Preview

Dec

2024

Preview: Arsenal face an Everton who may have turned a corner

Arsenal will host Everton at the Emirates Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon. The Gunners will be hoping to close the gap on Liverpool at the top of the table, while Sean Dyche’s side will be looking to build some momentum after an impressive victory last time out.

By Matt Smith

Arteta receives major injury boost

Mikel Arteta has confirmed ahead of the game against Everton that Gabriel Magalhães has been involved in first-team training and could be available to face the Toffees. The Brazilian defender has missed their last three matches in all competitions, but he could make his return on Saturday.

Riccardo Calafiori, who hasn’t played since the end of November, won’t be fit in time for this one.

Mr Reliable isn’t slowing down

Everton will have one huge mission on Saturday, and that’s to true and shut down Bukayo Saka. Many sides have attempted, and most have failed, with the England international producing a whopping 15 goals and assists combined in the Premier League this season.

His attacking production has been superb this season, and Arsenal are heavily relying on him in attack to produce. Saka sits top of the assists charts for the Gunners, with Declan Rice in second with just two. Set-pieces have been a key weapon for Arsenal this season, but they’re coming up against a side who are strong defensively.

Broja the secret weapon

Armando Broja, who signed for Everton on loan in the summer transfer window, has missed the majority of the season due to injury. Dyche confirmed this week that Broja would be ‘around it’ when it comes to a place in the starting XI, after making his return with a cameo against Wolves last week.

Broja played around 10 minutes vs Wolves, but it was an impressive cameo nonetheless, and he could be a bit of a secret weapon off the bench for Everton, who have no fresh injury concerns.

Everton have set the standard now

The Toffees secured an emphatic 4-0 victory over Wolves in the last Premier League game, despite scoring just 10 times in the previous 13 games before that. It was somewhat of an anomaly, but with all four goals coming from set pieces, it’s a sign that Dyche might be going back to basics.

*Big Chances Created, Premier League 2024/2025*

With just 24 big chances created this season, the lowest in the Premier League, Dyche needs to find a way of producing opportunities for his side, and he did just that against Wolves last time out.

Prediction

Everton’s only victories this season have come against Wolves, Ipswich, and Crystal Palace, who are 19^th, 18^th, and 17^th respectively. It’s been a campaign of minimal giant killings, while Arsenal are unbeaten in their last seven matches in all competitions.

The Gunners are also yet to lose at home, so it’s difficult to see past a straightforward victory for the London club. We’re going for a 3-1 win for Arteta’s side in this one.

(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.

Dec

2024

Preview: Liverpool test themselves against in form Fulham

Liverpool host Fulham on Saturday afternoon looking to maintain their healthy lead the top of the Premier League. The game at Anfield has the potential to be a bit of a banana skin for the Reds though.

By Sam McGuire

The season so far

Arne Slot’s start to life as Liverpool manager has been near perfect.

The Reds have won 11 of their 14 Premier League games and currently have a four point lead at the top with a game in hand. The Merseysiders have a 100% record in the Champions League following their 1-0 win over Girona on Wednesday. They’re also into the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.

Performances have been a little sluggish over recent outings though. A heavy schedule, combined with injuries to a number of players, have left Liverpool looking a little leggy. They weren’t at their best in the 3-3 draw with Newcastle United and struggled early on against LaLiga side Girona in midweek.

They can’t afford another uninspiring showing on Sunday. Not against a team like Fulham.

The Cottagers are 10th in the Premier League table but they are just four points behind fourth-placed Manchester City.

Marco Silva’s side held Arsenal to a 1-1 draw last time out and have frustrated big sides this season. They drew with Spurs and had Manchester City on the ropes in a 3-2 loss. Fulham actually had an xG haul of 2.3 at the Etihad and, on another day, likely surprise the reigning champions in a shock upset.

They are one or two positive results away from being genuine challengers for a European spot. If they pick up a positive result at Anfield, momentum could be on their side heading into the busy festive period.

Previous Encounters

Fulham have claimed victory against the Reds in just one of their previous 14 encounters. That win arrived during Liverpool’s forgettable run in 2020/21, when Jürgen Klopp was having to navigate his way through the worst injury crisis of his managerial career.

Liverpool have won 10 of these 14 meetings. They have won four of the last five across all competitions against the Cottagers but it is worth noting that they have only kept one clean sheet in these games. Fulham always cause the Reds some problems. Expect them to do the same on Saturday.

Current form

Over the past five matches in the English top-flight, Liverpool have the joint-best record along with Chelsea, with 13 points from 15 on offer. The Reds have scored 12 and conceded six in these matches, with their impervious start to the campaign slowing down a little. They’re now giving up goals.

However, they’re still difficult to defeat. In fact, their last loss came back in September.

Fulham’s form has been decent over the past five league games. They rank sixth with eight points over this period and they have lost just one match.

The Injury situation

Liverpool are without Ibrahima Konaté, Conor Bradley and Kostas Tsimikas. Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa could return to the matchday squad though which would be a welcome boost for an attack solely reliant on Mohamed Salah for their goals at the minute.

Alisson made his first appearance since October in the 1-0 win over Girona and put in a Man of the Match performance for the Reds. That is a huge boost for Slot.

Fulham are without a number of key players. Calvin Bassey and Joachim Andersen, the club’s first choice centre-back pairing, are both missing. The former is suspended while the latter has a calf issue. Tom Cairney is suspended while Harrison Reed and Reiss Nelson both miss out through injury.

Prediction

It won’t be pretty but we think another Liverpool win is on the cards. With the cavalry potentially returning for the Reds, they have multiple ways to win matches and their attacking depth will be the difference on the day.

(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.

Dec

2024

Preview: Rangers and Spurs set to test each other in the Europa League

Rangers take on Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League this evening with both sides fighting for a place in the top eight of the table, thus securing an automatic berth in the last 16.

By Ross Kilvington

Given the change of format across all three European club competitions, it was perhaps inevitable that two British Clubs would be drawn together.

With just two fixtures left after this one, a victory for either side could prove crucial to their European ambitions this season.

Battle of Britain clash

For those in the UK there is nothing quite like a Battle of Britain type clash in Europe. The last one Rangers were involved in ended in a 7-1 defeat to Liverpool at Ibrox, representing their heaviest ever home loss in Europe.

In recent years, Spurs have defeated Manchester City on the way to the 2019 Champions League final, while their last clash against Scottish opposition saw them secure a 5-0 aggregate win over Hearts in the Europa League playoff round back in 2011.

The two teams have combined to win four major European trophies, reaching a further six finals, indicating that this is a clash between two of Britain’s most successful clubs.

The Light Blues and Spurs have faced off once before, with the North Londoners coming out victors in the 1962/63 European Cup Winner’s Cup first round. Can you remember that one!?

Key players

Former Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou will be hoping his return to Ibrox ends in a positive manner. Spurs’ Jekyll and Hyde form has seen them defeat Man City twice in recent weeks, yet also suffer defeats against Bournemouth and Ipswich Town.

Brennan Johnson could be the key man for Spurs, despite coming off with illness against Chelsea. The Welshman has scored three times in the Europa League, adding a further assist and he could line up alongside Will Lankshear and Heung-min Son.

Dejan Kulusevski was impressive against AS Roma last time out in Europe, recording an assist while registering four shots during the match and the Ibrox side will need to be wary of the threat he poses.

The Rangers attack is clicking into gear at exactly the right time. Nine goals were scored over their previous two games, with Hamza Igamane scoring twice in the process. The African starlet netted twice against OGC Nice last time out in Europe and he could offer a key attacking threat against Spurs.

Igamane should be supported by Nedim Bajrami and Václav Černý on the flanks. The pair have registered six goal contributions between them across five matches.

If this attacking trio can get firing, then they could cause Spurs some trouble.

Team news

Postecoglou has a few players on the treatment table. Richarlison, Mikey Moore and Wilson Odobert remain out, while centre-backs Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero were forced off against Chelsea, ruling them out for the clash tonight.

For Rangers, Tom Lawrence and Oscar Cortes are still unavailable, while Rabbi Matondo is finally back in full training after injury.

Ianis Hagi and Danilo have been impressive recently, but the duo were omitted from the Europa League squad at the start of the season, meaning coach Philippe Clement will have to make do without.

Prediction

This is a match which is so hard to predict. Given how good Spurs can be when they are at full flow, everything points to a straightforward win for them. But recent defensive frailties suggest that if Rangers can click into gear going forward, they may well have a chance of gaining a positive result.

For these reasons, I predict an entertaining 2-2 draw.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Dec

2024

Preview: Man United face Viktoria Plzeň in Thursday night football

Rúben Amorim takes his United side to Czechia, where they face Viktoria Plzeň, the side who regularly battle it out with Prague powerhouses Sparta and Salvia for domestic honours in the Central European nation.

By Ian King

New Beginnings

These two clubs have never played each other before, so it’s a bit of a journey into the unknown for both. Manchester United, of course, are European club football royalty, three times champions of Europe and the first English club to win it all in 1968, these midweek nights under the floodlights are woven into the very fabric of the club.

Viktoria Plzeň, meanwhile, are this season completing the unusual hat-trick of having played in all three of the major European tournaments over the last three consecutive seasons, and last season went all the way to the quarter-finals of the Europa Conference League before losing out in extra-time to Fiorentina.

Recent Form

United were the masters of their own misfortune last weekend against Nottingham Forest, and coupled with the sudden and unexpected departure of Sporting Director Dan Ashworth, they need a win to steady their ship ahead of this weekend’s Manchester derby. As ever, a trip to relatively modest European opponents is an opportunity to shake off some cobwebs, but Manchester United have been in this position more than once in recent years and have failed to do so.

Viktoria are unbeaten in seven games (all comps), and currently sit second in the Czech First League behind runaway leaders Slavia Prague, who’ve only dropped four points all season. Their record in this tournament so far is identical to United’s – three draws followed by two wins – and they’re only one goal behind United in the mega-league, in 13th place. As things stand, both are in the seeded section of the play-off places, but with three games yet to play this could all yet change.

Key players

Pavel Šulc is Viktoria’s top scorer this season with ten goals in all competitions, and given how leaky United’s defence was in their last match he could be a real threat. Also worth keeping an eye on is Prince Kwabena Adu, who was on the Guardian’s Next Generation list in 2020 and arrived at Viktoria in August from the Ukrainian club FC Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih. For Manchester United, Marcus Rashford had looked like he could thrive under Rúben Amorim, though he’s looked a little more anonymous in their last two games.

Team News

It will surprise precisely no-one to learn that Luke Shaw is injured again, and with Jonny Evans also missing the Manchester United defence may have something of a patchwork feel to it, although it’s possible that Victor Lindelhof may return. Viktoria will be missing Matej Valenta, Christopher Kabongo, Jan Sykora and Rafiu Durosinmi.

Prediction

United have kept just one clean sheet in the last five, whilst Viktoria Plzeň have kept two in the last nine, and this means that goals could be plentiful in this match. With the firepower that United have at their disposal this might ordinarily be considered a fairly straightforward win, but Viktoria have plenty of European experience and we’ve all seen United fail to finish off modest opposition in recent years. United should still find a way through, but it could be tight; 2-1 to United.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Dec

2024

Preview: Chelsea visit Kazakhstan for an early KO

Enzo Maresca will take an even more youthful Chelsea side than usual on the gruelling 6000-mile journey to Kazakhstan as they take on FC Astana in their fifth Europa Conference League game of the season.

By Alex Roberts

Due to ongoing renovation work at FC Astana’s home ground, Chelsea will be forced to wrestle sub-zero temperatures at the Ortalyk Stadion in Almaty instead of playing at the Kazakhstani side’s usual ground.

Chelsea have won all four of their European games so far, scoring 18 goals and conceding just three, giving Maresca the envious position of being able to prioritise their game against Brentford on Saturday instead.

A chance for some Chelsea debuts

Ato Ampah, Harrison McMahon, Kaiden Wilson, Richard Olise, Josh Acheampong and Harrison Murray-Campbell have been added to the squad, with Maresca committed to playing at least two from the start.

Acheampong is the only one of those youngsters to have featured for Chelsea’s first team before, making his debut under Mauricio Pochettino last season. He also earned his first game under Maresca for his boyhood club in their 5-0 League Cup win over Barrow earlier this season.

Chelsea have lost plenty of academy stars over the past couple of seasons in their never-ending pursuit of ‘pure profit’, and another may be born in freezing cold Kazakhstan.

Don’t underestimate FC Astana

FC Astana may not be as glamorous as Chelsea, but they certainly have some European pedigree, bagging surprise draws against Atlético Madrid, Benfica, and Galatasaray in their 2015-16 Champions League campaign.

Summer signing Geoffrey Chinedu has been on fire so far this season, scoring 12 goals in 18 appearances across all competitions as Astana sit second in the Kazakhstani Premier League and 23^rd in the new Europe Conference League league phase.

Goals have been hard to come by in Europe for Grigori Babayan‘s side this season, with the team scoring just twice in their opening four games and clinging to their knockout qualification hopes by a thread.

Can Marc Guiu make a claim?

The young La Masia graduate joined in the summer but has struggled to make any real impact thanks to Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku’s impressive form both domestically and on the continent.

He does have one goal, however, scoring Chelsea’s second in their 8-0 battering of FC Noah on Matchday 3, capitalising on some sloppy defensive play from the Armenians.

Guiu’s pressing is arguably the strongest aspect of his game, having won possession in the final third three times and boasting a 100% tackle success rate in the Europa Conference League.

The game against Astana could prove to be the perfect opportunity for the youngster to get some goals and build some confidence.

Prediction

It’s a long trip, but Chelsea’s immense squad depth gives them a unique advantage. On paper, the Premier League giants should be winning every single game the Conference League can throw at them, and the match against Astana won’t be any different.

We’re going to go with 3-1 to Chelsea.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Dec

2024

Preview: Misfiring Juventus meet leaky Man City

As Juventus prepare to take on Manchester City in the Champions League, on Wednesday, there is a clear feeling that these two clubs are searching for some form.

By Kaustubh Pandey

It is fitting that both Juve and City were held to draws at the weekend. Thiago Motta was sent the stands as his side just about managed to take a point from the game against his former club Bologna, as Pep Guardiola‘s Citizens picked up a 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace.

Both sides have fallen away from the title races in their respective leagues too. Juve are sixth in the Serie A table, seven points away from league leading Atalanta. City are fourth in the Premier League and are eight points away from Liverpool.

The Bianconeri have eight points in the Champions League and so do City, as both of them look to enter the top eight. There is also a correlation between Motta and Guardiola, with the ex-Italy midfielder having sought inspiration from the Spaniard in the past.

It is quite apparent that both currently face problems at their respective clubs.

Juventus’ struggling attack

While Juve have the most number of cleansheets in Serie A, their attack has been very disappointing.

They have the eighth-highest xG in Serie A and they’ve registered four shots on target per game, which is the ninth-best tally in the league.

Motta is still struggling to tie the attack together and quite a bit of it is because of injuries, a lot of it is because of the profiles of players. Joshua Zirkzee isn’t with him anymore and he has more of a poacher in striker Dušan Vlahović, meaning that Motta’s attacking setup looks disjointed at times.

The Serbian’s last goal in Serie A came in October and the Bianconeri have relied on goals from Samuel Mbangula and Kenan Yıldız, with Nico González injured and Teun Koopmeiners yet to settle in fully.

City’s porous defence

As has been widely documented, Guardiola’s side have suffered from Rodri‘s absence but their problems do go beyond that.

They have the 11th worst xG conceded figure in the Premier League, which shows that the Spaniard hasn’t quite adapted to the midfielder’s injury and City’s aging squad is now slowly but surely showing more and more vulnerabilities.

They have shown a tendency to get exposed on the break and Juve, who do have quick and young players in Yıldız and Mbangula would love to take advantage of that weakness.

Juve have big injury issues

Juve are going through injury issues, with both Bremer and Juan Cabal out due to ACL injuries. Douglas Luiz and Gonzalez are also out, with Arek Milik expected to only return next year. Andrea Cambiaso, who has impressed this season, could also miss the game.

City have problems of their own

Rodri and Oscar Bobb are long-term injury absentees, but Mateo Kovačić and John Stones are also out. Both Manuel Akanji and Nathan Aké also picked up injuries in recent weeks and will miss the clash in Turin.

Prediction

It would be a battle of Juve’s misfiring attack and City’s chaotic defending. Could one cancel out the other? Or could Juve snatch three points in this one?

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Champions League with FotMob this season – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, player ratings, and a new super-intuitive knockout stage bracket. Download the free app here.

Dec

2024

Preview: Arsenal play Monaco in a battle for the top eight

Arsenal and Monaco were seventh and eighth going into the sixth round of the UEFA Champions League’s new group stage (slipping to 10th and 11th after Tuesday’s games), meaning their face-off could well prove to be pivotal in both sides’ quest to earn a direct ticket to the Round of 16. So, even without the threat of elimination for either side, they will likely produce an interesting match.

By Neel Shelat

Defensive deficiencies for both sides

Both teams will be without some key defensive players for this match, albeit for different reasons.

Gabriel Magalhães, Benjamin White and Riccardo Calafiori are all expected to miss the game for Arsenal, while rotation option Takehiro Tomiyasu remains sidelined and Oleksandr Zinchenko also missed the weekend’s match against Fulham. Mikel Arteta found a creative solution for that fixture as Jurriën Timber was shifted across to the left of the back line and Thomas Partey dropped to the right, so it will be interesting to see whether a more conventional option like Kieran Tierney is preferred for this relatively lower-stakes game.

Arsenal drew that game at Fulham, taking their current unbeaten run to six games, in all competitions.

Monaco, on the other hand, have to deal with a couple of suspensions. Versatile defender Wilfried Singo’s red card led to their dramatic defeat against Benfica in the last round, while young Christian Mawissa received his third yellow card of the Champions League season in that game. Krépin Diatta, who has mostly been used as a right back this season, is also out injured.

Despite these absences, both defences can be expected to hold firm as they have conceded the second-lowest xG tally in their respective leagues. In a potentially tight match, Arsenal may well turn to set-pieces again having scored from corners in each of their last four games. However, they might meet their match in this respect too as Monaco have conceded the fewest shots from set-pieces in Ligue 1 this season.

Monaco’s youngsters raring to impress

23-year-old USMNT striker Folarin Balogun will miss the opportunity to reunite with former club Arsenal as he too is out injured, but Monaco have a whole host of other youngsters who will be keen to impress.

Chief among them will be teenage Moroccan international Eliesse Ben Seghir, who is equally capable of scoring and creating goals as his tally of four goals and three assists in Ligue 1 this season shows. Rotating between the left and central attacking positions in Monaco’s 4-2-3-1 formation, he is sure to excite whenever he gets on the ball.

Ben Seghir can rather steal the spotlight away from some of his teammates at times, especially fellow attacker Maghnes Akliouche. The French youth international has four goals and as many assists to his name for Monaco on the back of a busy summer in which he was a part of France’s silver medal-winning Olympic side.

Senegalese midfielder Lamine Camara and Brazilian right back Vanderson should also be considered ones to watch, while 18-year-old striker George Ilenikhena will look to make an impact off the bench again.

Prediction

Monaco have adopted a pretty intense style of play under Adi Hütter this season, but it might just prove to be their undoing against an Arsenal side who have grit and star power in equal measure. The Gunners could well record a narrow victory.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Champions League with FotMob this season — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, player ratings, and a new super-intuitive knockout stage bracket. Download the free app here.

Dec

2024

Preview: Lewandowski takes Barcelona to former club Dortmund

After making a run to last season’s Champions League final, Borussia Dortmund have once again showcased their best form in the competition this season, winning four of their five matches so far.

By Graham Ruthven

Two of the best goalscoring sides in the competition

While Nuri Şahin has come under pressure for Dortmund’s stuttering form in the Bundesliga, the Black and Yellows have scored goals for fun in the Champions League, registering wins over Club Brugge, Celtic, Sturm Graz and Dinamo Zagreb.

Only one team has scored more goals than Dortmund in this season’s Champions League and that’s Barcelona who have netted an eye-catching 18 goals in just five games.

Recently, though, Hansi Flick’s team have looked vulnerable. Barca have won just one of their last five matches in LaLiga matches with their latest misstep coming against Real Betis on Saturday when the Catalans were pegged back late on in a 2-2 draw.

Flick’s high-intensity, high-risk approach has made Barcelona the most entertaining team in Europe this season, but it has also made them vulnerable to opponents who attack them directly.

This match-up could be a good one for Dortmund with their attack geared towards getting into open space. Barca will give them plenty of space to exploit.

Potential match winners

Jamie Gittens continues to grow in stature for Borussia Dortmund. The English winger has scored in each of his last four matches and is quickly becoming the Bundesliga giants’ most reliable attacking difference-maker – as discussed in a profile piece on Gittens that we published here this week.

Felix Nmecha is also in a rich vein of form and will give Dortmund plenty of dynamism in central midfield. He will have to maintain his positional discipline against a Barcelona team that will try to play around the Dortmund midfield.

Nico Schlotterbeck will be an important figure for the hosts on Tuesday night. The 25-year-old is generally the defender charged with getting Dortmund out from the back and that will be particularly significant against Barcelona’s high press.

Lamine Yamal is back from injury for Barca and has picked up where he left off by registering assists in his last two matches. The teenager remains the most reliable creative force for Flick’s team.

Robert Lewandowski has been sharp in front of goal this season, netting a tournament high seven goals in just five Champions League outings. He will be a good bet to find the back of the net against his former club.

*Lewandowski shot map, Champions League 2024/25*

Team news

Waldermar Anton and Niklas Süle will both miss the match against Barcelona, meaning Emre Can might be set to step into central defence as an emergency option.

Maximilian Beier and Julian Brandt are also expected to be sidelined for the visit of the Catalans, although Karim Adeyemi could feature, even if it’s off the bench in the role of an impact sub.

Andreas Christensen, Ronald Araújo and Ansu Fati have recently returned to training for Barcelona, but aren’t expected to feature at the Westfalenstadion on Tuesday with Flick reluctant to rush them back.

Dani Olmo is expected to keep his place in the Barcelona lineup, although it’s possible Frenkie de Jong could start in central midfield with Pedri pushed into a more advanced role where he can have an influence around the box.

Prediction

We’re expecting goals but it is a tough one to call, so we’re go for an entertaining score draw: Borussia Dortmund 2-2 Barcelona

(Cover image from IMAGO)

Dec

2024

Preview: Atalanta meet Real Madrid in Super Cup rematch

It was only four months ago that Atalanta and Real Madrid met each other in the UEFA Super Cup with Los Blancos emerging 2-0 winners in a game that was defined by Kylian Mbappé’s first competitive goal in all-white.

By Graham Ruthven

A European rematch

At that time of that Super Cup triumph, many anticipated that Mbappé’s debut goal would accelerate his integration into Carlo Ancelotti’s team, but the Frenchman has struggled to find a role in his new side despite scoring 11 goals in all competitions.

Having won just two of their five fixtures so far in this season’s Champions League, Real Madrid need points on the board to be certain of their place in the next round. Those points will be hard to come by in Bergamo.

Atalanta are currently leading the way at the top of Serie A and are growing into genuine Scudetto challengers. Gian Piero Gasperini has been Atalanta manager for eight years, but La Dea look stronger than ever under his stewardship.

Friday’s 2-1 victory over AC Milan was Atalanta’s ninth successive win in all competitions. They have also dropped points in this season’s Champions League just twice – against Arsenal and Celtic.

Key players

Real Madrid might have a team of Galacticos, but Atalanta have some stars of their own, particularly in the attack where they have the talent to put the defending European champions to the sword.

Mateo Retegui is the top scorer in Serie A this season with 12 goals in 15 appearances while Ademola Lookman is a consistent threat off the left wing with his dribbling ability and eye for goal.

Charles De Ketelaere is in exceptional form having registered 12 direct goal contributions in his last eight games (all comps) including a goal in the 2-1 win over former club AC Milan that sent Atalanta top of Serie A.

Jude Bellingham has looked like his old self in recent outings for Real Madrid, scoring in each of his last three games. Meanwhile, Mbappé has been more comfortable recently with Vinícius Júnior on the sidelines through injury.

Fede Valverde will likely start in Real Madrid’s midfield unit after filling in at right back recently with the Uruguayan’s energy and work ethic important in the centre of the pitch.

At the back, Raúl Asencio is expected to partner Antonio Rüdiger. The former Castilla defender has eased Real Madrid’s defensive injury crisis and has looked the part at the back recently.

Team news

Juan Cuadrado, Gianluca Scamacca and Davide Zappacosta will all be unavailable for Atalanta’s home match against Real Madrid on Tuesday.

Otherwise, Gasperini has a fully fit squad to choose from. Retegui could come back into the lineup after starting the win over AC Milan on the bench, although Mario Pašalić could keep his place after impressing.

Vinícius could make a return from injury, but David Alaba, Eduardo Camavinga, Dani Carvajal, Ferland Mendy and Éder Militão remain unavailable for Real Madrid. Ancelotti will have no choice but to once again use a makeshift backline.

Prediction

It could be revenge time for the impressive Serie A leaders, so Atalanta 2-1 Real Madrid.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

Dec

2024

Preview: Arne Slot’s Liverpool looking to continue Champions League run at Girona

Liverpool are looking to make it six wins from six in the Champions League on Tuesday as they travel to Spain to take on Girona.

By Sam McGuire

Arne Slot’s men have a 100% record having beaten Real Madrid, RB Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen, AC Milan and Bologna so far this season in Europe. The Reds are already into the knockout phase of the competition and this puts them in a fairly unique position for their final three group stage fixtures.

Will they look to keep momentum going in a bid to return to winning ways or will the former Feyenoord boss look at this game as an opportunity to rotate?

The season so far in Europe

Girona have found it difficult in Europe.

There’s no beating around the bush. Michel’s side find themselves in 30th position (of 36) in the new-look Champions League format.

The LaLiga side have lost four of their five matches in the competition. They were expected to lose to Paris Saint-Germain but defeats against Feyenoord and Sturm Graz came as a bit of a surprise. A heavy loss to PSV Eindhoven also dented their hopes of progression while their only victory arrived against Slovan Bratislava.

They have scored just four goals across their five outings and have conceded on nine occasions.

Liverpool, by comparison, have been perfect in Europe.

The Reds have 15 points from 15, they’ve scored 12 goals and have conceded just once. Inter Milan are the only team to have a better defensive record having kept clean sheets in all five of their games this term.

Current form

The Spanish side haven’t been able to replicate the heroics from last season. Girona claimed an unlikely third-place finish having amassed 81 points. Right now, they find themselves in ninth position, four points behind fifth and four points ahead of 14th.

They are winless in four and have conceded six goals across these four outings across all competitions, all while scoring just two goals.

Their home form in LaLiga hasn’t been great. They have played eight, won four and lost three this term. They’ve scored 15 and conceded 13 in these games. So no home comforts for the Blanquivermells.

Their top scorer in the league is 38-year-old Cristhian Stuani. You might remember him from his stint with Middlesborough. They also boast a former Liverpool transfer target too in Arnaut Danjuma.

Liverpool dropped points in their last outing against Newcastle United. The Magpies scored a late equaliser to halt the seven match winning run the Reds had been on. Still, Slot and his side are unbeaten since their shock defeat to Nottingham Forest in September. The Merseyside club had an unexpected break over the weekend after the Merseyside derby was postponed due to Storm Darragh. It hasn’t eased their injury crisis but the players that are fit had a bit of an extended break, so should be fit and firing.

The Injury situation

The 2019/20 Premier League champions are still without Alisson, Ibrahima Konaté, Conor Bradley, Kostas Tsimikas and Diogo Jota. Federico Chiesa was expected to play following his return to the first-team squad after a mini pre-season but he missed training on Monday with illness. He’s now a doubt for the match while Alexis Mac Allister is suspended.

Girona are expected to be without two key players in Yangel Herrera and Viktor Tsygankov. Other than that though, Michel has a full squad to pick from.

Prediction

Even if the Reds opt to go with a weaker XI, they should have enough quality at their disposal to pick up the win in Spain. We expect Liverpool to make it six wins from six in Europe.

(Cover image from IMAGO)