Preview

Jun

2025

Preview: Inter Miami set for clash against Portuguese giants Porto

The second round of matches at the Club World Cup begin on Thursday, when host nation representatives Inter Miami will face a tough test against FC Porto.

By James Nalton

Lionel Messi’s side were held to a scoreless draw in the opener against Al-Ahly, kicking the tournament off with a 0-0, but what at times was a fairly entertaining one.

60,927 turned out at the Hard Rock Stadium, with Al Ahly fans providing plenty of atmosphere along with some of the Miami supporters’ groups, setting the tone for what this tournament might have in store.

It eased some concerns about whether fans will show up and whether there will be an atmosphere around the tournament.

Now, Inter Miami and Porto have the task of filling the 71,000-capacity Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Miami need a shock result to progress

Inter Miami and their coach, Javier Mascherano, might have felt they needed a win from that opener against Al Ahly.

Three points early on against the team they would have been most fancied to get something from would have put less pressure on these potentially trickier games against European and South American opposition.

As it was, Al Ahly had the better chances to score, and the giants of Egyptian and African football were unlucky not to come away with a win. To illustrate that, Inter Miami goalkeeper Oscar Ustari was the game’s best player.

Trezeguet saw a penalty saved by Ustari on his return to his boyhood club, sparing Inter Miami the embarrassment of losing the opener in their latest adopted home stadium in Miami Gardens.

The Floridians now travel to Atlanta to face Porto, where another draw would keep them in the mix, but a defeat might be the beginning of the end.

Playing away from home against the group favourites is a chance to show what they are made of.

There’s always a chance

With Messi around…

Messi showed enough against Al Ahly to suggest he can make his mark on this tournament.

An audacious effort from outside the area following a corner routine almost caught Mohamed El Shenawi off guard, but the experienced goalkeeper scrambled back to tip the shot onto the bar.

Messi was heavily involved, finishing the game with 76 touches, and also created a couple of good chances for teammates.

His cross late on gave Fafà Picault a chance that could have won the game, but El Shenawi saved the header from close range.

Sergio Busquets, at 36 years old, still enjoys this type of summer football tournament, taking the heat out of things with simple, efficient passing that can create chances further down the line.

Inter Miami will be the underdogs against a UEFA Champions League and Europa League regular, but they still have the players to win these games against the odds.

Porto pressure

Porto will also have been disappointed not to begin their campaign with a win, as the other match in Group A also finished goalless.

In that game, the Brazilian side, Palmeiras, who won the Copa Libertadores in 2021, showed they will be tough to beat, and like Al Ahly did versus Miami, will have felt they should have snatched a win against Porto.

That Porto’s goalkeeper Claudio Ramos received the highest FotMob rating in that game tells a story similar to Ustari’s in the other game.

It leaves Porto still looking for their first win, which could be bad news for Inter Miami.

Striker Samuel Aghehowa was kept quiet by Palmeiras, but the 21-year-old Spaniard, who was Porto’s top scorer last season, will fancy his chances against the MLS team’s shaky defence.

18-year-old attacking midfielder Rodrigo Mora is another one to look out for in the Porto ranks, while winger Pepê will be hoping to start and make an impact, having begun on the bench versus Palmeiras.

*Porto’s top scorers in the Liga Portugal last season*

Prediction

Porto should be able to do what Al Ahly couldn’t and finish their chances against Inter Miami, and after the 0-0 draws in the opening games, this one could see a few goals.

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

You can follow every match from the Club World Cup with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Jun

2025

Preview: Man City get underway against Wydad at the Club World Cup

Manchester City and Wydad Casablanca will go head-to-head in their opening game of the Club World Cup in Group G.

By Matt Smith

Pep Guardiola’s side will be hoping to defend their title, but they face a tougher test this year, with the competition now under a new format.

Man City naturally qualify after lifting the 2023 edition, and they face a Morocco-based side who have won 22 league titles. Wydad qualified through their CAF Champions League triumph during the 2021/2022 campaign.

Team news

City fans will be excited by the prospect of seeing some of their new additions, with Rayan Cherki, Rayan Aït-Nouri, and Tijjani Reijnders all named in their Club World Cup squad after signing earlier in the summer window. Mateo Kovačić and Jack Grealish are among those who failed to make the squad, with the former nursing a heel injury.

Wydad are also welcoming a new signing, and one who some Premier League followers may remember. Former Watford winger Nordin Amrabat, the brother of Sofyan Amrabat, recently signed for the Moroccan side.

Man City ended the season strongly

Despite a disappointing season overall, City are going into the tournament on a strong run of form. Guardiola’s side have lost just once since the beginning of March, albeit suffering a defeat in a crucial FA Cup final game against Crystal Palace in May.

*Goals conceded per game, Champions League 2024/25*

Defensively is where City struggled in the 2024/2025 campaign, particularly in the Champions League. The Citizens conceded a whopping two goals per game on average in Europe’s elite club competition, ranking them 26th this season.

Wydad going through a tricky period

Wydad are representing their country at the competition but they were far from the best side in Morocco this season. Finishing third, Wydad were 16 points behind league leaders RS Berkane, despite having a strong end to the campaign themselves.

Amine Benhachem’s side drew 12 league games out of 30 during the season, despite Mohamed Rayhi, who could be a player to watch, scoring 11 goals in 17 starts.

Cherki the superstar waiting to explode

Cherki’s career has been an interesting one so far, bursting onto the scene as one of the most exciting youngsters in world football. His progress has been up and down since arriving in senior football, but he’s starting to show why he was so hyped as a young talent.

Cherki stood out in a Lyon side who just broke into the Europa League places, providing a goalscoring and creative threat which City will need. Phil Foden’s form has dropped off while Kevin De Bruyne was allowed to leave the club to join Napoli, and now could be the chance for Cherki to announce himself to the world.

*Cherki’s possession stats in Ligue 1 this season*

Prediction

Man City will understandably be the heavy favourites heading into this game, and although Guardiola might be tempted to rest some players for the tougher games ahead, there is a heavy financial incentive on offer for winning each match.

We’re going for a comfortable 5-0 victory for Guardiola’s side.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jun

2025

Preview: Real Madrid begin Club World Cup campaign against Al Hilal

There’s coaching debuts in both dugouts as these clubs meet for a rematch of the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup final.

By Filip Mishov

Different coaches, similar tactical ideas

A new era begins as Xabi Alonso and Simone Inzaghi are set to take charge of Real Madrid and Al Hilal, respectively, for the first time at the inaugural extended edition of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.

With both coaches favouring a back-three system and nurturing a similar football philosophy, changes are inevitable within either squad. Furthermore, both clubs have been busy in the transfer market ahead of the tournament, with Los Blancos being successful and bringing in Dean Huijsen, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Franco Mastantuono (albeit, he will join in August), while the Saudi Pro League runners-up’s efforts to lure Theo Hernández, Bruno Fernandes and Victor Osimhen, among others, have been rebuffed for now.

The opening match of Group H in Miami will be a repeat of the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup final, when the then-European champions cruised past Al Hilal the Moroccan capital of Rabat, with Federico Valverde and Vinícius Júnior scoring braces in a eight goal thriller, leading Real Madrid to their fifth title in the competition.

Quite a few players that starred in that contest remain at their clubs with the captains, Luka Modrić and Salem Al-Dawsari spearheading the list.

Key Players

The Club World Cup will be ‘The Last Dance’ for at least a couple of players in Los Blancos’ dressing room, lLucas Vázquez for one, but more notably for their aforementioned captain – Luka Modrić, who will leave as the most decorated player in Real Madrid’s history. With that being said, this will be the Croat’s final opportunity to lift additional silverware and help his former teammate, Xabi Alonso, to get off to a victorious start back at the club where he once played.

On the other side, Aleksandar Mitrović is set to be the main protagonist for Al Hilal after the Saudi club failed to sign a new star striker in the build up to the tournament and the Serbian goalscorer will be integral to Simone Inzaghi’-led squad’s plans. The prolific ‘Mitrogol’ is averaging 34 goals a season across all competitions since moving to Saudi Arabia back in 2023.

*Mitrović’s shot map from the Saudi Pro League, 2024/25*

Team news

With Alonso and Inzaghi destined to implement 3-4-3 and / or 3-5-2 formations or a rumoured 4-2-3-1, respectively, a lot will hinge on the availability of their key defenders. Thankfully for the Spaniard, Antonio Rüdiger, Éder Militão, David Alaba, Ferland Mendy, Dani Carvajal are all closing in on a return from injury, while the Italian has a full squad to pick from. Also, new signings Dean Huijsen and Trent Alexander-Arnold are expected to be heavily involved right off the start, while it will be interesting to see how Alonso will use Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo and Kylian Mbappé.

*Possible XI made with the FotMob lineup builder exclusive to fotmob.com*

Prediction

Real Madrid and Al Hilal are expected to battle it out for top spot in Group H, with all due respect to Pachuca and Salzburg, and amid many unknowns at the beginning of their respective new eras, I expect a winning debut for Xabi Alonso and an exciting match with more than a few goals.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jun

2025

Preview: Chelsea face LAFC in opening Club World Cup game

Premier League giants Chelsea start their campaign in the fancy new-look FIFA Club World Cup against MLS side LAFC on Monday, hoping to reaffirm their qualification for next season’s Champions League with a good run against some of the globe’s best sides.

By Alex Roberts

Enzo Maresca’s side won’t want to underestimate the Americans, however. Well-funded and well-rounded, LAFC are one of the better sides in the MLS’ Western Conference and fully deserving to be one of the league’s three representatives.

How did they get here?

Pundit Jamie Carragher may not like it, but Chelsea will be in the Club World Cup by virtue of their Champions League win back in 2021, which is just inside the qualifying period. They also won the old version of this tournament with a 2-1 extra-time win over Brazilian side Palmeiras later that year.

LAFC’s induction was a little less orthodox. Mexican side Club León were expelled due to FIFA’s multi-club ownership rules. Both León and Pachuca, another Mexican club, are owned by the same entity, Grupo Pachuca.

A one-off playoff against Club América ensued, and after their 2-1 comeback win, LAFC will now be putting their domestic season on hold in order to compete with some of the best clubs from Europe and the rest of the world.

A reunion with the most handsome man in football

Chelsea fans will get the opportunity to see cult hero Olivier Giroud once again when these two sides face off. He’s not the player that scored in the 4-1 Europa League final win over Arsenal, but he will be welcomed with open arms.

Now 38, Giroud has struggled since moving to LA from AC Milan as a designated player back in the summer of 2024, scoring just five goals in his 34 games across all competitions for the club.

Funnily enough, two of those goals have come in his last three games and with his penchant for the spectacular and an ability to score a goal from nothing, Chelsea will have to keep an eye of their former forward. He’s not just a pretty face.

A few potential Chelsea debuts

Maresca’s side missed out on deals for Jamie Gittens and Mike Maignan after failing to agree terms with Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan, respectively. That doesn’t mean there won’t be some debuts, however.

New arrivals Liam Delap, Dário Essugo and Mamadou Sarr will all be the squad, along with loan star Andrey Santos. All four of these lads will be hoping to make an impression on Maresca ahead of the 2025-26 season.

Delap is arguably the most exciting of those players. Taking the cursed number nine shirt, the combative forward has drawn comparisons to Diego Costa. If the former Man City academy graduate as a similar kind of impact, the fans will love him.

*Delap’s shot map for his 12 Premier League goals with Ipswich this season*

Denis Bouanga is a problem

Playing anywhere along the forward line but with a penchant for cutting in from the left and shooting, Bouanga is one of the best and most consistent goal scorers in MLS history, he’s going to be a real problem for Chelsea. Eighty-one goals in his 128 games across all competitions for the club speaks for itself.

He was the main man in the win over Club América, dragging LAFC to the Club World Cup with an assist for Igor Jesus’ 89^th minute equaliser and then bagging in the 115^th minute to round off the scoring.

Over his last ten games across all competitions, Bouanga has made 14 goal contributions, there are few players on the planet as in-form as him at this moment in time. He’s never come up against Reece James, though.

Prediction

Chelsea have just ended their season, while LAFC are in the middle of theirs. Don’t expect the Premier League side to be in top gear for this one, all of the European clubs will likely be taking it easy until the back end of the tournament. We’re going to go with a 2-1 win for Chelsea.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jun

2025

Preview: USMNT start Gold Cup campaign against Trinidad & Tobago

Mauricio Pochettino’s US men’s national team is under pressure to improve at the 2025 Gold Cup ahead of next year’s World Cup on home soil.

By Graham Ruthven

Under pressure

The US men’s national team aren’t where they want to be right now. With the 2026 World Cup on home soil now less than a year away, Mauricio Pochettino’s side are in bad shape. Supporters are starting to panic.

Last week’s friendly defeats to Türkiye and Switzerland only added to the concern, extending the USA’s losing run to four games. The 4-0 loss to Switzerland was particularly damaging as the USA looked grossly out of their depth.

It is important to note that this current USA squad isn’t the one that will play at the World Cup. Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Antonee Robinson, Sergiño Dest, Tim Weah, Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi and others are all missing, meaning Pochettino is relying on youngsters and fringe players.

Nonetheless, it’s impossible to ignore the negativity around the USMNT right now. Pochettino needs a good showing at the Gold Cup to turn things around.

Trinidad and Tobago, on the other hand, enter Sunday’s match on the back of a credible 2-1 loss to Costa Rica and a 6-2 demolition of Saint Kitts and Nevis in World Cup qualifying. They are buoyant.

Key players

Diego Luna is the beating heart of Pochettino’s USA. The Real Salt Lake playmaker is one of the few players who looks to have embraced the manager’s ideas, giving the US some much-needed intensity and creativity in the final third.

Patrick Agyemang is another who has earned Pochettino’s trust. The Charlotte FC centre forward is raw and isn’t always the most precise in front of goal, but has the physical attributes to cause opposition defences problems in quick transition.

Tyler Adams will start at the base of the midfield if fit and available while Luca De La Torre could come back into the lineup. The San Diego midfielder was missed in the loss to Switzerland.

*Tyler Adams’ player traits, compared against other midfielders in top 5 European leagues*

At the back, Chris Richards is the dominant defensive presence in the US backline. It will be on the FA Cup-winning centre back to organise and lead the USA in defence.

Levi García found the back of the net for the Soca Warriors against Costa Rica and could similarly be a threat against the USA. Coach Dwight Yorke will also need the experience of Alvin Jones and Kevin Molino to secure a result.

Team news

Adams missed the friendly against Switzerland with a minor injury after playing the second half of the narrow defeat to Türkiye. The Bournemouth midfielder is crucial to the USA who need him in central midfield.

Pochettino faces a decision over his starting goalkeeper. Matt Turner’s rustiness was on display in the 4-0 defeat to the Swiss as he made a blunder which led to the third goal. New York City FC goalkeeper Matt Freese could be given an opportunity from the start on Sunday.

Josiah Trimmingham suffered a knee injury in the friendly against Costa Rica and won’t feature against the USA. Jones is eligible to play despite being shown a red card in Trinidad & Tobago’s last outing.

Prediction

Despite all the absences and the media talk, we believe the US will have enough to get past Dwight Yorke’s underdogs in this opening contest: USA 2-0 Trinidad & Tobago.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the 2025 Gold Cup with FotMob – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Jun

2025

Preview: PSG make Club World Cup debut against Atlético Madrid

Whether or not the Club World Cup is of interest and whether or not its expansion and existence sits well with everyone, the fact is, some players and some teams simply mean matches will be watched. PSG against Atlético Madrid is likely one of them, with the new-crowned European champions eyeing up a global double.

By Karl Matchett

Elite attack

It’s no surprise that when the biggest teams lock horns, the paying fans want to see the best attackers on show and producing their best form. If they do so here it could be a wild affair indeed – Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia on one side; Antoine Griezmann, Julián Alvarez and 20-goal Alexander Sørloth on the other. Of course, this not being a league encounter doesn’t just mean they’ll be allowed free reign entirely, particularly given the managers on the touchlines. Luis Enrique might favour attacking play, but it’s within a very cohesive unit with work rate and structure at the heart of the plan. As for Diego Simeone, the whole world knows his demands only start with world class work rate.

Giant prize?

There is both a new trophy and enormous economical advantages which come with this revamped competition so the clubs will certainly want to see if they can go far. Note: that’s a potential difference between the clubs and the teams. We’re yet to see what the latter think of it.

However, one thing is worth noting: Diego Simeone has said the best way to keep Atlético’s best players is to show them they can win trophies. While Atleti didn’t manage that last season, this competition might be another chance to do so.

The Club World Cup has historically perhaps been seen more as one to win by South Americans than Europeans; Simeone comes into that category, as does one of his sought-after attackers in Alvarez. Of course, one team reportedly keen on the Argentinian forward…is PSG.

*Alvarez’s shot map from LaLiga this season*

End of season form

It couldn’t really have gone much better for the French champions in their run-in: they had already won Ligue 1 but PSG won five on the bounce to complete a treble, claiming the Champions League and Coupe de France in the process. Atlético won three of their last five to finish third in LaLiga, but were way off the pace of champions Barcelona.

Team news

Both have named full squads for the Club World Cup, though it’s difficult to say who might be involved from the outset after long seasons and with a potential seven matches to play here in short succession. Neither have reported major injuries since the end of the campaign.

Key player

Ousmane Dembélé had unquestionably the best campaign of his career, transformed as a hard-working centre-forward who could both create and score for his team. PSG’s best for goals per 90, shots per 90, chances created, xA per 90 and second for successful dribbles.

*Dembélé’s extraordinary season summary*

Prediction

A game where both are happy to let relatively loose, not be constrained too much by future needs and, hopefully, show their technical talents with regularity. If so, goals are the outcome: PSG 2-1 Atlético.

(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.

Jun

2025

Preview: Inter Miami kick off Club World Cup against Egyptian giants Al Ahly

All eyes will be on Lionel Messi and Inter Miami as they open the controversial FIFA Club World Cup at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Saturday night.

By James Nalton

Inter Miami qualified for the tournament in controversial circumstances, too.

Though there was no doubt they were the most consistently good team in MLS in 2024, winning the Supporters’ Shield by topping the overall league table in record-breaking fashion, the qualification criteria for a US host team were not known until very late in the day.

In American sports, the post-season playoffs are used to determine that year’s champion, so many thought the host place should have gone to the 2024 MLS Cup winners, LA Galaxy.

But Inter Miami got the nod, meaning FIFA gets Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, et al in their new-look Club World Cup tournament.

Stars still shine, but defence is an issue

Messi is not quite hitting the heights that saw him named MLS MVP in 2024, when he averaged over one goal per 90 minutes, but he remains the league’s outstanding player.

Messi tops the MLS charts for goals and assists combined with 15, is already in double figures for goals with 10, and boasts the highest FotMob rating in the league.

His teammate Luis Suárez is joint top of the assists charts with seven, while Sergio Busquets is still a master at playmaking from deep.

Despite having played a game fewer than most teams, and two games fewer than some others, Inter Miami are the highest scoring team in MLS so far in the 2025 season.

They do have a problem in defence, though, and only four teams in the 15-team Eastern Conference have conceded more goals than Inter Miami’s 27.

*Inter Miami are 24th out of 30 MLS teams in terms of Goals conceded per match*

Coach Javier Mascherano was tasked with adding some solidity to the structure of the side behind the star names, but even though there was a promising start to 2025, the defence soon began to leak.

This will give Al Ahly plenty of encouragement.

Peripheral difference-makers and young prospects

There are a handful of Inter Miami players to look out for outside of the ex-Barcelona stars.

These include 22-year-old Venezuelan Telasco Segovia, Argentine forward Tadeo Allende, 20-year-old American Benjamin Cremaschi, and a couple of young Argentine midfielders, Federico Redondo and Baltasar Rodríguez.

Allende, 26, is second in the team’s goalscoring charts with six, and such performances in support of Messi and Suárez can make all the difference.

Segovia has seven goal contributions so far and has gone some way towards replacing the talent of Diego Gómez, who left for Brighton having been one of MLS’s standout young players.

Al Ahly – genuine giants of world football

Al Ahly qualified for this tournament on the back of their CAF Champions League win in 2021.

It’s a tournament they went on to win again in 2023 and 2024, meaning they met the main qualification criteria for this tournament on three occasions.

This goes some way to indicating the size and pedigree of the Egyptian club, who are one of the biggest in the world, not just in Africa.

*Al Ahly have 12 Champions League titles and are the most decorated side in Africa*

Former Aston Villa forward Trézéguet, who was a youth player at Al Ahly before moving to Europe, has returned to the club ahead of the 2025/26 season and features in their Club World Cup squad.

They are captained by the Egypt national team goalkeeper, Mohamed El Shenawy.

Prediction

Al Ahly’s continental form in the CAF Champions League might give the best indication of how tough a test Inter Miami will face.

The Egyptians were knocked out on away goals in the semifinal against another Club World Cup side, Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa, and also lost a couple of group games in the most recent campaign.

It is one of the Club World Cup’s intriguing matches, featuring teams who will be looking to show they can mix it with opponents from other leagues, but as is the case in MLS, if Messi fires, Miami will win.

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

You can follow every match from the Club World Cup with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Jun

2025

2024/25 season review for the three EFL divisions

We asked our regular Football League columnist to write up his thoughts after attending all three of the play-off finals held at Wembley late last month, and after reviewing the automated Team of the Season producing by the FotMob player ratings in each division.

By Sanny Rudravajhala

It was 249 minutes into the EFL Playoff Final trilogy when my mind cracked. I found myself enchanted by three blue and yellow balloons which, through the power of physics, had found their way to the upper echelons of Wembley Stadium, floating towards the roof. Filled solely with air, the warm currents emanating from the AFC Wimbledon fans had caused them to whirl towards the heavens rather than bob along to pitch side. We were approaching the interval after a non-event of a first half in the League Two Playoff Final but thankfully I (and a few others among the 50,947 present) was snapped out of my reverie by Myles Hippolyte’s strike from the edge of the box and the ensuing Wimbledon celebration.

Are these finals actually any good? It’s a question I’d arrived at after Charlton’s cagey 1-0 victory over Leyton Orient the day before, but then I remembered Tommy Watson’s last gasp Sunderland winner and the wall of noise, sea of red pyro powder and the all-round Mackem madness that had accompanied it as they reached the Premier League.

The stakes are high – it’s all or nothing and it allows players and fans to have their Wembley moment. We can’t take it away, even when it descends into a live sequel to Albert Lamorisse’s 1956 classic, The Red Balloon.

All three promoted sides will need to bolster their squads and Sunderland will have to work hard to make sure they don’t lose any more of their talented stars in the same way that they’d already lost Tommy Watson to Brighton before the final even kicked off. But now’s not the time for me to be bursting any promotion party balloons.

Let’s have a look back at season 2024/25 and what better way than picking out some key players from the various FotMob Teams of the Season.

Top performers in the Championship

Ok, ok, yes, I know. Josh Maja up front is a bit of anomaly. If anything, it’s quite fitting that out of the top 13 scorers in the division, Maja is one of only five recognised strikers.

His inclusion with a 7.2 rating is down to an electric start, in which he scored seven goals in seven games, including an opening day hat-trick before a calf injury saw him miss West Brom’s remaining 21 games from January onwards, leaving him the joint-seventh top scorer with 12 league goals. It was a season of ‘what could have been’ for the 26-year-old and for the Baggies, after Carlos Corberán left for Valencia and their season petered out under the now-departed Tony Mowbray.

Joel Piroe on 19, as the division’s top scorer, is the name that should therefore be included up front, with the streaky Borja Sainz on 18 being capable of scoring the spectacular, as well as completely disappearing, who is another that could have made the starting XI. I’m a ‘wait and see’ on Piroe next season – perhaps his cuteness will find a way in the Premier League but he does not have that conventional forward physicality – but then again, will Leeds even need that?

Brownhill and Tanaka is a fantasy pairing in midfield.

Josh Brownhill’s outstanding campaign eclipsed anything he’d achieved so far in his career, and that of all his midfield peers. The 29-year-old has been a revelation since being given the Burnley captaincy by Scott Parker. 18 goals and 6 assists speak for itself – let’s see how he does with another crack at the Premier League.

The elegant Ao Tanaka has been a fulcrum for Leeds this season. He seems to be able to read the game quicker than anyone else and whether it’s picking out passes or nicking the ball from an opponent, everything looks easy to him. Even his slide tackling is aesthetically pleasing. Get ready for some beautifully crisp 4K Premier League slow-mos.

Junior Firpo – FotMob star man may soon be gone?

Our top performer may well have played his last game for Leeds. Out of contract this summer, the left-back’s performances have caught the eye of a host of clubs, with reports around a move to AC Milan swirling. The left-back has been vital in overloading opponents, turning up in the box with vital goals and the former Barcelona man has been unstoppable when marauding forward, setting up 10, despite missing chunks of the season through injury.

FotMob’s star man in League One: Lewis Wing

Stop me when you’ve spotted the pattern in Lewis Wing’s shot map pitch graphic (below). Yes, you’ve got it. Give him just a moment on the ball and he’ll try and bop one in from distance. It doesn’t matter whether it’s 30 yards out or the halfway line, he’ll give it a go. And seven of his nine goals completely befuddle the xG stats. All of this has been whilst Reading have been in turmoil, with their future hanging in the balance.

News of Rob Couhig and Todd Trosclair’s takeover is a huge relief for its fans and indeed for the EFL, and one of the new ownership’s first acts was to give him a new three-year contract. A thoroughly deserved reward for standing up for the club when it needed him the most and one that the fans didn’t see coming.

Their captain is hard-working defensively too and Reading will be aiming to re-build the team around Wing but given how well their young squad did in such challenging circumstances, The Royals will be challenging for the Championship next campaign. What wonderful news to see out the season.

‘Wonder-unc’ David McGoldrick – League Two’s FotMob Star

It was a Thursday night, and I was shattered, slumped on the sofa, the kids had taken my last ounce of strength. And then I see another bald bloke with a beard, in his late 30s who has yet again pulled off the seemingly impossible. Even by his standards, David McGoldrick’s vital equaliser from distance against Bradford was incredible. It actually made me just burst out laughing. McGoldrick is doing it for all of us tired dads. He’s showing us that there’s world out there beyond lower backpain, overpriced craft beer and reminiscing about the starting XIs from the 2006 ‘Gerrard’ FA Cup Final.

The Irishman has 17 goals from 35 games and each one of them is a work of art. With his instep, does he arc a ball into the top corner, or does he simply bend time and space to his whim to achieve the same aim? This is a question that even FotMob cannot yet articulate. But, for Notts County, his injury before their semi-final second leg with Wimbledon was terminal. Could we have seen Notts County go up instead of Wimbledon otherwise? We’ll never know. Once a ‘wonderkid’, now a ‘wonder-unc’, McGoldrick will, surprisingly, be looking for a new club after turning down a new contract at Meadow Lane.

And there we have it; I’ve ventured into the surreal towards the end of this. Perhaps the season has finally caught up with me. But we’ll be ready to go again, and I wonder what colour balloons will be floating around Wembley, this time next year…?

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

May

2025

Preview: Inter Miami back at home for Columbus visit

Inter Miami’s game at home to the Columbus Crew on Saturday night is their last before their Club World Cup participation begins. Going into it, they have familiar reasons to be optimistic, but also all-too-familiar problems in defence.

By James Nalton

The leak hasn’t been fixed

Inter Miami have now shipped 15 goals in their last five games, and their 26 goals conceded in total is the sixth-most in the 15-team Eastern Conference.

They did, however, round off that run of five games with a 4-2 win against the side at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, CF Montréal, in midweek.

Beyond the goals they eventually scored, Montréal had more good chances in key moments earlier in the game but couldn’t take them, and Inter Miami went on to take a 3-0 lead in the second half.

Going into that game, Montréal had scored the fewest goals in the conference, so the number of chances they created was still a worry for Javier Mascherano’s side.

On top of the worries about their defensive setup, there are personnel problems in those deeper areas too, with injuries to Jordi Alba, Tomás Avilés, Yannick Bright, and Gonzalo Luján ruling them out for the Columbus game in addition to others not expected to feature, including David Ruiz, Baltasar Rodríguez, and Drake Callender.

Suárez and Messi back in tandem

Lionel Messi scored the opening goal against Montréal, fired into the bottom corner from outside the area, and from then on it was the Messi and Luis Suárez show.

Messi set up Suárez for Miami’s second and it was the Uruguayan who made it 3-0.

Suárez then set up Messi for his second and the team’s fourth goal, as the pair performed a 1-2 before Messi executed one of his trademark chipped finishes over an onrushing goalkeeper.

The issue for Miami has never really been about these attacking players, but more about what they can do with the team setup behind them.

Though the defence remains shaky, on this occasion, the two star forwards bailed them out.

Against the Columbus Crew, they’ll be hoping for something similar in attack, but something much different in defence.

The Crew

Columbus have not been their usual selves lately. Wilfried Nancy’s team is on a run of five games without a win, which includes one defeat among four draws.

The Crew went on a similar run last year which lasted seven games, so Inter Miami will hope they have caught them at the right time, especially having beaten them once already this season.

They have also not kept a clean sheet since March (11 games ago), while Miami’s last shutout came in that game against the Crew in April.

The familiar traits are still there with Columbus, and they top the league for average possession, passes per game, and total touches in the box, but lately, this has not led to wins.

Prediction

The last five Inter Miami games have seen 26 goals scored in total, so the one thing you can usually predict with certainty in this unpredictable league is goals in Inter Miami games. Their absences and the Crew’s inability to keep clean sheets could lead to another high-scoring draw.

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

You can follow every match from MLS live this season with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

May

2025

Preview: PSG and Inter set for Champions League showdown

It’s old money vs new money, the club who’ve failed consistently in Europe for years against the one with six European trophies. So have PSG broken their curse, or will Inter’s nous see them through in this year’s Champions League final?

By Ian King

Contrasting domestic run-ins but deserved finalists

PSG have lost five games in the Champions League and just two in Ligue 1 this season, with a domestic double already secured. They blasted their way through to the final by decimating the English presence in the competition over the course of the knockout stages, beating Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal in successive rounds to get to the final.

Successive 1-0 defeats to Bologna and Roma last month handed the Serie A title to Napoli, but Inter have only lost once in the Champions League this season, a 1-0 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in a League Phase match when they’d already qualified for the next round. They beat Feyenoord, Bayern Munich and Barcelona in the knockouts to get this far.

History

Somewhat surprisingly, these two have never met in a competitive European match before. The last time they did meet was in a friendly played at the National Stadium in Tokyo in August 2023, which Inter won 2-1.

PSG have one European trophy to their name, the 1995/96 Cup Winners Cup. Inter’s record is somewhat stronger. They’ve won the European Cup / Champions League three times, the last of which came in 2010, and they last appeared in the final in 2023. They’ve also won the UEFA Cup / Europa League three times.

Key Players

Ousmane Dembélé, with 33 goals in 48 appearances in all competitions this season, is the obvious star man for PSG, but those looking for a Parisian goal from somewhere else might want to pay attention to Désiré Doué, who’s scored 13 himself from the wing. PSG have scored 147 goals in all competitions this season – 33 more than Inter – and they have four players in double-figures for goals.

Inter have had 21 different goalscorers this season, so their goals can come from just about anywhere. It may be worth keeping an eye on Denzel Dumfries, the roving defender who’s scored 11 goals in all competitions for them this season. And the Dutchman starred in both legs of the epic semifinal against Barcelona.

Team News

Inter’s big loss is Valentín Carboni, who tore a cruciate ligament in October and won’t be back until next season. Benjamin Pavard and Piotr Zielinski had knocks which saw them miss their last Serie A match of the season at Como, but both should be back for this.

PSG’s only absentee is Presnel Kimpembe, but he’s only played two league games for them in the last two seasons, so that’s no great surprise. Neither have any suspensions.

Prediction

PSG really are something of a conundrum, the team that improved for losing Messi, Mbappé and Neymar. The Qatari money that’s been poured into the club over years has made their European failures a source of constant amusement, for those interested in such things, but this season they’ve felt… different. It’s a tribute to head coach Luis Enrique that he’s turned them around to this extent.

Inter, meanwhile, stray close to that cliche of the Italian club with the savoir-faire to pull something out the bag on any big occasion, and they’ve already beaten two of the favourites to get this far. But this season’s PSG have looked different, and it’s felt as though their name has been written on this year’s Champions League for a while. This has been the season of teams who don’t usually win things, winning things, so let’s go for 2-1 PSG as an appropriate season-ender.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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