Page 23 – The Pulse of Football

Apr

2026

Can De Zerbi-ball save Spurs from the drop?

Roberto De Zerbi has seven games to save Tottenham Hotspur from suffering relegation from the Premier League.

Tottenham Hotspur need someone to save them. That someone wasn’t Thomas Frank and it wasn’t Igor Tudor, but the North London club desperately hopes it will be Roberto De Zerbi otherwise life in the Championship looms. The success or failure of the Italian’s appointment will be determined in just seven games.

That’s all the runway De Zerbi has to get Spurs flying. Starting with this weekend’s away trip to Sunderland, the former Brighton and Marseille boss will begin to remodel Tottenham in his own image. De Zerbi has very specific views on how the game should be played and his new team will be a reflection of that.

Time, however, is against the 46-year-old. De Zerbi might have been handed a five-year contract, but he must deliver in the short-term before anyone at Spurs can even think about the long-term. Might it be wiser for De Zerbi to scale back some of his philosophical ambition to first keep Tottenham in the Premier League?

De Zerbi-Ball is defined through a few key traits. Firstly, it’s a style of play that requires everyone on the pitch to be extremely comfortable with the ball at their feet. This includes the goalkeeper and defenders who are expected to play out from the back under pressure. This has been a hallmark of De Zerbi’s teams everywhere he has managed.

Spurs, however, might not have the players to operate this way. It was only a few weeks ago that Antonín Kinský gifted Atlético Madrid two goals while attempting to play out from the back. Kinský likely won’t feature for De Zerbi, but it was a performance that demonstrated how poor Tottenham have been at constructing attacks from deep.

Under De Zerbi, Spurs will bait the opposition press, the idea being that they will then be able to play around it and into space at speed. To do this, Tottenham don’t just need defenders who are comfortable in possession, but midfielders willing to take the ball in tight spaces and get turned. Archie Gray and Pape Sarr might not have this in their skill set. Spurs need natural midfield valves.

Tottenham are ranked a lowly 11th for average possession share in the Premier League this season. They are also ranked 11th for long passes per 90 minutes. Under Tudor, they played a possession-light game that focused on getting the ball forward as quickly and directly as possible. To go from this to what De Zerbi envisages in such a short period of time might be impossible.

This is where De Zerbi could be tempted to be more pragmatic than he would ordinarily choose to be. Might the Italian be less demanding in his usual request that defenders take so many risks on the ball at the back? Could Spurs be slightly more direct than De Zerbi-Ball would normally entail to make the stylistic transition slightly easier? Would it make sense to tone down the idealism?

“For me, Tottenham, especially in this moment, is maybe the most important challenge in my career,” said De Zerbi ahead of his first match as Tottenham manager against Sunderland on Sunday. “I’m ready to start this challenge and I want to work with my characteristics, with my passion, with my vision of football and with my technologies as well.”

If De Zerbi can get over the hump of the next seven games, he could be exactly what Tottenham Hotspur need. The club’s supporters crave a bold and entertaining brand of football. After taking a step forward in this regard under Ange Postecoglou, they believe more than a step backwards was taken under Frank and Tudor.

Many fans opposed De Zerbi’s appointment on the grounds of his public backing for Mason Greenwood while Marseille manager. The Italian was accused of downplaying the allegations against Greenwood who was arrested in January 2022 on charges of attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust contacted the North London club to state its opposition to De Zerbi’s appointment while other fans have vowed to boycott matches as long as the Italian is in position as Spurs manager. There is more than just football to consider about De Zerbi’s employment.

Premier League survival is clearly all Tottenham have considered in turning to De Zerbi, although there’s no guarantee the 46-year-old’s methods will save them. In fact, they could be the thing that sinks them if Spurs’ players reject them like they did Frank and Tudor’s ideas. All will become apparent in just seven games.

(Images from IMAGO)

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

Apr

2026

EFL Championship: Has Wrexham’s race been run and just how far can Southampton go?

It’s the promotion race that keeps on giving. Can Wrexham recover against Birmingham in their efforts for an unthinkable Premier League promotion? Can anyone stop Tonda Eckert’s Southampton? And how the fixture calendar leaves Millwall in a perfect position… We asked sports reporter Sanny Rudravajhala for this thoughts on the Championship run in.

By Sanny Rudravajhala

You couldn’t help being blown away by Southampton’s showing at Wrexham on Tuesday. A 5-1 victory saw the Saints players and staff serenaded in the far corner of the Racecourse. Wrexham’s players were sitting in silence in the dressing room. Under the lights, the harsh reality of what it takes to make it to the big time was brought into focus.

That midweek mauling saw Southampton leapfrog Wrexham into the final play-off place but such have been the twists and turns at the top this season, we’re perfectly set up for the final run-in to reach the Premier League.

Wrexham running out of road?

Wrexham’s weekend trip to Birmingham City will inevitably have Hollywood clichés attached but they exist for a reason. Both have had big name investment, but Wrexham sought to sign homegrown players with Championship experience ahead of more glamourous names from further afield. It gave them a host of plug and play footballers in a way that Birmingham couldn’t match. Captain Dom Hyam, arriving in September from Blackburn Rovers, was a perfect example of that. Nathan Broadhead and Kieffer Moore also needed no time to bed in.

The scale of their capitulation at the hands of Southampton was a shock but the defeat was not a surprise. Wrexham have won just two in seven and across 2026, the 27 goals they’ve conceded is the joint third-most in the division. Only Leicester (29) and Sheffield Wednesday (37) have performed worse. By comparison, their play-off rivals have all conceded at least 10 fewer, excluding Hull (21).

Their midfield was completely overwhelmed on Tuesday. As I said on BBC 5 Live Sport, it felt like Southampton had an extra man. They’re desperately missing a midfielder of the quality that could deal with Matsuki and with Finn Azaz, who ran the show on a night where they should have had even more. Ben Sheaf and Matty James have both been long-term absentees but another defensively minded middle man would be a priority signing in the summer.

Phil Parkinson has called for a reaction on Sunday at St Andrew’s. We all know that this is a club that is ready for the big occasion if they can recover. In their remaining games, a trip to Champions-elect Coventry, and a home showdown with promotion rivals Middlesborough could be box office.

An extra season of consolidation, however, would do Wrexham good but they’re the only club in the Championship who could get promoted and have the resource and nous to remodel their squad to be Premier League-ready. Indeed, I was saying the same thing last season!

Whatever happens, this will be the best league finish in their 161-year history and that is to be commended.

Super Saints unstoppable

Tuesday was my 53^rd game of the season in the press box and the most impressive showing I’ve seen. Tonda Eckert made six changes from Southampton’s wonderful performance to beat Arsenal and reach the FA Cup semi-finals.

The German had the luxury of not even needing to play Tom Fellows, whilst the introduction of Leo Scienza was ludicrous really. Having ripped into Mikel Arteta’s side, he was quickly giving Phil Parkinson’s team the same treatment. That was not before Ross Stewart had also come off the bench to score a trademark header. The big Scot has had a torrid few years with injury but has scored six in his last 13 appearances. Tellingly, he is averaging a goal every 94 minutes across that period.

If Eckert had been in charge from the beginning of the season, they would be challenging for the title. Their poor start under Will Still means they’re running out of games in the quest for automatic promotion. Eckert also has the small matter of facing Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City at Wembley, before a crunch-tie with Ipswich Town just days later. Just to further complicate matters, that’s their game in hand over their promotion rivals and any hopes of automatic promotion will hang on victory.

Promotion 4D Chess and five ‘six-pointers’

I was at Coventry on Good Friday to see Jack Rudoni power them on to victory over Derby. With that, I thought Derby’s play-off race was done but then you see they face Southampton next and this 4D chess match of a season continues.

Coventry and Hull then cancelled each other out in their late-night Monday stalemate. Hull have been incredibly efficient this season and that’s emphasised by them outscoring their xG (53) by a further 10. I’ve been expecting them to fall off but they just keep going!

Up next, Ipswich have an East Anglian Derby against a resurgent Norwich side under Phillippe Clement before a crucial game with Middlesbrough. It’s unsurprising that, like Southampton, the relegated Premier League side have strength in depth that’s been much-needed during this crunch-period.

For their part, Boro are now winless in five, with just two victories in 11. They’ve missed an outright forward all season. Tommy Conway has nine goals and assisted five more, but he should have 13 (given his xG of 12.6) and is more of a linkman. David Stelec isn’t particularly regarded as a striker in his native Slovakia and one-goal Morgan Whittaker has been missing with injury. Crucially too, their star, the mercurial Hayden Hackney has also been injured. If those two can return sooner rather than later, then Kim Hellberg’s side still have a chance.

And in amongst all this are Millwall. The league’s great disrupters upended Boro before suffering a damaging home defeat to Norwich. Crucially, they face none of their rivals in the run in and each of their games is winnable. In Femi Azeez they have a brilliant creator and despite injuries, they have kept a solid central defensive core which has been vital.

So, what does this all mean? Automatic promotion will hang on Ipswich’s two games in hand and having gone through every Championship fixture on FotMob, there are FIVE games that could legitimately be called ‘six-pointers’. It gives Wrexham hope, if they can right themselves…

Thinking back, again, to the Racecourse on Tuesday night, and long after the songs had ended and the stands emptied, I was struck with just how much the Southampton fringe players were committed to their post-match exercises. There were squat machines, stretch bands and coaches co-ordinating recovery at a level you don’t ordinarily see in the Championship. The details are covered; now comes the chaos and the Saints are primed to pounce.

(Cover image from IMAGO, additional images via the author)

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.

Apr

2026

FotMob Profile: Young US talent Zavier Gozo on Pochettino’s radar

A 19-year-old wonderkid is lighting up Major League Soccer this season, leading to calls for a call-up to Mauricio Pochettino’s USA squad.

By Graham Ruthven

Zavier Gozo’s best moment in Major League Soccer came on Saturday. Fed the ball on the edge of the box, the Real Salt Lake teenager took a touch and lasered a volley across goal and into the far corner of the Sporting KC net. It was a strike that highlighted the talent of a special 19-year-old.

In just six appearances for RSL this season, Gozo has registered two goals and two assists. His other goal in an away victory over Atlanta United was also a special strike, bending a finish home with his left foot having cut inside off the right wing with ease. The extraordinary is becoming ordinary for one the best young players in MLS.

Gozo wasn’t an unknown coming into the 2026 season. The teenager played 1,881 minutes for Real Salt Lake in MLS last year, firmly establishing himself in the rotation for regular minutes. Gozo was also part of the USA team that made a run to the quarter-finals of the 2025 U20 World Cup.

This season, though, the youngster born to an Ivorian father and American mother with the middle name Didier in honour of Didier Drogba has taken a big step forward in his development. Gozo is now a reliable difference-maker destined for even bigger and better things in the near future.

A place in the US men’s national team squad for the 2026 World Cup would certainly constitute something bigger and better. While Gozo has yet to be capped at senior level, many are now calling for the teenager to be included as a wildcard by Mauricio Pochettino for this summer’s tournament.

In terms of his profile as a player, Gozo would give the USA something they otherwise lack. Besides Christian Pulisic, Pochettino doesn’t have many wide options capable of beating a man on the dribble and getting into space in quick transition and this is exactly the sort of player Gozo is.

*Gozo’s early career player traits compared with players in similar leagues*

Gozo is leading RSL for successful dribbles per 90 (1.7) this season. He has also created more chances (11) than any other Real Salt Lake player, highlighting his natural inventive qualities. Pochettino has surely taken a look at the 19-year-old and pondered what he could offer the USMNT.

The odds are against Gozo receiving a World Cup call-up. He wasn’t included on the USMNT roster for the recent friendlies against Belgium and Portugal, meaning Gozo would be entering Pochettino’s set-up for this summer’s tournament completely cold. It would be a bold decision by the Argentine.

Pochettino, however, has made bold decisions as USMNT boss before. He used Christian Pulisic as a number nine against Portugal when few predicted he would. He has called more 60 players into the national team since taking over in September 2024. Pochettino could produce one more surprise by taking a chance on Gozo.

Whether or not he features at the 2026 World Cup, Gozo is set for the big time. Aston Villa and Atlético Madrid have already been linked with the 19-year-old who could be the next homegrown talent to make the move to Europe from MLS. Real Salt Lake fans should enjoy watching Gozo while they can.

“He’s nowhere near the final product he will become,” said RSL head coach Pablo Mastroeni about Gozo. “He’s a willing learner and often when you have young players come into the first team they think they’ve already made it. He has the character to continue learning and I have great joy working with guys who are willing to listen.”

Many believed Diego Luna would be the next RSL youngster to come off the conveyor belt at America First Field. The attacking midfielder is a good bet to be part of Pochettino’s World Cup squad and has been of interest to Celta Vigo and Espanyol in the past. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Luna finally moves on this summer.

Gozo was being developed as Luna’s natural successor, but he now looks to be the talent with the higher ceiling. Gozo is so special that Mastreoni has gone to extraordinary lengths to fit him into his lineup as a right-sided wing back. The 19-year-old doesn’t have the defensive instincts for that to be his long-term position, but RSL needed a way to get him on the field.

There will be more moments of brilliance by Gozo in MLS this season. Sitting fourth in the Western Conference, Real Salt Lake have started the year well and boast one of the most exciting forward lines in the league, of which Gozo is a part of. The number of eyes on the 19-year-old will only increase.

(Images from IMAGO)

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

Apr

2026

Federico Dimarco is leading Inter’s Scudetto charge

Since the introduction of the Serie A Footballer of the Year in 1996/97, only two defenders have taken home the illustrious prize. Exactly two decades after Fabio Cannavaro claimed top honours, and exactly one decade after fellow Juventus centre back Leonardo Bonucci achieved the feat, Federico Dimarco could very well become the first wingback to win the most prestigious individual award in Italian football.

By Zach Lowy

Born on November 10, 1997, Dimarco joined Inter Milan’s academy in 2004 and ascended the ranks for club and country before making his first-team debut in 2014.

Loan spells with Serie B side Ascoli and newly promoted Serie A side Empoli would follow before Dimarco started a new adventure with Sion, but he lasted just one year in Switzerland before Inter triggered their €7 million buyback option and sent him on loan to Parma. It was here where Dimarco, still shaken from suffering relegation at Empoli, started to take his first footsteps towards becoming one of the best players in Serie A and a player who has scored three goals and recorded 10 assists in 38 caps for Italy. And it was here where he scored the first goal of his career, picking up the ball from the halfway line before taking aim from 30 yards out and detonating a thunderbolt past Inter’s Samir Handanović.

He then moved to Hellas Verona, where he established himself as a buccaneering wingback: having registered seven goal contributions in his first six seasons in professional football, Dimarco provided five goals and five assists in 2020/21 before returning to Inter. He took to new manager Simone Inzaghi’s system like a duck to water, helping the Nerazzurri claim the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana and consistently showcasing his fearless determination in physical duels and his willingness to push forward and overlap on the left flank. And with Ivan Perišić departing for Tottenham Hotspur in 2022, Dimarco emerged as one of the first names on Inzaghi’s team sheet, more than doubling the previous season’s tally with six goals and 10 assists in 50 appearances in 2022/23.

*Dimarco’s player traits compared to similar players in top 5 leagues*

Dimarco brought his A-Game for the biggest occasions, opening the scoring in the Supercoppa Italiana Final vs. Milan and their Coppa Italia semifinal vs. Juventus (winning both competitions) and assisting against Barcelona, Viktoria Plzeň, Benfica and Milan in Inter’s run to the UEFA Champions League Final, where he very nearly equalised vs. Manchester City, only for his header to find the crossbar and his follow-up to find teammate Romelu Lukaku. He didn’t ruminate on that heartbreaking near-miss in Istanbul; instead, he focused on refining his attributes and helping Inter return to the apex of Italian football after three years, racking up six goals and eight assists in 40 appearances, followed by four goals and 11 assists in 52 appearances the following season.

Ultimately, however, he came away emptyhanded in 2024/25 as Inter lost to Milan in the Supercoppa Italiana Final and Coppa Italia semifinal and missed out on the Scudetto to Napoli on the final day. But the most crushing moment undoubtedly came on May 31, as Paris Saint-Germain’s rampant attack laid siege to Dimarco in the Champions League Final, forcing him into a number of careless blunders en route to a 5-0 demolition. Whilst millions across the world lauded PSG’s Nuno Mendes as the best left back in the sport, others turned their attention to his Inter counterpart and questioned: is Federico Dimarco any good?

Instead of wallowing in the misery of Munich, Dimarco has spent the past 10 months delivering the best football of his entire career under new manager Christian Chivu. With his right wingback partner Denzel Dumfries missing a considerable chunk of action with an ankle injury, Dimarco has stepped up in every single facet of the game. His crosses have gotten crispier, his tackles have gotten cleaner, his marking has gotten tighter, and his schoolboy errors have started to dwindle. While Dimarco has reached career-high tallies in both goals (seven) and assists (14), he’s also managed to shore the defensive side of his game: he’s making twice as many successful tackles per 90 as last season (1.2 vs. 0.57) and interceptions per 90 (1.09 vs. 0.57), and he’s also winning more possession (0.78 vs. 0.45) in the final third.

*Dimarco’s defensive numbers in Serie A this season*

“Dimarco has been the best player in the best team in Italy, and he’s bounced back from the 5-0 loss where many made him the main culprit, which shows incredible mental strength,” stated Swedish journalist Siavoush Fallahi. “He has a special left foot and can both curl it like David Beckham and hit the ball hard. He can shoot from distance and cross it, using both precision and power, and he puts it hard on the ground and precisely in the air. He’s very good in the build-up, his goal-scoring numbers are incredible for a wingback, and his defending has improved a lot these last few years. And whereas Inzaghi used to sub him out, he’s playing a lot more full 90s under Chivu.”

*Dimarco’s passing numbers in Serie A this season*

Other players would have shrivelled from the disappointment of losing on penalties to Bosnia & Herzegovina and missing out on a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. But not Dimarco. Instead, he served up a sensational display at the San Siro, relentlessly winning the ball back in dangerous areas, testing Mile Svilar’s resolve with low, driven shots, and whipping in an array of gilt-edged crosses into the box as Inter thrashed Roma 5-2 on Sunday. He’ll be looking to build on his momentum against Como and Cagliari before hosting Como in the second leg of the Coppa Italia semifinal, having drawn the previous fixture 0-0.

Inter find themselves seven points clear in the Scudetto race with seven matches remaining, and perhaps no player has been more influential than Dimarco. He’s provided twice as many assists as any other player in Serie A, whilst only teammate Lautaro Martínez has as many goal contributions (20).

He’s created 29 big chances and 83 chances this season, putting him 13 above second-placed Charles De Ketelaere and Kenan Yıldız, whilst he’s also registering more Expected Assists (9.1) than anyone else.

Dimarco (7.8) is FotMob’s second-highest rated player in Serie A after Hakan Çalhanoğlu (7.82), and his eight Player of the Match awards sit atop the leaderboards alongside Mike Maignan. There can be no more doubt: Federico Dimarco is one of the best left backs in world football, and all signs point to him spearheading his boyhood club to at least one more trophy this spring.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Apr

2026

Preview: PSG and Liverpool set for another Champions League showdown

A little more than a year on from their last meeting, the French and English league champions go head-to-head once more – but while PSG are fancied for another European title, Liverpool are barely treading water enough to qualify for the competition next season.

By Karl Matchett

Sprint finishes

Rewind the clock to the start of January 2025 and Paris Saint-Germain were top of Ligue 1, but only by seven points. They’d also stuttered in Europe in the first half of the campaign, sitting outside the top 24 with two to play – but mighty wins over Manchester City and Stuttgart sent them through and put Luis Enrique’s team into overdrive for the season run-in. By the time they hosted Liverpool in the last-16 first leg, their domestic lead had almost doubled and the front three in particular were in relentless form. Of course the quirk of that first leg is that PSG battered Liverpool but were denied by Alisson Becker – and lost the game late on. Still, a shootout saw them through back at Anfield and PSG went on to lift the European Cup, Ligue 1, and the Coupe de France, backing it all up with the Super Cup, the Intercontinental Cup and very nearly the Club World Cup in what was one of the great sprint finishes to a season in recent years.

This time they meet Liverpool one round further along, but there’s no doubt PSG eyes are on a similar prize haul: the league is a closer affair and they are only fourth favourites to retain the Champions League, but they retain the attacking quality to make the final two months of the campaign yet another memorable one.

Dutch courage

Meanwhile, Liverpool have floundered since last year’s exit. They wrapped up the Premier League title, true, but already form had stuttered and since going out at Anfield on penalties they’ve won just 50 per cent of their matches in all competitions across the last 13 months. Arne Slot is under huge pressure as fans vote with their feet, but add to the list under scrutiny captain Virgil van Dijk, among others, after a succession of poor games and soundbites the fans have no appetite to hear, about the squad giving up in defeat against rivals Manchester City.

Recent form

Five wins in six and seven in nine for PSG – the only side who have stopped them during that run was Monaco, twice. Liverpool have won just two in seven, against bottom club Wolves and last-round opponents Galatasaray. They’ve only won four away from home this year.

Team news

Bradley Barcola and Fabián Ruiz are the big misses for PSG while the visitors are without goalkeeper Alisson and right-back Conor Bradley – but striker Alexander Isak could return to the bench after well over three months out.

Key player

Giorgi Mamardashvili will likely need to repeat Alisson’s heroics of last year. He wasn’t at his best at the weekend as four flew past him and in four Champions League starts this term, the Georgian ranks in the bottom 13% for save percentage.

Prediction

If PSG’s visitors play anything like they did at the weekend, this tie will be over. Slot needs a huge response from his side just to make the second leg at Anfield a non-event: PSG 2-1 Liverpool.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Apr

2026

Preview: Barcelona gear up to face Atlético Madrid for the fifth time this season

An all-Spanish Champions League quarter-final sees Barcelona take on Atlético Madrid.

By Neel Shelat

Barcelona on fire at Camp Nou

Although the delays to Camp Nou’s renovations have cost Barcelona many millions in missed revenue, they’ve certainly made the most of their return to the big venue since its partial reopening in mid-November. The Blaugrana have won all 14 of their home matches since then, including the recent 7-2 thrashing of Newcastle United in the second leg of their last Champions League tie.

All in all, Barcelona have by far the best attack in LaLiga with 80 goals scored in 30 games, while they’re a close second behind Bayern Munich in the Champions League with 30 in 10.

*Goals per match in the Champions League*

Despite some key injury-enforced absences, the reigning Spanish champions should be quite confident of being able to score enough goals to win this tie.

Atleti have the keys to unlock Barcelona’s high line

The main concern for Barcelona, as is often the case, will come at the other end of the pitch. Atlético Madrid have put 14 goals past them in their eight meetings in Hansi Flick’s tenure, including a recent 4-0 home win in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final.

Diego Simeone’s side are comfortable going direct and can be quite effective with their long balls. Clever runners like Julián Alvarez and Giuliano Simeone have proven themselves capable of consistently breaching Barcelona’s back line, with the latter scoring the opener in the two sides’ league encounter last weekend.

Team news

Barcelona have a few absences to contend with for this tie, most notably including star forward Raphinha who suffered a hamstring injury on international duty with Brazil. Frenkie de Jong and Andreas Christensen are also out, while Marc Bernal is a doubt after going off injured on the weekend.Atlético have a couple of returnees for this match as Jan Oblak is expected to start after sitting out on the weekend, while Marc Pubill and Rodrigo Mendoza have also returned to training. Midfielder Pablo Barrios is out, while Johnny Cardoso and José María Giménez are both listed as doubtful.

Key players

Considering the high likelihood of Barcelona’s defensive line being breached, Joan García will have to be on his A game both in terms of sweeping and shot-stopping in order to limit and thwart Atleti’s chances. Pedri is always a crucial figure in midfield thanks to his exceptional on-ball quality and ability to control tempo, while Lamine Yamal will be a key attacking threat as ever.

Julián Alvarez has been the key attacking contributor for Atlético Madrid this season, with a particularly impressive record in the Champions League as he has registered 12 goal involvements in 11 appearances. Giuliano Simeone will have a dual role to play between his attacking threat and defensive work rate tracking back, while Jan Oblak will need to bring out the best of his shot-stopping ability as his goal is sure to come under fire.

Prediction

An open and at times end-to-end encounter is to be expected between these two sides, so something like a 2-2 draw may well be on the cards.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Apr

2026

The MLS Wrap: Messi’s Inter Miami open new stadium while Son Heung-min lights up LA

An eventful weekend of Major League Soccer witnessed a new billion-dollar stadium for Lionel Messi to play in and an attacking duo in cheat code mode for Los Angeles FC.

By James Nalton

Messi Miami stadium

All eyes were on Inter Miami once again this week as the high-profile franchise opened its new stadium in the city.

Since joining MLS in 2020, Inter Miami have played their home games 30 miles away in the city of Fort Lauderdale.

The plan was always to build a stadium in Miami, and on Saturday, a new ground, next to Miami International Airport, opened its doors for Messi and co. for an MLS match for the first time.

Of course, this being a big occasion, Messi got himself on the scoresheet, but though he was the scorer of his team’s first goal at the stadium, the first goal at the stadium was scored by Guilherme Biro via a pin-point header for opponents Austin FC.

The Texas team also spoiled the party by earning a 2-2 draw on the night, meaning Inter Miami didn’t open their new billion-dollar home with a win.

But there were plenty of positives, including some fans’ use of public transport to get to the ground, Luis Suárez getting on the scoresheet too, an entertaining game full of chances, and getting to celebrate a Messi goal, which, let’s face it, is what most of those in attendance will have turned out to see.

It’s the start of a new chapter for this franchise that is never far away from the headlines. Those are mostly thanks to Messi, but on this occasion, they are thanks to Messi and a new stadium. MLS’s Miami team is now finally playing in downtown Miami.

Son lights up Los Angeles as Bouanga nets hat-trick

Los Angeles FC continued to show they are the best team in MLS at the start of the 2026 season, and though Son Heung-min didn’t manage to get on the scoresheet, he was instrumental in their latest win.

He assisted four of his team’s five first-half goals against Orlando City in LA on Saturday night — all five if you include his cross that resulted in the David Brekalo own goal to open the scoring — and finished the game with the highest FotMob rating despite not finding the net himself.

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

Fellow outstanding attacker Denis Bouanga was a regular recipient of Son’s passes, scoring a hat-trick in eight minutes in that first-half flurry as LAFC maintained their place at the top of the Supporters’ Shield standings.

LAFC are also yet to concede a goal in MLS this season, looking solid as well as setting the pace, and though their start to the season has been strong, this was their most convincing win so far, marking them out as the team to beat.

They will hope to continue this form on the continent when they face Cruz Azul in the quarterfinals of the Concacaf Champions Cup this week.

Tsakiris shines as Earthquakes rumble on

Son and Bouanga were unsurprisingly the two highest-rated players this week, but the next in line takes us to another early standout performer in the Western Conference, San Jose Earthquakes.

Having finished outside the top ten in their conference in four of the past five seasons, and having had the embarrassment of receiving the Wooden Spoon in 2018 and 2024, there has been little for Earthquakes fans to celebrate since they lifted the Supporters’ Shield back in 2012.

This season has seen them start in 2012 form, though, and their 12 points from five games equals the pace of that successful season.

This weekend, they were up against one of the other challengers at the top of the Western Conference, San Diego FC, securing a 3-0 win that showed there is some substance to their early-season form and that they can mix it with the best.

Nico Tsakiris stood out, scoring a brace made up of an outstanding opener and one from the penalty spot, while striker Preston Judd also notched a goal and an assist.

Goalkeeper Daniel is quietly among the best goalkeepers in the league, and 22-year-old San Josean Beau Leroux has emerged as a standout performer in midfield. That’s before you even get to the impact that new high-profile signing, Timo Werner, can have on this team.

Bruce Arena’s side are worth keeping an eye on this season.

Pre-World Cup drama in Canada as Sargent alerts Pochettino

Co-host Canada (and Mexico, for that matter) has gone under the radar somewhat in the build-up to the 2026 World Cup, with much of the focus being on the issues surrounding the United States’ suitability to host the tournament.

But this World Cup will kick off in Mexico, while Canadian cities Toronto and Vancouver will also host matches up to the Last 16 stage.

Both of those Canadian host cities are home to MLS teams, and both witnessed great drama in their matches that bookended Matchweek 6.

Toronto opened the round with an eventful game at home to Colorado Rapids. There were five goals in the game, but before any of them were scored, there were two red cards, one for each team.

This opened up the game, with Colorado scoring two in three minutes before Toronto mounted a comeback. It was started by Canadian international Richie Laryea and finished off by American striker Josh Sargent, with a calamitous Rapids own goal and another sending off for the visitors to accompany it all.

Sargent is pushing for a late inclusion in Mauricio Pochettino’s United States World Cup squad, and goals like the header that won this game in dramatic fashion in the 85th minute will make the US boss sit up and take note.

It was another USMNT hopeful who won the game for the Whitecaps in Vancouver to close off this Matchweek. Sebastian Berhalter struck the second of two goals in added time, the other a Thomas Müller penalty, to bring the Whitecaps back from 2-1 down to win 3-2 against Phil Neville’s Portland Timbers.

These Canadian cities will be hoping for similar excitement when they host World Cup matches in the summer, but for now, their MLS teams are giving them some soccer to enjoy.

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

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Apr

2026

Preview: Arsenal look to bounce back in Sporting first leg

And then there were two. Arsenal face a trip to Lisbon in the quarter-finals of the Champions League with the tension starting to mount, at the end of a season which has promised a lot.

By Ian King

Sporting are not an opponent that Arsenal can afford to take lightly

Defeat at Southampton in the FA Cup at the weekend was probably the worst preparation that Arsenal could have had for their Champions League trip to play Sporting. But while the domestic trophies were the less important aspect of their much talked about – and now extinct – quadruple and treble chances, the two pieces of silverware they really want are still up for grabs.

But while Sporting aren’t the most difficult opponents that they could be facing this week, it would be a fool’s errand to take them lightly. They’ve only lost once in the Primeira Liga all season, and that defeat came at the end of August, while their Champions League run has already seen them beat holders PSG in the group stage, while they came from 3-0 down to beat Bodø/Glimt 5-3 on aggregate in the last sixteen.

Sporting had the upper hand by the slimmest of margins, the last time these two met

It is a curious quirk of tournament football that, even though Arsenal have never lost in open play to Sporting, the last time the two sides met in the Champions League they were eliminated by them. In 2022/23, they met in the last 16 of this competition and, after a 2-2 draw in Lisbon and a 1-1 draw in London, Sporting won the resulting penalty shootout 5-3 to progress.

The two sides have only met twice, otherwise. Drawn together in the group stage of the 2018/19 Champions League, Arsenal won 1-0 in Lisbon, while the two teams played a goalless draw in London. And there was another goalless in their first ever competitive meeting, in the 1969/70 Fairs Cup, with Arsenal winning the return match 3-0.

Viktor Gyökeres has hit a good run of form at a vital time for Mikel Arteta

With 17 goals in all competitions now this season, including their equaliser at the weekend, the decision to sign Viktor Gyökeres from Sporting last summer is starting to bear fruit. Gyökeres’ 68 goals in 66 league appearances for them were the reason they paid so much money for him in the first place.

He also scored four in two games over the international break for Sweden – including the winning goal in the 3-2 win against Poland which sent his country to the World Cup finals – so he could be the form player that Mikel Arteta needs at a time when his team is starting to fray at the edges, a little.

The obvious danger man for Sporting is Luis Suárez (no, not that one), the Colombian striker who’s scored 33 goals in 42 appearances in all competitions for them this season, including 24 in 25 appearances in the Primeira Liga. Only two other Sporting players have reached double-figures in front of goal all season. Keep Suárez quiet, and you’ve gone a long way towards keeping Sporting quiet.

Gabriel doubts have added to Arsenal’s injury woes

There was more bad news on the injury front for Arteta at the weekend, when Gabriel Maghalães limped from the pitch. He’s now a major doubt for this match. Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard and Jurrien Timber all missed Saturday’s match and may return. Eberechi Eze, Piero Hincapié and Mikel Merino are all confirmed absentees.

Sporting have injury problems of their own. Fotis Ioannidis, Geovany Quenda and Nuno Santos are all injured, and Luis Guilherme and Ivan Fresneda are also doubtful. They’ll also be missing captain Morten Hjulmand, who’s suspended for this leg.

A trip to Sporting is no walk in the park, but Arsenal need to repeatedly show their strength of character now

Given recent results, perhaps the most important thing for Arsenal to bear in mind ahead of this fixture is that it’s only the first leg. Even if something goes wrong at the Estadio Jose Alvalade, there’s plenty of time to put things right in the return leg in North London.

But this is a test of character. No-one has ever suggested that winning silverware is easy, and Arsenal are going to face test after test over the next few weeks, and their reactions to results such as that which they suffered at St. Mary’s on Saturday are what really matter, at this point of the season.

An away match against Sporting is no walk in the park. This is, after all, a team which has only failed to score in two matches in all competitions this season – their Champions League first leg match in Norway and the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira, which they lost 1-0 to Benfica at the end of July – and who’ve already beaten the holders of the competition in the group stages.

In a bear-pit of a stadium, that breezy talk of them having an easy draw may not feel quite as comfortable if Sporting start on the front foot against them. I’m going to go for a 2-1 Sporting win in this first leg, and for the second leg to be another of those tight evenings in which it feels as though everything is balanced on a knife-edge.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Apr

2026

Preview: European royalty Madrid and Bayern meet in Champions League quarterfinals

No clubs have met more times in the Champions League than Real Madrid and Bayern Munich (28).

By Filip Mishov

Bayern tie turning into all-or-nothing moment for Álvaro Arbeloa

Real Madrid’s impressive five-match winning streak came to an end over the weekend with Álvaro Arbeloa‘s squad leaving Mallorca empty-handed and allowing LaLiga leaders, Barcelona, to strengthen their lead at the top (they are now seven points clear). One might argue, the March international break disrupted their momentum, but the reality is different, as Kylian Mbappé & co. created only a couple of big chances against the relegation-threatened Pirates, continuing a season long patter that has seen them produce over 35 less big chances than title rivals Barcelona. With the Champions League trophy possibly the only chance of winning silverware for Álvaro Arbeloa left this season, a failure to progress from the quarter-finals might force President Florentino Pérez in to making another coaching change over the summer.

Opponents Bayern München are on course for a treble, with Vincent Kompany boasting the highest-scoring squad (100 goals) among Europe’s top 5 leagues and moving closer to defending the Bundesliga title after mounting an incredible last-gasp comeback at Freiburg. However, despite Bayern’s exquisite season, a trip to the Bernabéu will pose a different challenge for the German champions who have not won a game in Madrid since 2001 (1D, 7L). The Bavarians have been eliminated in each of the past four knockout ties against the 15-time European champions.

Key players

Federico Valverde was sorely missed in the defeat to Mallorca with the Uruguayan’s absence felt both in terms of quality and character on the pitch, as the fearless vice-captain is setting the standard for his teammates this season. The 27-year-old scored a hat-trick in the Champions League round of 16, sending Real Madrid to the quarter-finals, and once again, the versatile midfielder’s presence and performance will be crucial, regardless of whether he’s deployed in defence or midfield.

If it were not for Harry Kane‘s extraordinary season, Michael Olise‘s performances and form would definitely receive much more deserved recognition, as the super-talented Frenchman is on 19 goals and 26 assists in 45 appearances across all competitions, which is quite remarkable. The 24-year-old is the second-highest-FotMob rated player (averaging 8.15) in the Bundesliga, only behind the England captain (8.30). No one has created more big chances (25) and recorded more league assists (18) as well as Champions League assists (5) than him this season. Álvaro Carreras has one have a hell of a task on his hands to stop the in-form winger.

Team news

Valverde will return in the starting XI after serving a one-match suspension in LaLiga and Vinícius Júnior should follow suit, but whether Éder Militao and Jude Bellingham will join them, is a conundrum for the coach. Thibaut Courtois and Rodrygo remain injured.

Harry Kane missed the comeback win over the weekend and although the prolific striker travelled with the squad to Madrid, his availability is described as touch-and-go, with a final decision to be made ahead of kick-off. Aside from that issue, almost everyone else is available for the visitors.

Prediction

Real Madrid suffered a major setback in the title race back home and Arbeloa’s main focus could now be on winning a 16th Champions League title, in a bid to keep Florentino Pérez’s trust. But the fact remains, the Kings of Europe are struggling this season, and with or without Harry Kane, I expect Bayern to secure at least a draw in the first leg and improve their poor record at the Bernabéu.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

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.