Page 128 – The Pulse of Football

Feb

2025

Preview: Real Madrid host Manchester City in playoff second leg

Manchester City have to win at the Bernabéu if they’re to stay in the Champions League. Orders don’t come much taller than this.

By Ian King

Form…or the lack of it

Manchester City travel to Madrid having so far fallen some distance short of having set this year’s Champions League alight. They’ve won just four of the nine games that they’ve played, and their first leg defeat to Real Madrid has left them needing a win just to force the tie into extra-time. They’ll need at least a two-goal win to avoid a penalty shootout.

Real Madrid haven’t had a particularly happy February yet, except for last week’s win in Manchester. It’s not often they go three games without a win in LaLiga – the last time this happened was November 2020 – but since the start of the month they’ve been held by Atlético and Osasuna, and beaten by Espanyol. They also lost three of their eight Megagroup games (League phase!), to Lille, Milan and Liverpool, and on Monday night they were knocked off the top of LaLiga by Barcelona, albeit only on goal difference.

The last two Champions League winners meet again

Over thirteen previous meetings stretching back thirteen years, there’s often been little to choose between these two. Way back in 2012 when they met for the first time, Real won 3-2. A 1-1 draw in the return match wasn’t enough to spare City third place and demotion into the Europa League. City’s first win against them came in February 2020. Their last win against Real came in May 2023, with Real winning on penalties in last season’s semifinals following two draws.

*Shotmap and xG from last week’s first leg*

Key players

Omar Marmoush’s hat-trick in 14 minutes against Newcastle United may have given Carlo Ancelotti something to think about ahead of this return match. If Marmoush can match the promise of his performance on Saturday, his arrival gives them an extra attacking dimension. In that case, does Ancelotti try to protect what he has or exploit the gaps in City’s back line?

Jude Bellingham could be facing a lengthy ban in LaLiga after getting sent off on Sunday, but this doesn’t affect him in the Champions League and if City do have to commit forward in pursuit of that win, he could profit from the space left behind.

Team News

Jack Grealish, Rúben Dias and Nathan Aké were left out for the Newcastle game but have a chance of returning for this match. But Manuel Akanji’s absence has been confirmed as weeks rather than days, while Rodri and Oscar Bobb remain absent for the long-term. For Real Madrid, Antonio Rüdiger and David Alaba both missed the first leg but could be back for this one. Lucas Vázquez, Éder Militão and Dani Carvajal all remain longer-term absentees.

Prediction

Over their thirteen previous meetings, City have won four, Real have won five and there have been five draws, and this unpredictability has been further accentuated by the two teams’ recent patchy form. But you just can’t go against Real Madrid at home in this competition, so I’ll go for a 2-2 draw, possibly after extra-time.

(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.

Feb

2025

Ethan Nwaneri: The 17-year-old proving he’s ready for the Premier League

The Hale End academy is a cheat code for Arsenal.

By Sam McGuire

When they needed something special at the start of Mikel Arteta‘s reign at the Emirates, they had Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe. This season, when the Basque-born tactician has had to navigate his way through an unprecedented injury crisis, he’s had Hale End graduates in Myles Lewis-Skelley and Ethan Nwaneri.

The former has been a revelation at full-back, jumping ahead of a number of senior options on the left flank to make that position his own during the title run-in. He caught the eye in the recent 5-1 demolition of Manchester City.

Nwaneri has been a bit more of a slow burner. Why? Well, because of his age. The 17-year-old has had to be carefully managed by Arteta and his coaching staff. There comes a point though, where age no longer matters. If you’re good enough, you are old enough.

The Arsenal boss said as much over the weekend after the versatile attacker stole the show in the 2-0 win over Leicester City.

Speaking afterwards, Arteta said: “Well, what he’s showing basically, that’s him. Obviously, his age is always something that puts a question mark on how we have to deal with him. But every sign that he’s given us is ‘Let me go for it, let me go, let me go, let me go.’ When a player is giving you all those signs, you should not stop it.

“You have to play with that freedom, with that creativity, with that confidence that he’s playing at the minute, and the players around him believe in him. So let him go because he’s a massive threat, massive talent and he deserves to play.”

The No. 53 has been thrust into the starting XI following injuries to four Arsenal attackers. Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz are all ruled out, though Saka is expected to be back in early March.

In the meantime, though, Nwaneri is sharing the burden of carrying Arsenal’s title hopes.

He did just that against the Foxes on Saturday afternoon.

The 17-year-old claimed a place in the FotMob Team of the Week after his showing against Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s side. A showing that earned him a FotMob rating of 9.0 at the King Power Stadium.

It was the Nwaneri show, despite Mikel Merino being the hero for the Gunners with two goals. The youngster completed the most dribbles in the match (seven), made the most tackles (three), and won the most duels (13). He assisted the opener, playing a brilliant cross into the box for Merino to nod home. It capped off a fine showing. And one that reiterated the fact that despite his age, he is ready to lead this Arsenal team.

The assist against Leicester was the first of his career in the Premier League. It won’t be his last.

The sample size isn’t the largest but in the English top-flight this term, Nwaneri has an Expected Assists average of 0.24. If he’s on the pitch, he’s going to keep creating.

He’s not as much of a goal threat, with an Expected Goals average of 0.18 on a per 90 basis, but he does have three strikes to his name this season. He found the back of the net against Manchester City, he netted in the draw with Brighton and he scored in the 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest.

Every game is a big one for Arsenal at the minute, but he does appear to be making his presence felt in big games. After all, Nottingham Forest are in the battle for a top four place this season.

Despite his young age and inexperience, Nwaneri has shown time and time again that he isn’t overawed by an occasion. One stat to epitomise that is the passing accuracy one. Players looking to make a name for themselves often rush things and turn possession over. In his Premier League minutes this term, the fleet-footed right-winger has found a teammate with 90% of his attempted passes. He’s safe in possession. An invaluable trait for a youngster.

There is a fine balance to be struck, though. The more he plays, the greater the weight of expectation.

Yes, chaos is a ladder and Nwaneri is making the most of the opportunities coming his way as a result of the injury crisis at the Emirates. But Arsenal need to protect him from too much exposure. They need to ensure the weight of expectation doesn’t crush him.

Joe Cole alluded to this when on TNT Sports as a pundit for the game over the weekend, even though he prefaced that by comparing him to the best player ever to play the game of football. So, mixed messages.

“You can’t mark him because he can go both ways. These little touches he produces in and around the box, I don’t even want to say it but it’s like Messi. I’ve said it. I’m not trying to put any more pressure on the kid’s shoulders, even though I’m sure he’d deal with it, but the touches he makes as he receives the ball off the back foot, entices the defender and the touch off the top of the toe to put them off balance.

“He plays with such confidence and he’s a beautiful player. Arsenal and Mikel Arteta have to protect him.”

If managed properly, Arsenal might finally have their Saka cover. And it won’t have cost them a single penny.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Feb

2025

Preview: Bayern head in to second leg against Celtic defending a lead

Bayern Munich have one foot in the last 16 of the Champions League after a first leg win over Celtic in Glasgow.

By Graham Ruthven

A Bayern formality?

Celtic put up a fight, but Bayern Munich were simply too strong for the Scottish champions in the first leg of their Champions League last 24 tie. Indeed, a 2-1 win saw the Bavarians take a big step towards the next round.

Harry Kane and Michael Olise both found the back of the net for Bayern at Celtic Park last week before Daizen Maeda pulled one back for the hosts. The German giants can hurt opponents in so many different ways such is their attacking talent.

Brendan Rodgers set up his Celtic team to be compact at the back and hit out on the counter-attack. However, it was only once the Hoops pushed higher up the pitch that they were able to cause Bayern Munich problems.

The risk of doing this at the Allianz Arena, though, is that Bayern have the technical ability to pick off Celtic by playing through their press. Rodgers will have to strike a delicate balance with his approach for Celtic to stand any chance of a positive result.

Key players

Olise was outstanding in the first leg at Celtic Park, firing a finish high into the roof of the net after cutting inside off the left side. The French international has scored five times in the Champions League this season and could add to his tally on Wednesday night.

Kane, of course, is one of the most prolific goalscorers of his generation and will lead the line for Bayern Munich. Jamal Musiala will also be a significant three across the attacking line, finding space wherever it opens up.

*Best rated performances in the first leg*

Joshua Kimmich will be the main pace-setter in the centre of the pitch. Vincent Kompany wants his Bayern Munich to control possession. Celtic will have to stay patient as they chase the ball.

Maeda caused Bayern Munich problems in the first leg, converting from close range with an opportunistic header to pull Celtic back into the tie. The Japanese forward is a pressing machine and gives the Hoops an outlet with his pace.

Adam Idah will lead the line for Celtic with Rodgers expected to favour a midfield trio of Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate and Arne Engels. They will have a difficult time against a possession-hungry Bayern Munich outfit.

At the back, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Kasper Schmeichel will have to find their best form to stop the Bayern attack from inflicting any further damage.

Team news

Alphonso Davies is still carrying a knock and so Raphaël Guerreiro is expected to keep his starting spot at left back for the match against Celtic. Meanwhile, Kane missed training on Tuesday, suggesting he is currently carrying something

Paulo Bernardo and James Forrest are still sidelined for Celtic through injury. Otherwise, Rodgers has a fully fit and available squad to choose from for the visit to the Allianz Arena.

Prediction

On home ground, and after drawing a blank over the weekend, the usually high-scoring Bayern should get back to winning ways: Bayern Munich 3-0 Celtic.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

Feb

2025

Premier League Team of the Week: Matchday 25

This might be the most varied FotMob Team of the Week of the season with eight teams represented in the XI. It was yet another potentially decisive weekend in the Premier League with the title race playing out, the race for a top four place taking an abrupt turn for one team and Tottenham Hotspur finally winning a game of football. So, let’s take a look at the FotMob Team of the Week for Matchday 25.

By Sam McGuire

Goalkeeper: Guglielmo Vicario

Vicario was making his first start for Spurs since the 4-0 win over Manchester City in November. He showed exactly what Tottenham have been missing with his display against Manchester United on Sunday. He was given the FotMob Player of the Match award with a rating of 8.4 having made six saves against the Red Devils to keep a clean sheet and relieve some pressure on Ange Postecoglou. With the 28-year-old back between the sticks, Spurs could surge up the table.

Right-Back: Yankuba Minteh

Minteh was deployed as a wing-back by Brighton in their 3-0 demolition of Chelsea. He was one of the main reasons why the Seagulls were able to run riot against Enzo Maresca’s men. The former Newcastle United forward scored twice, created the most chances (three), made the most tackles (four) and won the most duels (12). He also completed three of his four dribbles. He did all that having had just 35 touches. He made the most of his limited time in possession. The FotMob rating of 9.3 was more than justified. It was deserved.

Centre-Back: Calvin Bassey

Bassey was the match-winner for Fulham against Nottingham Forest. The centre-back put in a dominant display in possession, completing 88% of his passes, while winning 50% of his duels. A solid feat considering he was up against an in-form battering ram known as Chris Wood. The 25-year-old recovered the ball on five occasions and no opponent managed to dribble past him. All in all, it was a solid showing at Craven Cottage.

Centre-Back: Marc Guéhi

The in-demand Crystal Palace skipper was on the losing side this weekend but he did more than enough to catch the eye. The 24-year-old completed the most passes against Everton (63 of 79), created one chance at Selhurst Park, completed 100% of his dribbles, won 75% of his tackles and triumphed in 10 of his 17 duels. He put in a solid showing for the Eagles and probably didn’t deserve to be on the losing side.

Left-Back: Keane Lewis-Potter

The left-back caught the eye for Brentford in their 1-0 win over West Ham United. The 23-year-old created two chances, completed 82% of his passes, and completed 50% of his dribbles. He won 100% of his attempted tackles, recovered the ball on seven occasions, won 100% of his aerial duels and came out on top in four of his seven duels.

Midfield: Ryan Christie

The versatile midfielder ran the show for Bournemouth in their 3-1 win over Southampton. Christie scored and assisted on his way to a FotMob rating of 8.8. He created two chances at St Mary’s on Saturday, while also winning 50% of his tackles and 67% of his aerial duels and three of his seven ground duels. He made one interception and recovered the ball seven times. He was dominant, with and without the ball, as the Cherries returned to winning ways in the Premier League.

Midfield: Mikel Merino

Merino was the unlikely hero for the Gunners as they kept within touching distance of Liverpool. The midfielder was brought on with 21 minutes remaining against Leicester City and he was the match-winner, scoring twice in the final nine minutes to help Arsenal claim a 2-0 win. He was barely involved in general play, attempting just nine passes, but won the game for the Gunners with some poacher-like instincts in the penalty box.

Attack: Ethan Nwaneri

The 17-year-old Arsenal forward has fully bought into the idea of carrying this Arsenal title challenge on his back. The Gunners are down to the bare bones in attack following injuries to Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz. Nwaneri started the game against Leicester City and was the main man for the team looking to hunt down Liverpool. He completed the most dribbles (seven), won the most duels (13), made the most tackles (three), and claimed an assist in the 2-0 win. His showing earned him a FotMob rating of 9.0.

Attack: Carlos Alcaraz

Alcaraz joined on loan in January in a move that went slightly under the radar. The versatile midfielder spent last season on loan with Juventus from Southampton before moving to Flamengo in a club-record transfer. In his first start for the Toffees, the 22-year-old assisted the opener and scored the winner on his way to a FotMob rating of 8.6 – the highest of the match. The 22-year-old had five shots and carved out three chances playing as an attacking midfielder behind Beto. It was a genius decision by David Moyes.

Attack: Omar Marmoush

Marmoush finally announced himself to the Premier League.

The Egyptian signed for Manchester City in the January transfer window and though he’s looked bright, he was yet to open his account for the champions. He ran riot against Newcastle United though, netted a first-half treble in an eventual 4-0 win for Pep Guardiola’s men on his way to a FotMob rating of 9.6. If this is a sign of things to come, City may have struck gold. They’re now back in the top four, too.

Attack: Beto

What a week it has been for the Everton forward. The 27-year-old is only in the Everton team at the moment because of an injury to Dominic Calvert-Lewin. But he’s making the most of it. The powerhouse forward netted against Liverpool in midfield and opened the scoring against Crystal Palace, making it four goals in three Premier League games. Against the Eagles, Beto carved out two chances and won a match-high 18 duels. He was also involved in a match-high 33 duels. His performance was key in David Moyes’ men returning to winning ways.

(Images from IMAGO)

You can follow every match from the Premier League live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage, xG and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Feb

2025

The League of Ireland 2025 season starts with record breaking Derby

The League of Ireland returned this past weekend and the highlight was undoubtably a special Dublin Derby played at the national stadium, the Aviva, on Sunday afternoon.

By Football Is Everywhere, with additional words from Bill Biss

Bohemians hosted arch rivals Shamrock Rovers in front of a league record breaking attendance of 33,208 at the national stadium, a figure that dwarfs the capacity of the Bohs’ Dalymount Park, back on the Northside of the Irish capital.

Shamrock Rovers missed out on the league title last year, having won the four previous seasons, but are currently enjoying an unprecedented run in the Europa Conference League. Indeed, they became the first Irish side to win a knockout game in European competition when they beat Norwegian’s Molde away from home last week.

So, with that all-important second leg coming up – this Thursday – perhaps Rovers fans can forgive the eventual 1-0 defeat suffered at the hands of Bohs on Sunday? Then again, probably not, with this being the biggest rivalry in Dublin, and the League of Ireland as a whole.

Thanks to a Ross Tierney goal in the first half, Bohemians won the first derby of the season, which was moved to the national stadium in order to celebrate the 110th anniversary of the first meeting between these two sides.

The images you see here are provided by our friends Football Is Everywhere.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the League of Ireland on FotMob – with in-depth stat coverage including player ratings. Download the free app here.

For more images like this, make sure you check out Football Is Everywhere on Instagram, and give us a follow too, while you’re there – FotMob on Instagram.

Feb

2025

Randal Kolo Muani, set to star in Sunday’s Derby d’Italia

Randal Kolo Muani’s January arrival has breathed new life into the Juventus attack as they face a pivotal stretch in their season.

By Graham Ruthven

Randal Kolo Muani hasn’t even been a Juventus player for a month, but he’s already breaking records. By notching against Napoli, Como and Empoli, the Frenchman became the first player to score five goals in their first three Serie A games. This is exactly the sort of impact the Bianconeri wanted from their new forward.

*Kolo Muani’s ruthless Serie A shotmap to date*

Juve’s attacking deficiency was clear. While it took until late January for Thiago Motta’s team to suffer their first league defeat this season, they have drawn an incredible 10 times, also drawing a blank in matches against AC Milan, Empoli, Napoli and Roma. The Old Lady needed a difference-maker in the final third.

That’s exactly what Kolo Muani has been since joining on loan from Paris Saint-Germain. He has given Juventus another dimension with his dynamism and is performing the centre forward position in a very different way to Dušan Vlahović who has effectively been cast aside as Motta’s first-choice number nine.

Three years ago, Juventus paid €70m to sign Vlahović from Fiorentina in the belief that the Serbian would be their striker for the foreseeable future. Under Max Allegri, Vlahović struggled for consistent goalscoring form, but many attributed this to the conservative, stodgy style of play favoured by the former Old Lady head coach.

The hope was that Motta’s more expansive approach would get more out of Vlahović, but the 25-year-old’s struggles continued. By the time the January transfer window opened, Motta had made his mind up that he wanted a new striker.

Kolo Muani was linked with several clubs in January. Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur both reportedly weighed up a move for the French forward. Arsenal were also mentioned as possible suitors. One wonders if the Gunners regret not firming up their tentative interest now that Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus are both injured.

It wasn’t just that Juventus needed a new forward, Kolo Muani also needed a fresh start. His career had stalled at PSG after making the €80m move to the Parc des Princes from Eintracht Frankfurt two years ago. Having played just 351 league minutes this season, Kolo Muani had to leave.

He also needed a manager to understand his game. Kolo Muani’s physical and technical attributes have been clear for some time. Less clear, however, has been how those qualities lend themselves to a certain position on the pitch. Is the Frenchman a centre forward? A winger? A secondary forward? Luis Enrique didn’t seem to know.

So far, Motta has deployed Kolo Muani through the centre as a straight replacement for Vlahović, although Juventus’ set-up allows Nico González to drift inside off the right wing to form a front two in possession. Juve did this to good effect in their Champions League win over PSV this week.

Kolo Muani’s first goal in the recent 2-1 win over Como demonstrated the dynamism and directness he now offers Juventus, picking up a pass in quick transition, driving at the opposition defence and firing high into the net from a tight angle. Vlahović never would have scored this sort of goal.

“He’s in good form, he scores goals, but he is sure he can do better,” Motta said, highlighting the expectation Kolo Muani is placing on himself to succeed in Turin. “He needs to keep his feet on the ground and continue to work. There are other things, apart from goals, that a forward needs to do. He is helping, like all the others, everyone had their moment and their characteristics. The squad will keep getting better.”

This season has been a transitional one for Juventus. There have been growing pains. Lots of them. Motta has a specific way of playing and certain players haven’t been able to absorb his methods, Vlahović being chief among them. Juve are a long way from being the finished product under their new manager. Heading in to the weekend they were 12 points off the top of Serie A and somehow feel even further adrift.

January, however, was proof that the Old Lady has fully bought into Motta and his ideas. They have continued to mould their squad in his image, adding Lloyd Kelly and Renato Veiga on loan from the Premier League. Both defenders started against PSV most recently and have sharpened Juve’s ability to play out from the back.

The loan signing of Kolo Muani, however, has been the most impactful. Juventus have won their last three games in all competitions, something they hadn’t done before the arrival of the Frenchman. A Champions League run might be on the cards. A top four finish in Serie A certainly is. Kolo Muani is providing the attacking threat to make it happen.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Feb

2025

Preview: Liverpool looking for return to winning ways vs. Wolves

Liverpool host Wolves on Sunday afternoon as the Reds look to get back on track after throwing away a late lead against Merseyside rivals Everton last time out.

By Matt Smith

Vítor Pereira’s side have been on a difficult run of form, but they picked up an impressive win against fellow Midlands outfit Aston Villa in their previous game.

When the two sides met earlier in the season, Liverpool secured a 2-1 victory at Molineux, with Mohamed Salah scoring the winner from the penalty spot. Wolves haven’t won at Anfield in the Premier League since 2010 – Stephen Ward scored the winner that day.

Curtis Jones picks up suspension

After the final whistle against Everton, Curtis Jones received a second yellow card and was subsequently sent off for his involvement in a scuffle with Abdoulaye Doucouré. As a result, the English midfielder will be unavailable due to suspension.

Arne Slot didn’t give much away in terms of team news in his pre-game press conference, but Joseph Gomez is likely to be out after picking up an injury against Plymouth.

Salah remains inevitable for Liverpool

By Mohamed Salah’s lofty standards, the Egyptian forward was fairly quiet against the Toffees, with David Moyes’ side producing an impressive defensive display. Despite that, Salah still came away with an assist and a goal to his name, showing his inevitability even when the Reds aren’t at their best.

The two contributions takes Salah to a whopping 36 goals and assists combined in the Premier League this season. Considering he’s only played 24 times, the former Chelsea man is showing no signs of slowing down as he continues his deadly run of form.

Vítor Pereira keeps his cards close to his chest

In his pre-match press conference, Pereira failed to provide an injury update for his side, perhaps keeping his cards close to his chest on this occasion.

Jørgen Strand Larsen recently returned to training, so it will be interesting to see whether he’s back and available for the Wanderers. Hwang Hee-chan came off injured in the FA Cup last time out and was set to be assessed this week.

Cunha can’t be stopped

Matheus Cunha has been the obvious threat for Wolves so far this season, and his ability to score goals from anywhere has saved Pereira’s side on multiple occasions. The Brazilian attacker has struck 11 times in the Premier League, with four goals from outside the box.

*Cunha shot map, Premier League 2024/25*

Cunha has the ability to score goals from nothing, even finding the back of the net with a corner. Wolves are likely to have minimal possession at Anfield, so they will be relying on Cunha to produce his magic once again on Sunday.

Prediction

Liverpool will be expecting to bounce back after their draw in the week, and considering they have lost just once at home this campaign, you’d expect them to secure the three points. Wolves have won just twice on their travels, conceding 28 goals during that time.

We’re going for a comfortable 3-0 victory to Liverpool.

(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.

Feb

2025

Preview: Barca and Rayo will close the latest round in LaLiga

Last weekend Barcelona took full advantage of the 1-1 draw between the two Madrid sides, beating Sevilla 4-1 and cutting the gap between themselves and the top of LaLiga to just two points (at the time of writing). They host high-flying Rayo Vallecano next.

By Alex Roberts

Rayo have won their last three consecutive league games, but they haven’t been pretty. Álvaro García’s 71^st minute goal was the decider in their previous fixture against Real Valladolid, earning them a four-point gap between themselves in sixth and Real Sociedad in seventh – as things stood heading in to the weekend.

Barca can’t seem to stop scoring goals under Hansi Flick, and now they’ve closed the gap on Real Madrid at the top, there will be an almost insatiable desire to make a real statement.

A wealth of attacking options

It doesn’t matter who Barca play in their front three right now, they’re almost guaranteed to score a real bagful of goals. Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal were the main protagonists in the 5-0 Copa del Rey over Valencia, while Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha were the main men in the win over Sevilla.

Flick’s side are unbeaten across their first 11 games of 2025 across all competitions, scoring a remarkable 41 goals – the most the club has ever recorded at this stage of a new calendar year since 1943.

Barca have scored five goals OR MORE on five separate occasions since the start of the year. There are worse jobs that been a Rayo Vallecano defender, but it’ll probably be pretty dire on Monday night.

The blue haired bandit

It takes a brave man to dye his hair blue, and an even braver one to do it when they’re in the public eye. Romanian right-back Andrei Rațiu has backed his hair style with some impressive performance for Rayo, earning the reported interested of none other than, you guessed it, Barcelona.

Rațiu has been almost ever present for Rayo so far this season, starting 20 of his 21 LaLiga games, scoring once, and providing two assists, playing a key role in their charge for European football.

He didn’t make it off Rayo’s bench in the reverse fixture, which Barca won 2-1 thanks to goals from Pedri and Dani Olmo, so he’ll be wanting to prove a point in a potential audition.

Ronald Araújo can’t catch a break

The centre-back had just signed a new deal, keeping him at the Camp Nou until the summer of 2031 amid serious interest from Italian side Juventus, but now, he’s picked up another injury.

Araújo was brought off after just 22 minutes in the 4-1 win over Sevilla, replaced by youngster Pau Cubarsí, with that appeared to be, a thankfully not so serious ankle injury, keeping him out of action until the end of the month at least.

He had only started featuring regularly in the new year having picked up a hamstring injury while playing in the 2024 Copa America, forcing him to miss the first half of the season.

Just as things were looking up the Uruguay international suffered yet another setback.

Prediction

Barcelona have been seriously impressive so far this year. While Rayo are punching about their weight, this one doesn’t seem like a bout they can win. We’re going to go with 3-0 to Barca.

(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.

Feb

2025

Preview: Juve and Inter set for Derby d’Italia clash

Sunday’s Derby d’Italia has the potential to be a pivotal match for both Juventus and Inter in their respective Serie A campaigns.

By Graham Ruthven

Italy’s derby

Serie A isn’t short of its historic and passionate derbies. The Derby della Capitale is fierce while the Derby della Madonnina is iconic. And yet the Derby d’Italia between Inter and Juventus is the fixture that possibly reflects Italian football best of all.

It’s in the name – this is Italy’s derby. It pits the two most successful clubs in the country against each other with Juventus hosting Inter in the latest episode of this historic rivalry on Sunday.

There is plenty on the line for both sides. For hosts Juve, this is an opportunity to build further momentum after three straight wins in all competitions. The Old Lady haven’t won four matches in-a-row all season and so a victory over Inter would add to the sense that they have turned a corner.

Inter, meanwhile, are chasing Napoli at the top of the Serie A table. Depending on their result away to Lazio, on Saturday, the defending champions may have the opportunity to claim top spot over Antonio Conte’s side.

Juve are unbeaten in 31 of their last 32 league games while Inter are unbeaten in 18 of their last 19. Sunday’s match could be a cagey encounter between two rivals who don’t want to give away too much.

Key players

Lautaro Martínez and Marcus Thuram have a combined 22 league goals this season, giving Inter the second most dangerous and prolific forward line in Serie A (Atalanta’s Retegui and Lookman have a staggering 30 between them). Indeed, no team has scored more goals than the Nerazzurri.

Behind the front two, Inter also boast arguably the strongest midfield unit in the division with Nicolo Barella the two-way operator who will conduct their attacks in quick transition while also providing cohesion in the middle.

Federico Dimarco is a key player for Inter in the way they funnel attacks down the left wing. Juve will need to find a way to stop him if they are to prevent the Nerazzurri from leaving Turn with a win.

Randal Kolo Muani has made an instant impact after joining Juventus on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, scoring five goals in his first three Serie A games against Roma, Como and Empoli. The Frenchman will lead the line for the hosts this weekend.

Weston McKennie scored against PSV on Tuesday and could keep his place in attacking midfield having filled in as a full back in recent matches. Renato Veiga is also expected to start in the backline after joining on loan from Chelsea.

Team news

Inter might be the fresher of the two teams on Sunday given they have had a full week’s rest whereas Juventus faced PSV in a testing Champions League match on Tuesday night. This could give the Nerazzurri an advantage.

Bremer is a long-term absentee for Juventus with Pierre Kalulu also sidelined. Andrea Cambiasso missed the match against PSV with a knock, but could make the bench against Inter this weekend.

Denzel Dumfries will be available again for Inter after missing the recent win over Fiorentina through suspension. With the exception of Raffaele Di Gennaro, Inzaghi will have a fully fit squad to choose from.

Prediction

We’re going to play it safe but considering Juve’s draw record this season, maybe a 1-1 draw is the most realistic scoreline prediction.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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Feb

2025

All change at Conceicao’s Milan

The appointment of Paulo Fonseca didn’t work out, it was pretty obvious he was doomed after the first few games. He has since been sacked and replaced by fellow Portuguese boss Sérgio Conceição, with the club seriously backing him in the January transfer window.

By Alex Roberts

Led by ‘senior advisor’ Zlatan Ibrahimović, AC Milan signed a massive six players, addressing several problem positions in what has to be regarded as one of the more interesting winter windows in Europe.

*The Serie A table heading into the weekend*

Milan recognised what they needed and acted. With Davide Calabria out of contract at the end of the season, and no real sign of him signing a new deal, a right-back was required, even if it was temporary.

Noah Okafor and Samuel Chukwueze had fallen out of favour after failing to establish themselves as regular starters or make any genuine impact coming off the bench, so a reshuffle at the top end of the pitch was in order.

Finally, central midfield. Ruben Loftus-Cheek is still on the books but he doesn’t start as many games as he’s probably like. Ismaël Bennacer had fallen down the pecking order and was shipped off to Marseille on loan.

Tijjani Reijnders and Youssouf Fofana have proven themselves over and over again, but outside of those two, depth in the centre of the park was needed. Should either of those two pick up an injury, it would be a worry.

The most high-profile signing was João Félix’s loan move from Chelsea. Milan saw that he was struggling for minutes in West London, although that was no fault of his own, it’s hard to get in ahead of Cole Palmer at the moment.

Félix is 25 now. In normal human terms, he’s still a kid, but football isn’t for normal humans, and the playmaker is running out of time if he’s hoping to find a home after unsuccessful spells at Atlético Madrid, Barcelona, and now Chelsea.

It didn’t take long for him to make an impression, coming off the bench to bag a debut goal in their 3-1 Coppa Italia quarter-final win over Roma, and impressing again in his first start, helping ten-men Milan beat Empoli 2-0.

He’s probably not even unpacked yet and he’s already going on about staying at the club beyond the end of the season. It took him six months to realise Cheslea aren’t the club for him, and, honestly, who can blame him.

One of the most interesting things to happen at AC Milan in recent years is their dipping into the English market. Fikayo Tomori, Loftus-Cheek, and Tammy Abraham have now been joined by veteran right-back Kyle Walker.

It was the right time for Walker to leave City, he could no longer keep up with the pace of the Premier League, and his relationship with the fans was starting to turn toxic despite all he had helped the club achieve over his seven and a half seasons in Manchester.

Walker was thrown in at the deep end, making his debut against arch-rivals Inter. All that did though was prove the England international is a damn good swimmer, taking to one of the biggest games in Europe like a duck to water.

He’s played every minute for Milan since joining, his experience on football’s biggest stage has already proven to be invaluable. There is reportedly an option to buy in his loan contract, he may not be a long-term solution, but temporary ones don’t get much better.

Okafor joined Napoli on loan, leaving a big ol’ gap in the number nine position. The Switzerland international never really took his chance at the San Siro by the scruff of the neck, so Milan went out and got the Eredivisie’s best striker.

Santiago Giménez had been prolific for Feyenoord, scoring 16 goals and providing three assists in his 19 games for the Dutch giants in the first half of the season. Like Félix, Giménez made an almost immediate impression.

He didn’t score on his debut, but he did provide the assist for Félix to score on his. The Mexican then scored in his second game, coming off the bench to secure the the win over Empoli, cutting inside to curl past the ‘keeper.

Giménez made an unhappy return to his old stomping ground in Milan’s Champions League play-off first leg against Feyenoord, losing 1-0. Thankfully they have a game at the San Siro to fix it.

Milan haven’t had a certified bagsman since Ibrahimović, Olivier Giroud was their top goal scorer when they won the 2021-22 title with just 11 league goals. If his time in the Netherlands is anything to go by, Giménez has the ability to get a lot more than that.

Warren Bondo was chosen as Milan’s Bennacer replacement, snatching the young Frenchman away from Monza. A box-to-box midfielder with bags of energy, Bondo not only has the potential to be a future superstar, but he could also provide more than adequate cover.

He’s yet to make his Milan debut, but since he only joined on deadline day, that’s not something that should be read into. Expect to see a lot of Bondo in that famous red and black soon.

Finally, two loans from fellow Serie A clubs round off Milan’s incomings. Both Nicola Zalewski and Riccardo Sottil joined from Roma and Fiorentina respectively. They’re unlikely to be nothing more than squad options, for now at least, but that’s exactly what Milan needed. They’re both relatively young with bags of Serie A experience. It’s smart business.

Milan are no longer the club they used to be, they’re not as prominent in Europe or domestically as they once were. This January proved one thing, however, they want to hang out with the big boys once again.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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