Page 30 – The Pulse of Football

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.

Apr

2026

Bromley closing in on historic League Two promotion

Bromley are more than a decade older than the two professional clubs closest to them in South East London, Crystal Palace and Charlton Athletic, but until just over a decade ago, they’d never played in a national division.

By Tom Hancock

Founder members of the Southern League in 1894, Bromley didn’t venture to the north of England with regularity until the 2015/16 season – when they got their first taste of the National League, having been promoted as National League South champions.

The Ravens finished a very creditable 14^th that campaign and went on to record top-half finishes in seven of the next eight seasons, culminating with a third-placed finish in 2023/24 – and subsequent promotion via the play-offs to reach the EFL for the first time in their history, becoming the 145^th club to play League football.

Twelve months later, they fell only four points short of a League Two play-off berth at the first attempt; now, they’re on course to bypass the play-offs altogether. Andy Woodman’s side just lost for the first time in 22 games and boast the only unbeaten home league record in the top four divisions this term. With six matches to go, promotion is within their grasp – and so is the title.

“When we go up,” says Machel St Patrick Hewitt of independent site From Bromley with Love, speaking ahead of the Ravens’ surprise 2-1 defeat to Barrow, “Andy’s going to – and rightly so – get all the plaudits.”

Machel makes a point of looking ahead to when Bromley go up and not if – such has been the optimism instilled in the club not just by Woodman but by his predecessors in the dugout and those behind the scenes.

“[Owner and chairman] Robin Stanton-Gleaves also will get all the plaudits,” Machel continues, “and there’ll be [a lot written] about what they’ve done over the last five years – and rightly so.”

Born and bred in the area, Stanton-Gleaves has been at the helm since 2019. He’s overseen an ongoing transformation of the club – which, off the pitch, has included expanding the Ravens’ Hayes Lane home and bringing training facilities onto a par with those of some Championship clubs.

“But actually,” Machel emphasises, “the story starts about 20 years ago…” – when Bromley’s fortunes were transformed by the return of legendary manager George Wakeling, who first took charge back in 1990. Now a club ambassador with a stand named after him, Wakeling is credited by Machel with kickstarting the Ravens’ rise.

Within months of Wakeling’s December comeback, Bromley were promoted from the eighth tier to the seventh, before one-time Crystal Palace chairman Mark Goldberg led them to the sixth then seventh tiers.

At that point, Bromley were still a part-time club, but the wheels of professionalism would soon be in motion, and by 2017 the Ravens were a fully fledged, full-time National League outfit with EFL ambitions.

A first National League play-off appearance came at the end of the 2020/21 campaign – which resulted in a quarter-final exit to Hartlepool United – and a second followed two years later, the Ravens losing in the semis to Chesterfield on that occasion.

Arguably no one epitomises Bromley’s ascent to their headiest-ever heights better than Michael Cheek, their attacking spearhead who’s top-scored for them in each of the last six seasons and counting. Just like Bromley, Cheek – who arrived from Ebbsfleet United in 2019 – had never played League football until 2024, making his League Two debut, and marking it with a goal, less than two weeks shy of his 33^rd birthday – and just like Bromley, he’s taken to the fourth tier seamlessly, winning the EFL League Two Player of the Season and PFA League Two Players’ Player of the Year awards for 2024/25.

*Bromley’s top contributors this season*

Experience has been a key facet of the Bromley success story: fellow forwards Nicke Kabamba and Corey Whitely are 33 and 34 respectively, the former notching 12 League Two goals this term. Other integral members of the seventh-oldest squad in the division include 31-year-old winger Mitch Pinnock, a proven player in the division above, and 30-year-old centre-back Omar Sowunmi – while 34-year-old ex-Arsenal man Carl Jenkinson and promotion-winning captain Byron Webster, now 39, continue to play bit-part roles.

Manager Woodman – a former goalkeeper who played for the likes of Northampton Town, Oxford United and Brentford – is less experienced by comparison, having only had a brief stint in charge of Whitehawk before taking the reins at Hayes Lane in 2021, but the 54-year-old has exponentially increased his stock with Bromley, lifting the 2021/22 FA Trophy then triumphing in the National League play-offs – beating Wrexham and Solihull Moors in the respective Wembley finals. He’s bound to be a boss in demand this summer.

Bromley’s charge towards League One proves that effectiveness trumps aesthetics, certainly in the lower reaches of the EFL. The Ravens average the joint second-lowest possession in League Two (43.6%) and complete the fewest passes per game (149.3) – both indicators of their direct approach – but their non-penalty expected goals (xG) output of 55.27 makes them the division’s fourth-most creative side, with only three teams scoring more goals than their 63 – of which a league-high 24 have come from set-pieces. What they’re doing works.

Conversely, Bromley do give up chances – they concede 1.25 xG per game on average – but not many of those result in goals, with only Cambridge and Oldham Athletic letting in fewer than the Ravens’ 1 goal per game. It’s a mark of how defensively active Woodman’s men are, ranking right up there in League Two for ground duel success, interceptions and blocks.

However, promotion could necessitate a shift in style, with Machel calling the jump between Leagues One and Two – considerably greater than the comparative hop from National League to League Two – “the demarcation point” where tactical flexibility becomes of the essence.

Bromley’s ageing squad will also need upgrading – and while the Ravens’ relatively modest budget (they had the second-lowest wage bill in League Two last term) won’t allow a full-scale overhaul, Woodman has a trick up his sleeve.

“If I ever had to say what Andy has done best beyond the spirit he’s created in the club,” considers Machel, “I think he’s played the loan market exceptionally well. Every year, he has managed to get a loanee that has then kicked on their career.”

A standout recent example would be Danny Imray, who spent last season on loan from Palace – a club with whom Bromley share close ties – and is now on loan at Championship West Brom, following a stint with League One Blackpool.

“I think Bromley have gained a reputation now,” Machel continues. “I’m fairly certain that if you’re a player with the right age demographic or profile…[you] look at Bromley as a step-up club.”

And with six games left – three of them at fortress Hayes Lane – it’s still in Bromley’s hands for them to make their biggest step up yet. Barely a decade after the Ravens finished their season with a 2-1 defeat to Gosport Borough, a meeting with Leicester City – Premier League champions the year that Bromley completed their maiden National League campaign as part-timers – is a distinct possibility.

(Images from IMAGO)

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

Mar

2026

Hugo Ekitike could be pivotal to France’s chances at this summer’s World Cup

When France won the 1998 World Cup on home soil, the goals were shared out among the squad in what was a true team effort.

By Ross Kilvington

Thierry Henry, David Trezeguet, Zinedine Zidane, Youri Djorkeff, Bixente Lizarazu, Christophe Dugarry and even Lillian Thuram all scored at least once at the finals.

Curiously, striker Stephane Guivarc’h was not one of them. While his contributions to the triumph were still praised, he played 268 minutes without scoring.

France won a second World Cup in Russia 20 years later and it was a case of Deja Vue for Les Blues. Olivier Giroud was tasked with leading the line in 2018, but like Guivarc’h, he failed to find the back of the net.

Giroud was lauded for his ability to hold the ball up, creating space for Kylian Mbappé and Antonie Griezmann to exploit in the final third.

This summer, Didier Deschamps – who will lead France for the last time – might well have a striker who is ready to enjoy a goal-laden World Cup.

Hugo Ekitike shone against Brazil in a friendly last week and his relationship with Mbappé could be vital in North America this summer.

Hugo Ekitike’s international career is set to take off

Despite his talent, Ekitike only made his debut for France in September 2025 against Ukraine. He scored against the same opponents in his fifth appearance playing as a centre-forward during a 4-0 victory.

Deschamps unleashed the youngster from the start in the glamour friendly against Brazil and the 2018 world champions delivered a powerful statement of intent.

Mbappé opened the scoring in Foxborough, before Ekitike scored his second international goal, netting a delightful little chip that was reminiscent of Hernan Crespo’s effort in the 2005 Champions League final.

Friendly or not, Ekitike proved to Deschamps that he has what it takes to thrive against an elite nation. He and Mbappé worked well together during their 66 minutes on the pitch and this is a relationship which began in 2022 when both were at PSG.

“Me and Mbappé, we really understand each other on the pitch,” said Ekitike following the 2-1 win over the Brazilians.

“He told me to play freely, I had a lot of fun. We spent a lot of time together at PSG.

“With players like Kylian and Ousmane, I have the opportunity to move wherever I want. I’m enjoying helping France win, and this is a crucial year for me.”

The Liverpool striker also succeeded with 100% of his dribble attempts against Brazil and took seven touches in the opposition box – the second-highest total among all players.

He came on for the final 27 minutes against Colombia and while he failed to add to his goal tally, Ekitike made five defensive contributions while registering a shot on target.

Competition is going to be fierce for a starting role for France this summer, especially as Désiré Doué scored twice on Sunday evening.

Add in Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, Marcus Thuram, Rayan Cherki and Randal Kolo Muani all battling it out for a place in the starting XI, Deschamps has plenty to ponder.

Ekitike’s versatility could work in his favour

This season, Ekitike has scored 17 goals for Liverpool across 42 games, embracing his status as one of the brightest talents in the Premier League.

He has featured as a centre-forward in every single one of these matches, but his versality could be a big advantage for Deschamps and France this summer.

*Ekitike’s shooting numbers for Liverpool in the Premier League*

With Mbappé an undisputed starter for Les Blues, Ekitike could float between operating on the left wing or as the lone striker in the 4-2-3-1 system Deschamps prefers.

The 23-year-old started out wide in the clash against Brazil, regularly cutting in on his stronger right foot throughout the clash to great effect while making diagonal runs into the opposition penalty area.

These runs could certainly exploit the space between the right-back and centre-back and he proved against Brazil that he performs well alongside Mbappé.

With the temperature set to exceed 28°C at the World Cup this summer, the extreme heat could play a factor in squad management.

*Ekitike’s passing numbers for Liverpool in the Premier League*

Ekitike’s ability to interchange positions from the left-wing to centre-forward could give him the edge over other players in the squad. As such, the former PSG striker could switch fluidly between these areas with Mbappé in games this summer.

Mbappé, of course, has the chance to break Miroslav Klose’s record of 16 World Cup goals this summer, needing five to do so. He will carry the hopes of a nation once again on the biggest stage of all.

Ekitike, however, will be featuring in his first major tournament for Les Blues. If he can carry his excellent club form into North America, there is no doubt he could play a pivotal role for France as they seek a third world crown.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every France 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.

Mar

2026

Crunch time for Italy as World Cup hopes depend on final playoff

The three-times World Cup winners can finally return to international football’s biggest stage by beating Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday.

By Graham Ruthven

For much of Italy’s World Cup qualification playoff semi-final against Northern Ireland, the tension was palpable. The Azzurri were edgy, aware that a shock loss would mean something unthinkable – a third World Cup in-a-row without the presence of the three-times winners.

That Italy would miss even one World Cup in the modern age was previously unthinkable. That the Azzurri have missed two in succession, sitting at home for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, is a national shame that Italy is still struggling to comprehend. Gennaro Gattuso’s side are attempting to qualify for the 2022 World Cup with all this baggage weighing them down.

Sandro Tonali’s second half opener against Northern Ireland allowed Italy to relax. After an unconvincing opening 45 minutes, the hosts started to impose themselves more freely. In truth, there was never any genuine chance that Italy wouldn’t win after Tonali’s strike from the edge of the box put them ahead.

Tuesday’s playoff against Bosnia and Herzegovina will be an even tougher test. The Dragons pulled off an impressive comeback to get past Wales in their playoff semi-final, equalising four minutes from the end through Edin Džeko before ultimately winning the tie on penalties.

By the looks of it, Italy wanted to avoid meeting Wales for a place at this summer’s World Cup. A video of the Azzurri players celebrating Bosnia’s shootout victory went viral, adding more fuel to a game that was already destined to be fiery. If a video could be pinned to the dressing room wall, Bosnia would surely do it for Tuesday’s encounter.

“It’s going to be a fiery atmosphere, though if we had gone to Cardiff, it would’ve been a similar situation,” said Gattuso ahead of Italy’s crunch World Cup qualifier. “There are a lot of experienced players in the Bosnia team, Wales are very different. Bosnia close up well, rely on their strikers, so it’ll be another very difficult game, much like the one we had tonight [against Northern Ireland].”

Italy has spent the last eight years in purgatory. There has been a never-ending national discussion about the state of the sport in the country with few answers produced to some very pressing questions. The failure to qualify for another World Cup would continue the debate.

At first, many believed Italy would simply have to wait for the next golden generation to emerge. Now, it’s clear Italian football isn’t set up to produce talent like it used to. Serie A trails most other European leagues when it comes to affording game time to young players and this is having a knock-on effect.

Nevertheless, Italy’s current squad is more than good enough to qualify for the World Cup. The team that started against Northern Ireland might not have included many superstars, but all 11 players operate at a high level. Italian football might have veered too far towards self-flagellation.

Indeed, Gianluigi Donnarumma is the Azzurri’s first-choice goalkeeper and is currently one of the best players in his position anywhere in the world. In front of Donnarumma were Alessandro Bastoni – arguably the best central defender in Serie A – and Riccardo Calafiori – an important member of an Arsenal side on course for the Premier League title.

The midfield trio of Nicolo Barella, Manuel Locatelli and Sandro Tonali, in theory, gives Italy good balance in the centre of the pitch. Locatelli is comfortable dictating play from deep while Barella and Tonali offer plenty of energy and intent on both sides of the ball. This is an area of strength for the Azzurri.

In the attack, Italy could certainly use a more prolific finisher. Moise Kean and Mateo Retegui topped the Serie A scoring charts last season, offering hope that the Azzurri might have found a new front two to build around. Since then, though, Kean’s form has dropped off and Retegui has made the move to Saudi Arabia.

Francesco Pio Esposito has the potential to be a frontman for the national team in the mould of someone like Luca Toni, but the Inter Milan youngster is still a work-in-progress. It might be too early to expect him to lead the line for Italy like many of the legendary attackers that have played for the Azzurri in the past.

Whether or not Italy have a team up to the standard of past glories, it’s clear they need to move on. World Cup qualification would invigorate Italian football. It would give confidence to a national team programme that desperately needs it and belief to one of world football’s most successful, and romanticised, sides. The World Cup is better with Italy involved.

(Images from IMAGO)

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