an impact in the Champions League. Alonso also talked about turning one Bundesliga title into two.
Neither of those things happened, but Bayer Leverkusen have remained historically strong. Alonso has remoulded The Black and Reds in his own image. He has established a set of principles and values that should sustain Leverkusen after he leaves. This season might not bring silverware, but this has still been a golden period.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Tuesday night was momentous for Arsenal as they put Real Madrid to the sword in the Champions League quarter-finals. However, the job isn’t done with the second leg in Spain next week.
This could see Mikel Arteta rotate his team as he did against Everton last week. Arsenal aren’t going to catch Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table and are comfortable in the top five. It could make sense to prioritise Europe at this point.
Brentford have won just one of their last five league games and are losing ground in their efforts to secure a top-half finish. Nonetheless, the Bees can match anyone on their day and were a late Kai Havertz winner away from a point at the Emirates Stadium last season.
The 2024/25 Premier League season is fizzling out for both Arsenal and Brentford and this weekend’s meeting at the Emirates Stadium could reflect that.
Key players
Arteta could turn to Ethan Nwaneri and Raheem Sterling to keep Arsenal fresh in the attacking third. The pair started against Everton and could be in line for another appearance as Arsenal prepare for the trip to Madrid next week.
Mikel Merino might have to go again due to a lack of centre forward options. The Spaniard has scored five goals in his last seven games as a centre forward and could improve that tally against Brentford. Leandro Trossard could be another option to lead the line.
Merino’s season summary at Arsenal
Jorginho could be another depth option given an opportunity from the start. The Italian midfielder would give Arsenal control on the ball in the centre of the pitch which could help mitigate some of the effects of fatigue from Tuesday night.
Thomas Frank will set up his Brentford side to play in quick transition. This will place an emphasis on the likes of Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo to get forward at pace when there is the opportunity.
Keane Lewis-Potter was impressive in the goalless draw against Chelsea and could hurt Arsenal down the right side. Christian Nørgaard also has the ability to make an impression in central midfield on both sides of the ball.
Team news
Havertz will miss the rest of the season through injury for Arsenal, as is Gabriel Magalhães whose absence could shake the Gunners in a defensive sense. The Brazilian is a big miss, although Jakub Kiwior has deputised well as William Saliba’s centre back partner.
Josh Dasilva, Fabio Carvalho and Igor Thiago are missing through injury for Brentford. Otherwise, Frank will have a full squad to pick from for the weekend visit to North London.
Prediction
A rotated Arsenal side should do enough to keep the Premier League title race alive for another week, with a Gunners’ second string keeping momentum up before next week’s trip to Madrid: Arsenal 1-0 Brentford.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Once one of the most exciting games in European football and a title tussle in the Bundesliga, a meeting of Germany’s giants this season, in isolation, is partly an exercise in assessing how far at least one of them has fallen.
Bayern Munich, at least, are still in the hunt for trophies this year. Yet even if they end up with a league title – and six points ahead with six to play, they should do – it certainly doesn’t feel close to a vintage year for the Bavarians. Bayer Leverkusen were always likely to have a bit of a hangover from last year’s success, of course. So while finishing above them would be an achievement, it does still feel…the minimum achievement, somewhat. It’s not a dominant, runaway year for Bayern, it’s not an unbeaten one – they lost to relegation-threatened Bochum a few weeks ago – and there remain long-term questions over some parts of the squad.
27 points separates the two sides before kick-off
That’s even without considering whether head coach Vincent Kompany really is cut out for elite level coaching, after he certainly wasn’t first choice last summer. Perhaps it’s a little harsh, but that is the type of standard Bayern have set for themselves: title at least, and a European challenge at best. The latter is in danger after a home defeat to Inter Milan.
Lost direction
At least Bayern still have a chance to reach the Champions League semis – Dortmund must be wondering what the point of their second leg is after a 4-0 drubbing at Barcelona. It’s not as if they can point to their yellow wall screaming them on to victory either; BVB have won precisely three home matches in three and a half months.
On the road they have more wins, but are as erratic as it gets: six defeats and five wins since the turn of the year. Dortmund have lost their way, turning over head coaches with rapidity, failing to replicate earlier successes in the transfer market and unlikely to be in Europe at all next term – they’re eighth in the table. The Westfalenstadion team need a hard reset.
Recent results
With 11 wins from their last 16, Bayern look in good form on the face of it – but they continually drop points or results at key moments and performances have fluctuated wildly. Celtic, Leverkusen and Union Berlin are among the sides to halt them, as well as Inter and Bochum. Consistency?
As for Dortmund, it’s now two league wins on the spin, but also four wins and four losses in eight.
Michael Olise tops or nearly tops the Bundesliga for xA (10.5), big chances created (24), possession won in final third (1.43/90) and penalties won (two).
Olise player traits, comparison made against similar players from big five leagues
Prediction
Home win but perhaps more goals than quality in this game: Bayern 3-1 Dortmund.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Last weekend’s Manchester Derby was one to forget. Manchester City must find a higher level to get the better of high-flying Crystal Palace on Saturday with the Eagles currently on a run of six wins in their last seven games.
City struggled without Erling Haaland at Old Trafford. Omar Marmoush led the line, but struggled for space as Manchester United sat deep and stayed compact. The Egyptian must do more to affect things in the final third this weekend.
Palace aren’t exactly struggling for attacking firepower at the moment. Indeed, they have found the back of the net 14 times in their last six games in all competitions with Jean-Philippe Mateta back from injury.
Mateta’s shot map, Premier League 2024/25
Mateta found the back of the net in Crystal Palace’s 2-1 win over Brighton last weekend. Eberechi Eze has also been in excellent form of late, registering four goal involvements in his last three appearances. He will be a threat at the Etihad Stadium.
There’s only two points between fourth and seventh in the Premier League table with City in the race to qualify for next season’s Champions League. A positive result on Saturday would point them in the right direction again.
Key players
While Marmoush was quiet against Manchester United in the derby, the Egyptian has still made a strong start to life at City, scoring five goals in just nine Premier League appearances.
Pep Guardiola deployed Kevin de Bruyne as a ‘False Nine’ against United, but is more likely to drop the Belgian back into the midfield unit to face Crystal Palace. City need the out-going creator to be at his inventive best.
De Bruyne player traits, comparison against similar players in top five leagues
Phil Foden has been a shadow of the player who was Player of the Year in the Premier League last season. Nonetheless, the England international is capable of producing something out of nothing and will almost certainly feature on Saturday.
Palace’s frontline of Mateta, Eze and Ismaïla Sarr has the potential to cause Manchester City all kinds of problems. Oliver Glasner likes his team to play at speed and this could expose the space in behind Guardiola’s backline.
Adam Wharton is also the sort of central midfielder Guardiola wishes he had. The England international is back to his best after a slow start to the season and will give Palace a foothold in the centre of the pitch.
Team news
Haaland is still unavailable through injury with the Norwegian striker expected to miss the rest of the season. Rodri is another long-term absentee, although the Spaniard could be back before the end of the 2024/25 campaign.
Marc Guéhi and Eddie Nketiah are both suspended for the trip to the Etihad Stadium after seeing red in the win over Brighton while Cheick Doucouré and Chadi Riad are still sidelined through injury.
Otherwise, Glasner has a fully fit and available squad to choose from. Palace have the potential to shock City in front of their own fans.
Prediction
This could be another stumbling block in City’s efforts to reach next season’s Champions League with the visiting Eagles more than capable of securing an away win: Man City 1-2 Crystal Palace.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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Dortmund entered the final matchday of the 2022/23 season with a golden opportunity to win their first Bundesliga title in 11 years – all they needed to do was beat mid-table Mainz at home. Instead, they drew 2-2, whilst Bayern Munich beat Köln 2-1 to edge them to the championship on goal differential. BVB reached the Champions League Final the following season and were vying for their first European trophy in 27 years after a dominant first-half display in Wembley; instead, Real Madrid scored two second-half goals to claim their 15th European Cup.
This season, however, Dortmund have hit rock bottom. BVB find themselves in danger of missing out on European football for the first time in 16 years, with the club sitting eighth in the Bundesliga table, one point behind Freiburg, three behind Gladbach, four behind Leipzig, and five behind fourth-placed Mainz. With the Bundesliga likely to only be allotted four Champions League spots for 2025/26, and with BVB almost certainly doomed to exit the Champions League at the quarterfinals, Dortmund need to make up a five-point gap in their final six Bundesliga matches in order to qualify for the continent’s premier competition for the 10th straight campaign.
They cannot afford anything less than perfection – they need to win their final six matches and hope that their top-four rivals slip up during the season’s home stretch. BVB will be looking to bounce back from Wednesday’s 4-0 defeat at Barcelona with a victory against Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich, who sit six points clear atop the table. And in order to do so, they’ll need a big-time performance from Maximilian Beier.
Born in Brandenburg an der Havel, Beier left home at 13 to develop at Energie Cottbus’ academy before joining Hoffenheim three years later, where he became their youngest-ever Bundesliga debutant in February 2020. Beier spent two seasons on loan at second-tier Hannover 96 before returning to the Rhein-Neckar-Arena for the 2023/24 season, where he enjoyed a breakout year and finished as their top scorer with 16 league goals (none from the penalty spot). This prompted Julian Nagelsmann to hand him his maiden Germany call-up, with Beier making his competitive debut in a 1-1 draw with Switzerland in the Euros.
Despite having played just one season of consistent minutes in the Bundesliga, Borussia Dortmund decided to sign Beier as their replacement for Niclas Fülkrug, paying €28.5 million (rising to €30m in potential bonuses) and tying him down to a five-year contract. After a slow start to life in North Rhine-Westphalia, Beier finally opened his account on November 2 with a goal and assist vs. Leipzig, before registering a goal vs. Freiburg, a goal and assist vs. Wolfsburg, and a goal and assist vs. Union Berlin in the following months.
Beier’s career summary to date
A second striker by nature, Beier has spent his first year in Dortmund either coming off the bench or starting in an unnatural wide forward position, but he’s nevertheless managed to capitalise on Donyell Malen’s January move to Aston Villa and emerge as a vital contributor in attack. Only Serhou Guirassy (15) and Jamie Gittens (8) have managed more Bundesliga goals in BVB’s squad than Beier (7), whilst only Guirassy (16) has more goal contributions than Beier (12).
Perhaps the most important goal of his Dortmund tenure came on March 12 in Lille. Tightly guarded by two red shirts, Beier swiveled to receive the ball on his favoured right foot and took a half-second to steady himself before firing a rocket into the top-right corner, securing a comeback win for BVB and booking their ticket to the Champions League quarterfinals. He was kept under wraps in the following match vs. Leipzig, but rather than drop him to the bench, new BVB manager Niko Kovač chose to reposition him from a wide forward to a second striker. Working alongside Karim Adeyemi in a front two, Beier repaid Kovač’s trust by grabbing a brace and subjecting Mainz to their first defeat in two months, before bagging two assists against Freiburg. He then dropped to the bench against Barcelona, only to replace Adeyemi at halftime.
“Beier clearly had a slow start, but considering it’s his first season and how much turmoil the team has been in due to the overall instability of the system and coaching staff, I think he’s done quite well,” stated Brian Szlenk Straub, the co-host of the Dortmund Dispatch podcast. “His finishing was a bit wide of the mark prior to the second half of the season as he missed quite a few chances, but I chalk that up to the instability the team faced as a whole and possibly not being at the peak of his confidence. He finds space very well, which is underlined by the sheer amount of opportunities he had in that first half of the season that simply didn’t pan out. We’re starting to see him settle into this team, and he’ll only continue to get better as his time with Dortmund continues.”
Beier shot map, Bundesliga 2024/25
Having previously struggled under Nuri Şahin, Beier has taken his game to another level under Kovač. His nimble footwork and low center of gravity enable him to escape congested situations with the ball glued to his feet, whilst he also boasts the powerful running and tenacity to eat up space in transition and carry the ball across ample swaths of the pitch. No matter where he’s playing, Beier’s positional awareness and quick reactions allow him to time his runs to perfection and exploit gaps in between rival defenders, either creating space for his teammates or fashioning an ideal scoring opportunity for himself where he can then put his superb ball-striking skills to good use.
Beier is far from the finished article at 22 years old, but he’s nevertheless shown an impressive willingness to adapt to multiple positions and put in a shift both on and off the ball. Never one to shirk his defensive responsibilities, Beier has proven adept at rolling up his sleeves and doing the dirty work, be that pressing the opposition’s build-up or tracking back to stop a potential counter.
Beier player traits, comparison made against forward in big five leagues
“At the end of the day, he’s a second striker, and the last few games have shown what he can do in a front two,” added Straub. “That being said, he’s done admirably out wide when he’s featured there – he always shows purpose and intensity when he’s on the pitch and is always willing to run himself into the ground for this side. Kovač has found a system that really allows him to flourish…with Adeyemi up front alongside him, we’ve really gotten to see Beier’s ability to press opponents and be a real danger on the counter.”
Over the past six years, Maximilian Beier has balanced his burgeoning football career with a growing affinity for darts. When he finds himself running high on adrenaline following a match and unable to sleep, he calms down by throwing darts at his board at home. He’s even hung another dartboard on the wall in BVB’s training ground and has gotten many teammates like Giovanni Reyna and Nico Schlotterbeck hooked on this increasingly ubiquitous hobby.
If Dortmund are to come away with a victory in Saturday’s Der Klassiker, they’ll need Beier to hit the bullseye and continue his sensational form in Bavaria.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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