The Pulse of Football

Apr

2026

Preview: West Ham and Leeds round off the FA Cup quarterfinals

Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final will be a welcome distraction for two teams fighting to stay in the Premier League for next season.

By Graham Ruthven

Magic of the Cup

West Ham and Leeds United have plenty to worry about in the Premier League right now. Indeed, four points is all that separates them in the table with relegation a fear for both – especially the Hammers who find themselves in the bottom three.

The FA Cup, however, has been something to savour for two struggling teams with a place in the competition’s final four at stake in Sunday’s meeting at the London Stadium.

In making it this far, West Ham have seen off Queens Park Rangers, Burton Albion and Brentford in this season’s FA Cup while Leeds have overcome Derby County, Birmingham City and Norwich City.

Nuno Espírito Santo’s side have drawn six of their last eight games in 90 minutes in all competitions although the Hammers were underwhelming in their final outing (a 2-0 loss to Aston Villa) before the international break.

Even more impressive is the fact West Ham haven’t lost a game at the London Stadium in the last three months. The Hammers have become a tricky team to beat in front of their own fans.

Leeds, meanwhile, have lost just two of their last nine matches in all competitions with those only defeats coming against Manchester City and Sunderland. It should be noted, however, that they have drawn a blank in their last two games.

As a Premier League encounter, this could be a cagey affair. In the FA Cup, though, the shackles could be thrown off.

Key players

Nobody has scored more goals for the Hammers this season than Jarrod Bowen who is expected to start off the right side for the home side against Leeds on Sunday.

Bowen is the only West Ham player to have created more chances than Mateus Fernandes in the 2025/26 season with the Portuguese midfielder fresh from making his international debut for the Seleção against the USA.

Konstantinos Mavropanos has been rock-solid for the Hammers in recent matches and could be integral to West Ham’s chances of going even further in this season’s FA Cup.

Leeds could do with Dominic Calvert-Lewin rediscovering his scoring touch after the goalless draws against Crystal Palace and Brentford. The England striker has scored 10 league goals this season, but has yet to find the back of the net in the FA Cup.

Anton Stach has created more Big Chances than any other Leeds player this season and will be the creative spark through the middle of the pitch for the away side on Sunday.

Team news

Crysencio Summerville and Jean-Clair Todibo are both injury doubts for West Ham. Todibo missed the defeat to Villa before the international break and was missed as the Hammers suffered a 2-0 loss.

Gabriel Gudmundsson is available again after missing the draw against Brentford through suspension. Daniel Farke has a fully fit squad to choose from for the visit to London to take on West Ham.

Prediction

Both teams could treat this as a free hit, given this isn’t a Premier League six pointer, but the prize of a FA Cup semifinal trip to Wembley, and what that would mean for both sides could counteract that, so we think this could still be a cagy encounter settled by a single goal: West Ham 1-0 Leeds.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Apr

2026

Antoine Griezmann’s long Atleti goodbye

After nine years over two spells at Atlético Madrid, Antoine Griezmann will say goodbye to Los Colchoneros at the end of the season.

By Graham Ruthven

It’s difficult to imagine Atlético Madrid without Antoine Griezmann, and vice versa. The Frenchman has played for other teams – Barcelona and Real Sociedad – in his career, but Atleti is where Griezmann made himself an icon. He became a reflection of the club, and the club of him. This summer, though, they will part ways.

It was confirmed last week that Griezmann will join Orlando City in July. After years of speculation about a move to Major League Soccer, the forward can now look forward to a life in the United States. Even at 35 years old, Griezmann will be one of the league’s best players alongside Lionel Messi, Son Heung-min and Thomas Müller.

There’s still plenty for Griezmann to achieve before he says goodbye to Atlético Madrid and European football, though. This weekend’s encounter with Barcelona marks the start of a run of fixtures that could give the forward the perfect sendoff. Griezmann’s long goodbye could be a memorable and glorious one.

Atleti are too far from the top of LaLiga to mount a late title challenge. Instead, Saturday’s meeting with Griezmann’s former club from Catalonia will be the first of three quickfire fixtures against Barcelona that, at least in the case of the latter two games, could define Atlético’s season.

For all that Atleti have won under Diego Simeone, the Champions League remains the final frontier. Los Colchoneros have made two Champions League finals. Had it not been for Sergio Ramos, Atlético Madrid would have lifted the most prestigious trophy in club football in 2014.

Other rivals appear better-equipped to win this season’s Champions League, but Atleti can’t be discounted. Simeone’s side have found their scoring touch recently, finding the back of the net 22 times in their last nine games. Griezmann is part of one of the most formidable forward lines in Europe right now.

Ademola Lookman has given Atleti another dimension since joining from Atalanta in the January transfer window. Alexander Sørloth has also grown as an attacking focal point in 2026 while Julián Alvarez has scored more goals than any other player for Atlético Madrid in all competitions this season.

Griezmann, however, is still the brightest creative spark Atleti have. He is leading his team for Expected Goals per 90 this season. He is also averaging more shots on target per 90 than any other Atlético Madrid player. Simeone is rotating Griezmann between games, but this is to keep him fresh for the matches that matter most.

“I remember when he arrived as a short winger who played on the left,” said Simeone, casting his mind back to Griezmann’s arrival at Atlético Madrid from Real Sociedad in 2014. “We encouraged him to exploit his best qualities – speed, heading, his left foot, his one-on-one talent.

“He grew to play in that position at the World Cup and become a world champion [with France in 2018]. He was always a role model in everything, from his effort and work ethic to the joy he brought to the team. Today, our fans’ appreciation is well deserved for what Antoine gives us. Talent has no age.”

Atleti are at a crossroads. US-based investment firm Apollo Sports Capital Investment purchased a majority stake in the club in November, raising questions over its plans for the future. For $2.55 billion, Apollo surely wants Atlético Madrid to compete more regularly for the biggest prizes in Spanish and European football.

Not so long ago, it seemed Simeone’s own future in this new landscape was in question. The Argentine moulded Atleti in their current form, but a lot of supporters desire a new, more attractive style of play. It was speculated Apollo shared that desire and could make a managerial change this summer.

Simeone and his team, however, have been reinvigorated by the challenge of a deep Champions League run and winning the Copa del Rey. After concluding their Champions League quarter-final tie against Barcelona, Atlético Madrid will face Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey final. Griezmann’s farewell will include another meeting with a former club.

Over the last decade or so, Griezmann has consistently been one of the best players in the world. Only Lionel Messi, Karim Benzema and Luis Suárez have scored more LaLiga goals than the French forward since 2015 with Griezmann more adaptable than any of the other names on this list.

He can play as a centre forward or as part of a front two. At the 2022 World Cup, Griezmann turned into an accomplished number eight for France. Most recently for Atlético Madrid, he has been a floating number 10 with the freedom to drop deep, get forward and basically do everything. Atleti will miss him, but not before he has the opportunity to achieve even more.

(Images from IMAGO)

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

Apr

2026

Preview: Atlético Madrid and Barcelona start a run of three meetings in 10 days

Atlético Madrid host Barcelona at the Metropolitano on Saturday evening as Diego Simeone’s side look to bounce back following their defeat in their derby match against Real Madrid last time out.

By Matt Smith

Hansi Flick’s men will be looking to extend their lead at the top of LaLiga to seven points, and the Catalan giants are on a strong run of form, winning five games on the bounce.

When the two sides met back in December in the league, Barcelona secured a 3-1 victory on their own turf.

Team news

Atlético are set to be without both Marcos Llorente and Johnny Cardoso, with the duo suspended for the game against Barcelona. Pablo Barrios will also miss out due to injury, while Jan Oblak, Alexander Sørloth, Rodrigo Mendoza, and Marc Pubill are doubts.

Meanwhile, Raphinha will be unavailable for Barcelona after picking up an injury while on international duty with Brazil. He joins Andreas Christensen and Frenkie De Jong on the treatment table.

Goals win games

Barcelona have been far and away the best team in LaLiga and one of the best in Europe when it comes to their attacking production. Flick’s side are creating chances at will, and converting them more than efficiently.

Barcelona’s defence has been leaky at times, but as basic as it sounds, creating as many chances as they do, the struggles at the back rarely matter. The Catalan giants have conceded more goals than Real Madrid and the same as Atlético, but nobody gets close to them when it comes to finding the back of the net.

Atlético’s direct and effective style

Diego Simeone is known for his aggressive and intense style, and he’s a rare profile of manager at the top-level of football at the moment. Many coaches have a large focus on short passing and playing out from the back, but Atlético are enjoying success with a more direct style.

Against Barcelona, who often deploy a high line, we might see some success from Simeone’s men in behind the opposition defence. When the two sides met in the Copa del Rey first-leg back in February, we saw just that, with Atlético securing a 4-0 victory.

Rashford to step up

With Raphinha out injured, there’s a real opportunity for Marcus Rashford to step up to the plate. The English forward has struggled for minutes of late, but he’s proven to be an effective asset in the final third when given an opportunity to impress.

Rashford, who is on loan from Manchester United, might not have been given the chances he would have hoped for in recent months, but he now has the opportunity to prove his worth to Flick and make the left-wing position his own.

Prediction

It’s a difficult game to call with Atlético a tough side on their own turf, so we’re going for a 2-2 draw in this one.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Apr

2026

Preview: Arsenal head to Southampton for FA Cup quarterfinal

Arsenal continue their quest to end their silverware drought with a trip to play Southampton in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

By Ian King

Arsenal have a point to prove following their Carabao Cup final defeat, but Southampton are in blistering form

From a quadruple to a treble, then. Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final ended their hopes of a clean sweep of domestic trophies this season, but with the Champions League, the Premier League and the FA Cup still open to them, they still have a lot to play for.

This weekend provides the Gunners with an opportunity to get themselves back on track with a trip to the south coast to play Championship club Southampton in the last eight of the FA Cup, and under normal circumstances this might be considered a straightforward match for them.

But Southampton are in outstanding form, unbeaten in all competitions since the middle of January (14 games) and having beaten Premier League opposition in the form of Fulham away from home in the last round of the FA Cup.

A slow start to the season left them hovering only just above the relegation places in the Championship by the start of November, but the appointment of Tonda Eckert following the sacking of Will Still has proved transformative, and they’re now in the middle of a race for a play-off place to secure a quick return to the Premier League following their relegation at the end of last season.

These two clubs first met each other in an FA Cup semi-final 99 years ago this year

Arsenal have the historical advantage in this fixture, with Southampton having only won three of the last seventeen meetings between the two teams. But the last time they met each other in the FA Cup, they did record a win, beating the Gunners 1-0 at St Mary’s in the fourth Round in January 2021.

One curious statistic about this game is that, after the two clubs met for the first time in the FA Cup semi-finals 99 years ago this season, they didn’t play each other again at all for another 39 years. Arsenal won that first meeting 2-1 at Stamford Bridge, but then lost the final 1-0 to Cardiff City.

Arsenal’s latest starlet may be given the space to shine in this match

Unbeaten in their last 12 consecutive games in the Championship, Southampton have plenty of in-form players at the moment, but one of their star performers throughout this season has been attacking midfielder Finn Azaz. He’s scored ten goals for them this season and created six assists, and was in action for the Republic of Ireland over the international break, featuring in their agonising play-off defeat to Czechia and their friendly against North Macedonia.

With a Champions League quarter-final to follow for Arsenal against Sporting on Tuesday night, Mikel Arteta may continue to rest some senior players for this match, and this may allow another opportunity for Max Dowman to prove himself.

Dowman scored his first Premier League goal on his last appearance against Everton, but he didn’t get on the pitch in their two matches following that against Bayer Leverkusen and Manchester City, so this might be a good opportunity for the 16-year-old to get some more experience in the first team.

Mikel Arteta may choose to rest his best players, with the Champions League and Premier League run-ins to come

One of the bigger questions of the international break turned out to be that of how many Arsenal players might actually be injured at the moment. In total, 23 players were withdrawn from international squads by Premier League clubs for the last international break and almost half of them – 11, in total – were Arsenal players.

With crucial matches in both the Champions League and Premier League coming up, this match is likely to see more players being rested. William Saliba, Gabriel, Eberechi Eze, Martin Ødegaard, Jurrien Timber, Leandro Trossard, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke, Martin Zubimendi and Piero Hincapie were the players withdrawn. It’s entirely plausible that all of these players sit this match out as well.

For Southampton, Leo Scienza has been missing for the last three weeks and is doubtful for this match, but Ross Stewart did return for their last match before the break, a 2-0 win against Oxford United. Welington and Jay Robinson have both also been absentees; they returned to training before the Oxford match and could return for this one, though with Southampton also facing a crucial stage in their league season, they could also both be rested for this one.

Southampton will provide Arsenal with a stiff challenge, but how seriously will either team take this match?

There’s little question that the FA Cup is the junior partner in Arsenal’s pursuit of the treble, and the biggest question facing Mikel Arteta this weekend is how much he can afford to rest players for this leg of it. The Carabao Cup final provided a warning on the risks of dropping established players.

The decision to drop David Raya in favour of Kepa Arrizabalaga may have cost his team that match. On top of that, they only squeezed through the Fifth Round of the FA Cup with a narrow 2-1 win away to Mansfield Town.

And Southampton have been flying in 2026. They’re unbeaten in their last 14 games in all competitions, with eleven wins and three draws. They also arguably have more important matters at hand than the FA Cup.

They currently occupy the final Championship play-off place, but this is only on goal difference above Wrexham, and the target that will really matter to them for the remainder of this season will be trying to secure a return to the Premier League which looked inconceivable just a few months ago.

Still though, I expect Arsenal to get through this tie. The gulf between the Premier League remains as big as ever, and much as Arsenal have bigger fish to fry over the remainder of this season, the same could also be said for their opponents. I’ll go for a 2-1 Arsenal win which ends up being a little trickier for them than it looks on paper.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game in the FA Cup with FotMob this year – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Apr

2026

Preview: Real Madrid head to Mallorca

Relegation-threatened Mallorca welcome the in-form Los Blancos as LaLiga returns to action following the international break.

By Filip Mishov

The Pirate ship is in danger of sinking if Martín Demichelis does not inspire a turnaround in form

Martín Demichelis will have enjoyed the two-week March international break, as the new Mallorca coach finally got a chance to work with the squad for an extended period following his recent appointment at the helm. The Argentine was brought in with the ultimate task of securing safety in LaLiga, with the Pirates currently sitting in the relegation zone (18^th place) with only nine matches to go. The former Monterrey coach has endured a mixed start (1W, 1D, 1L) and lost the relegation six-pointer against Elche in the previous round of games. That means the pressure is on ahead of three consecutive home matches coming up at the Estadi Mallorca Son Moix this month.

After a turbulent start, Álvaro Arbeloa is beginning to get the best out of Real Madrid‘s star-studded squad with the Whites currently on a five-match winning streak between LaLiga and the Champions League, which includes a double over Manchester City and a Madrid derby victory. Madrid are averaging 2.8 goals per 90 during their impressive run and they could apply pressure on league leaders Barcelona, should they win at Mallorca. Having said that, Real’s record on the island is relatively poor, with only a couple of wins (2W, 1D, 2L) across their past five visits.

Key players

Vedat Muriqi is the second-top scorer in LaLiga this season with 18 goals, with only Kylian Mbappé (23 goals) ahead of the Kosovan striker. The 31-year-old is Mallorca’s highest-rated (7.18) player in the squad too, as the prolific forward is averaging more shots per 90 (3.4) and boasting a larger xG per 90 (0.56) than any other of his teammates. Subsequently, Muriqi’s performances are going to be crucial for their survival hopes between now and the end of the season.

Vinícius Júnior took over the protagonist role in Kylian Mbappé’s recent absence and the in-form Brazilian thrived by displaying Player of the Match performances both against Manchester City and Atletico Madrid, respectively, earning a FotMob rating of 9.0 on both occasions. With the Frenchman training normally but still not 100% fit, the winger may continue to be Real Madrid’s main attacking threat going forward and the 25-year-old is only behind his partner in terms of goals scored (11) and goals + assists in LaLiga (16).

Team news

Álvaro Arbeloa is set to be without the starting goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, while Federico Valverde will serve a one-match suspension after getting sent off in the Madrid derby. Ferland Mendy and Rodrygo are out injured, but Éder Militao is back in training.

For Mallorca, Pablo Maffeo is doubtful as the Argentine right-back missed the most recent match against Elche, while Lucas Bergström, Marash Kumbulla and Takuma Asano are all sidelined.

Prediction

Even though Real Madrid’s recent record at Mallorca is not great and Álvaro Arbeloa will surely have one eye on the upcoming Champions League quarter-final tie against Bayern München, I still believe that the second-placed team in LaLiga has more than enough quality to secure three vital points against the Demichelis-led Mallorca.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Apr

2026

Preview: Port Vale stand in the way of Chelsea and a FA Cup semifinal

A chaotic international break is over, and we can get back to club football. Chelsea will no doubt be hoping for a relatively calm game against this season’s FA Cup fairytale story in Port Vale at Stamford Bridge.

By Alex Roberts

Sitting rock bottom of League One, Jon Brady’s side are certainly punching above their weight reaching the quarter final of the oldest competition in football, but that’s what it’s all about, and long may it continue.

As for Chelsea, things are not looking good in West London. Four defeats in a row, Champions League qualification looking unlikely, and a whole host of disillusioned players. Liam Rosenior has plenty to do.

Not a good week for Chelsea

The international break was rough for the Blues. They didn’t pick up and new injury worries, and a good number of players had time to rest. The players that did head of with their international teams had a LOT to say, though.

Enzo Fernández has now done three separate interviews in which he has flirted with Real Madrid in some kind of way, saying how much he would love to live in the Spanish capital and of his admiration for Toni Kroos.

Then there was Marc Cucurella. He didn’t hold back when speaking about the decision to part ways with Enzo Maresca and the club’s policy of hoarding young players. All is not well at the club, and if the ownership’s short history at the club has proven anything, it’s unlikely to change.

Dutty Waine

Port Vale’s FA Cup run is one of the better stories of the season so far. With 31 points, 14 off safety in League One, relegation is a foregone conclusion at this point, but there is still a sense of joy around the club.

A lot of that is down to striker Ben Waine. Like his club, the New Zealand international has struggled in the league, scoring three goals in 20 games. In the FA Cup, though, he’s come alive, with three in four.

Waine scored the winning goals in Port Vale’s two 1-0 wins over Bristol City and Sunderland, ensuring he will go down in the club’s history for years to come. It’s likely that this will be the end of their FA Cup journey, but sometimes it’s about the memories you make along the way…

Team news

It gets harder to predict what team Chelsea will play as the weeks go by, but we can say with some degree of certainty that Reece James (hamstring), Levi Colwill (ACL), Trevoh Chalobah (ankle), and Filip Jörgensen (groin) won’t feature.

Jamie Gittens (hamstring) and Benoît Badiashile (illness) are both major doubts too.

On to Port Vale, they’ll be without Ben Heneghan, George Byres and Jayden Stockley due to injury. Onel Hernández, who played 26 times for Norwich in the 2019/20 Premier League season, could be handed his first start.

Prediction

Now, Chelsea SHOULD and probably will win this one, even if they had a hard time in the last round against Wrexham. We are fairly confident they’ll concede, though, so we’re going with 3-1 to the home side.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Apr

2026

Preview: Manchester City meet Liverpool in headline FA Cup quarter-final

Recently crowned EFL Cup champions Manchester City will have to overcome Liverpool to keep their hopes of winning a second domestic cup title this season alive.

By Neel Shelat

Manchester City’s impressive FA Cup record

Manchester City have made it to the final of the FA Cup in each of the last three seasons. They defeated Manchester United in 2022 before losing to the Red Devils the following year, and of course, falling short against Crystal Palace last time around. Should they manage to make it to the big stage again, they’ll become the first team in the competition’s history to appear in four consecutive finals. In fact, they have already created history by becoming the first team to reach seven consecutive semi-finals, and could extend that streak further.

Pep Guardiola’s side will surely give it everything to try and make that happen, as this is the only major title entirely within their own reach for the remainder of the season. They were eliminated from the Champions League before the international break, while consecutive draws in the Premier League have seen them slip nine points away from Arsenal.

Liverpool misfiring in March

Liverpool certainly had a month to forget in March as they failed to win the majority of their six matches. Their results included losses to Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brighton & Hove Albion, and a draw with Tottenham Hotspur in the league, as well as a first leg loss against Galatasaray in the Champions League. While they showed signs of serious quality in their wins, consistency remained an issue for Arne Slot’s side.

The Reds will definitely need to find their top gear now as they have some huge matches coming up thick and fast. This quarter-final will be followed by their Champions League last eight tie against holders Paris Saint-Germain, while the Merseyside derby is scheduled right after the second leg.

Team news

Manchester City are expected to be without three centre-backs as Joško Gvardiol, Rúben Dias and John Stones are all out injured.

Liverpool have a much longer injury list, including quite a few absentees in the defensive department. Goalkeeper Alisson Becker is most notable among them, while Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni and Wataru Endo remain unavailable due to long-term injuries.

Alexander Isak is unlikely to feature despite returning to training, but the big news is that Slot expects Mohamed Salah and Federico Chiesa to be available for this match.

Key players

This is going to be the first match for Liverpool after the announcement of Salah’s upcoming departure, so he’ll certainly be one to keep an eye on even if he only features in a limited capacity. In a similar vein, Bernardo Silva is expected to leave Manchester City at the end of his contract, though this hasn’t been made official yet.

Strikers Erling Haaland and Hugo Ekitike always have the potential to make a telling contribution for either side, but they’ll be looking for goals from elsewhere too. Nico O’Reilly is one to watch for City after his EFL Cup final heroics, while Dominik Szoboszlai is always capable of the spectacular for Liverpool.

*Recent H2H results, including City’s two wins this season*

Prediction

Manchester City could edge out a close win as Liverpool might have half an eye on the Champions League.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Apr

2026

FotMob Opinion: Florian Wirtz needs one big performance to cement his place at Liverpool

After a big money transfer, people are always eager to judge a player. Are they a success or a flop? There’s no nuance to it. It can, at times, be as simple as looking at goals and assists. In the case of Florian Wirtz, the output wasn’t there and it made it easy for people to declare him an expensive failure following his £116million move to Liverpool.

By Sam McGuire

The former Bayer Leverkusen man went 22 games without finding the back of the net for the Reds. He was in and out of the team and it did appear as though Arne Slot didn’t really know how to get the best out of his new No. 7. One week, the playmaker would be deployed as an attacking midfielder and then the next he’d be on the left side of the attack. He also had a stint on the right side and even found himself in a midfield double pivot with Liverpool chasing games.

Adapting to a new league, a new system and a new team would’ve been difficult enough without the reigning Premier League champions going through a bit of an identity crisis. Still, none of that was factored in when Florian Wirtz was being assessed by the majority of neutrals. He wasn’t scoring and he wasn’t really assisting. His price-tag wasn’t being justified in the slightest. The only explanation for this, of course, was that he was a flop.

*Wirtz’s player traits compared with similar players in top 5 leagues*

But then he started finding the back of the net. He started assisting. All of a sudden, the fee, while it wasn’t necessarily viewed as reasonable, didn’t quite look as silly as it once did.

Now though, he’s without a goal since January and his impact this season is being questioned, judged and assessed. The Athletic recently published a piece on the 22-year-old in which they say ‘he hasn’t been good enough to be described as a definitive success, but not bad enough to be written off as a complete flop.’

How do you define what a success in the current era? While Wirtz might not be leading the charts for goals and assists, he’s, quite clearly, contributed this season for the Reds in what has been a difficult campaign for Slot and his players. For example, he’s second for chances created amongst the Liverpool team. He ranks second for Expected Assists and is joint-second for Expected Assists per 90. He was signed to fill the creative void left by Trent Alexander-Arnold and, looking at the numbers, he’s done his job. It’s not his fault that teammates have struggled to convert the opportunities he’s carved out.

*Wirtz’s passing numbers in the Premier League this season*

Could he have more goals to his name? Yes. He’s found the back of the net just four times this term in the Premier League despite amassing an Expected Goals haul of 5.73. At a glance, you can attribute the underperformance to poor finishing. However, his xG on Target total is 5.75. He’s actually not been an awful finisher. If anything, he’s been unlucky. Last season, his goal return aligned nicely with his xG and his xGOT. This time around, the ball just hasn’t found its way into the back of the net, despite his best efforts.

In a nutshell, he’s creating and he’s a goal threat. He’s doing everything he’s supposed to be doing for Liverpool. He’s just not doing it as much as people would’ve liked. What might help the German maestro would be a standout performance. If he was able to put in a season-defining showing in a big game for the Reds, the narrative would be flipped.

He has the ideal opportunity this weekend as the Merseyside club travel to the Etihad to face Manchester City in the FA Cup. Liverpool have struggled against Pep Guardiola’s side this season, losing both fixtures.

And the Reds don’t have the best record at the Etihad. Since the 4-1 win over City in November 2015, Liverpool have just two wins across all competitions there. A Man of the Match showing in an FA Cup quarter-final away at the Etihad would go some way to making a statement.

The stage is set for Wirtz.

Liverpool are still without Alexander Isak. Mohamed Salah missed the loss to Brighton but is expected to return for this clash. What version of the Egyptian will Liverpool fans see though? The one who ran riot against Galatasaray or the one that has been used effectively all season as a right-winger? Hugo Ekitike limped off early against the Seagulls but impressed for France in their victory over Brazil during the international break. The No. 22 scored the eventual winner with a dinked finish over former City shot-stopper Ederson.

While Ekitike has been among the goals this season, netting 11 in the Premier League, he has just three goals in the English top-flight since the turn of the year and two of those arrived in a game against Newcastle in January. He isn’t in the best of form. If he’s going to rediscover his goalscoring run for the Reds, Wirtz will have a key role to play.

*For more graphics like this, check out @fotmobapp on Instagram*

If the Reds are going to knock City out on home turf, Wirtz will have an important role to play. He’s heading into the game full of confidence too after stealing the show for Germany in their 4-3 win over Switzerland. The £116million man was involved in all four goals, scoring twice and assisting twice.

Liverpool desperately need that version of Wirtz if they’re going to end the season on a high.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Apr

2026

FotMob Profile: Palermo are back to looking pretty in pink

Palermo have been through it. The club have been bankrupted twice, three former presidents have passed away since 2022, and they were relegated to Italian football’s fourth division due to financial mismanagement. Now, things are finally starting to look up.

By Alex Roberts

On the pitch, in the stands and the boardroom, Palermo have always been chaotic. Unfortunately, it caught up to them in 2019, with the club going into liquidation and originally relegated to Serie C before it was then ruled a demotion to Serie B would be sufficient.

Sounds bad, right? Well, it gets worse. Unable to pay the remigration fee for Italy’s second flight, Palermo went under and were resurrected as a ‘phoenix club’, technically named SSD Palermo, although they made sure to stick with the iconic pink kit.

It was devastating. Palermo is a one club city, young fans are taught to love the club by those generations who came before, insisting that the fact they have never won a major trophy matters little to the community that’s been built.

They’ve come close on a couple of occasions, most notably losing the 2011 Coppa Italia final to Inter Milan, back when they had the likes of Josip Iličić, Fabrizio Miccoli and Javier Pastore on their teamsheet.

As the dust settled, the reborn club got back to business and the fans came out in numbers, setting a Serie D attendance record of 17,000, which still stands today. They were promoted to Serie C at the first time of asking in 2019/20.

Two seasons in Serie C flew by, and after Palermo managed to earn promotion back to Serie B in 2022, everything changed. City Football Group flew in and bought an 80% stake in the club for a reported £11.2 million.

That does put somewhat of a dampener on this being a true underdog/rags to riches kind of stories, but it’s the way of the world. Multi-club ownership won’t be going away any time soon, and so long as they have a club to support, Palermo fans will be happy.

Credit where it’s due, City Football Group have calmed the boardroom chaos, don’t worry, it’s still there on the pitch and in the stands. They haven’t gone full BlueCo, throwing mud at the wall and hoping some of it will stick, they’ve taken a more measured approach.

That doesn’t mean money hasn’t been spent. Palermo have a positive net spend of €44.14 million since the takeover, meaning they’ve spent more money on players than they’ve brought in by a considerable margin.

All of that investment is really starting to pay off this season. An eighth-place finish and a play-off loss to Juve Stabia in 2024/25 lit a fire under Palermo, and they’re now well placed to potentially push for automatic promotion.

Ex- Parma, Juventus, and AC Milan striker Filippo Inzaghi, brother of former Inter Milan boss Simeone, was appointed last July. He now has Palermo in fourth on 61 points, four off Monza in second and nine above Catanzaro in fifth.

For those that have had even a passing interest in Italian football, it should be unsurprising that Palermo play a back three. Now, that in and of itself isn’t necessarily an issue, but given recent development with the Italian national team, it could be seen as outdated.

As a player, Inzaghi was known for playing right on opposition defensive lines, Sir Alex Ferguson once famously described him as “born offside.” It’s clear as day that he’s instructed his defenders on how to prevent forwards from slipping in behind. As a manager, Inzaghi has become a Serie B promotion expert, having lead Venezia, Benevento, and Pisa all back to the promised land of Serie A in recent seasons.

Palermo are not too bothered about possession, averaging 48.5% per 90 minutes, keeping a league high 15 clean sheets so far this season. With that been said, they still create plenty of chances, 85 big ones to be exact.

They press hard, winning possession in the final third 3.8 times per 90, but they don’t fly into tackles, averaging 13.5 per match. All in all, they’re a very well coached side, cool under pressure and confident in their abilities to get over the line.

Inzaghi has plenty of fantastic players at his disposal, but none are as important as Finnish striker Joel Pohjanpalo. Palermo’s attack is so reliant on the 31-year-old, we’re talking early 2025/26 Erling Haaland at Man City levels of dependence.

Pohjanpalo, signed from current Serie B leaders Venezia in February 2025, is the divisions current top scorer with 21 goals in his 32 games, a massive eight goals ahead of Pescara’s Antonio Di Nardo.

To make just how good Pohjanpalo has been even more stark, Palermo’s second highest scorer is playmaker Jérémy Le Douaron on five. It’s safe to say that if Inzaghi’s side do manage to earn promotion back to the promised land, Pohjanpalo is due his flowers.

Perhaps most importantly, especially for a club like Palermo, he’s integrated into the city. “It feels like home,” he told Forbes. “It’s the welcome that the fans gave me from the first day at the stadium. It’s been incredible.”

The goalscorers are glamorous, and sticking the ball in the back of the net is the most tangible statistic in football, but there are others who deserve a mention. 32-year-old Mattia Bani has been near perfect at the heart of their defence.

FotMob’s highest rated Palermo player of the season so far, so you know he’s good, Bani has made an incredible 298 defensive contributions, including 41 tackles, 90 recoveries, and 188 clearances.

He’s not a bad passer of the ball either, completing 948 at a success rate of 84.3%, along with 70 accurate long balls with a success rate of 48.6%. Bani likes to pop up with a goal too, scoring three, two of which have come in Palermo’s last two games.

We don’t want to say that Palermo are back, because they could still be playing in Serie B next season, it’s not like they’re running away with the title and promotion is guaranteed. The signs are good though, and it feels like a matter of time before they do get back to the big time.

Palermo may not have many trophies or superstar players, but they’re a huge club all the same. The worst is now behind them, now they can finally focus on the future.

(Images from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from Serie B on FotMob – with in-depth stat coverage, xG, and player ratings, where available. Download the free app here.

Apr

2026

FotMob Profile: Nico Paz has the world at his feet

The 2026 World Cup is certain to be Lionel Messi’s international swansong for Argentina and what a ride it has been, but his heir in waiting will also be in the squad.

By Ross Kilvington

From his first goal at the tournament in 2006 against Serbia and Montenegro to finally getting his hands on the trophy in 2022, Messi moved the needle, going from one of the brightest talents in the game to arguably the finest player in history.

He will turn 39 during the tournament and while Messi is used to playing in the Florida heat, his role might be somewhat diminished compared to previous tournaments.

As such, Lionel Scaloni will be expecting other members of the squad to step up to the mantle and prove that there can be life without the Inter Miami superstar.

Talents such as Franco Mastantuono, Giuliano Simeone and Thiago Almada all featured in the 2-1 friendly victory over Mauritania last week as Scaloni began to fine-tune his squad.

It was Nico Paz, however, who delivered the finest audition on what was just his third international start. In the process, he bolstered his chances of making the starting XI for Argentina’s opening tie in North America against Algeria.

Paz showcased his talents against Mauritania

With the clash against Mauritania expected to be a relatively one-sided affair, Scaloni gave Paz a start, unleashing the former Real Madrid prodigy on the right of a three-man attack.

Enzo Fernández opened the scoring, but it was Argentina’s second of the evening which really got the supporters off their seats. A free-kick was won after 30 minutes and the Como attacking midfielder was tasked with the responsibility.

Perhaps it was Messi watching on from the bench or perhaps it was a need to conjure up something special in a bid to impress Scaloni, but Paz scored his first international goal by cooly dispatching the free-kick to make it 2-0.

Messi’s admiration for the goal was evident and if this is a sign of things to come from the 21-year-old, then the future of Argentinian football might be in good hands.

Although it was his goal that naturally drew the plaudits, Paz did also succeed with two of his three dribble attempts throughout the first half, along with taking five touches in the opposition penalty area and chipping in with four defensive contributions.

*Paz player traits compared to similar players in top 5 leagues*

Scaloni made some changes for the friendly game against Zambia, which saw Paz drop to the bench in favour of Messi, who started the game on the right side of a three-man attack.

Paz did come on as a second-half substitute, replacing Almada with 16 minutes remaining. The attacking midfielder enjoyed a lively cameo, taking a shot while also succeeding with his only dribble attempt and made four carries.

Argentina will play Honduras on June 6 and Serbia three days later in what will be their final friendly matches before the start of the World Cup.

Between now and then, Paz will be determined to finish the campaign strongly for Como and give his chances of starting a massive boost.

The next few weeks could be crucial for Paz

Up until this point, Paz has been in sensational form for Como, playing a major role in I Biancoblù’s run to the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia along with leading them to fourth in Serie A.

Champions League football is a real possibility. Across his 29 league games for the Italian side this term, Paz has scored ten goals while chipping in with six assists.

His performances have been so good that Paz ranks among the top 5% in his position when compared to others in Serie A across a range of metrics.

Big chances created (11), shots on target (41), successful dribbles (55) and possession won in the final third (23) are just a few of those metrics, demonstrating his effectiveness in the final third.

Paz’s versatility has also been on show for Como this season. The attacking midfielder has started almost every game as a number ten under Cesc Fàbregas, but he does have a tendency to drift out to the right wing.

*Paz’s passing stats in Serie A this season*

“Nico is a very offensive player, we want to exploit his characteristics on the pitch. He is an attacking midfielder but also an 8. An 8 or a 10.” Said Fàbregas earlier this season on his protégé.

The reality is, however, that Paz is clearly a mixture of both roles. He has the attacking capabilities to function perfectly as a number 10 – as evidenced this season with his 16 goal contributions in Serie A – but the youngster is adept at connecting phases and covers a lot of ground during matches.

This ability to operate across a few positions is a major strength, something that Scaloni could use to his advantage throughout the World Cup this summer.

The World Cup winning coach tends to favour a 4-3-3- system, which differs from what Paz is used to with Fàbregas’s 4-2-3-1 formation at Como.

As such, he might have to make do with being deployed out wide on the right if called upon in North America.

*Paz’s possession stats in Serie A this season*

As demonstrated during the first half of the match against Mauritania, though, the 21-year-old was highly effective in this role and he might well turn out to be Argentina’s secret weapon.

The next few weeks are crucial. If he continues his fine form and leads Como to the Champions League and wins the Coppa Italia, Scaloni might just be tempted to unleash him from the start against Algeria on June 17.

Messi could be saying his goodbyes, but in Paz, Argentina have a new talisman ready to take over.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every Argentina game with FotMob in the build up to the World Cup – with in-depth stat coverage, including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.