Preview

Feb

2026

Preview: Barcelona face giantkillers Albacete in the Copa del Rey

Albacete host Barcelona in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey as they hope to cause another phenomenal upset in the competition.

By Matt Smith

It’s been a fairytale run for Albacete so far, beating Real Madrid in the previous round, with Jefté Betancor scoring a 94th-minute winner.

It’s been a while since these two sides met, over 20 years in fact, with Barcelona coming out victorious with a 2-0 win in their previous meeting, back in 2005.

Team news

Albacete could be without Higinio Marín for this one, as he’s a doubt for the home side. Edward Cedeno will miss out after undergoing surgery.

Meanwhile, Barcelona remain without Gavi, Pedri, and Andreas Christensen, and Raphinha suffered an adductor strain during Saturday’s win over Elche. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Hansi Flick rotate his side for this one, but they’ll have to be careful not to underestimate their opponents.

Albacete will want to repeat Madrid display

Against Real Madrid, when Albacete pulled off a sensational 3-2 victory, the second division side set up how you would expect when facing one of the most powerful teams in world football. Alberto González’s men sat deep, looking to absorb the pressure, allowing Madrid to have the ball before hitting them on the counter.

Albacete had just 22% possession against Real Madrid, and it wasn’t a huge contrast compared to how they set up against sides of their level. Albacete rank 21st for possession in LaLiga 2, so they’re well-drilled in getting results when the opposition has plenty of the ball.

Barcelona likely to assert their dominance

Dominating possession isn’t an alien concept to Barcelona, and there’s no doubt they’re going to have plenty of the ball against Albacete. Flick’s side have averaged more possession in LaLiga than any other team, so the Barcelona boss shouldn’t be expecting too much of a difference from a regular league fixture.

Barcelona have scored 60 goals in the league this season, more than any other side, and breaking down low blocks is something they’re forced to do on a regular basis. It’s a real opportunity for some fringe players to prove themselves to Flick, and they’ll be chomping at the bit to show the manager they deserve more minutes.

Rashford deserves his chance

Marcus Rashford has started on the bench in Barcelona’s last five games, and he’ll be itching to play from the beginning in this one. The English forward has proved himself off the bench, providing four goals and assists during that time.

*Rashford’s season summary at Barcelona*

Rashford has now scored twice in his last two substitute appearances, so there’s no doubt he deserves an opportunity to start. Flick gave Rashford a start in their last Copa del Rey clash earlier this year, and he could be the player to watch in this game.

Prediction

Albacete’s fairytale run in the competition could be coming to an end this week, with Barcelona likely too strong for them. We’re going for a 3-0 victory to Flick’s side.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2026

Preview: Madrid get back down to business against Rayo in LaLiga

Álvaro Arbeloa’s side were on the wrong end of one of the Champions League’s most dramatic moments in the competition’s history in midweek. Now, they need to put that behind them and keep Barcelona within touching distance in LaLiga.

By Alex Roberts

Rayo Vallecano aren’t in the best form heading into this one. Toothless defeats in their last two league games against Celta Vigo and Osasuna, conceding three goals and scoring just one means Real Madrid are HEAVY favourites.

Still, Real Madrid’s record against Vallecano isn’t great, winning just twice in their last seven meetings. Arbeloa is yet to grab the imagination of the fans, anything other than a win here could be calamitous.

The best on the planet?

There’s a big ol’ debate about who the best forward in the world is at the moment. Is it Harry Kane, tearing it up in Germany? Perhaps Man City’s giant Norwegian robot Erling Haaland, hunting Arsenal down at the top of the Premier League?

Well, if you’re inclined to say either of those two, let us introduce you to a certain Kylian Mbappé. The Frenchman is in absolutely absurd form, carrying his side through the rougher parts of the season with 11 goals in his last 10 games across all competitions.

*Mbappé is the leading goalscorer in Spain and the Champions League this season*

Mbappé is Real Madrid’s main man, that much is certain. No matter what happens come the end of the season, no one could blame him if it’s ultimately a failure, even in the defeat to Benfica he scored a brace.

Really struggling for goals

What Rayo Vallecano would give for someone who could score ten goals never mind a player like Mbappé. The third lowest scoring side in LaLiga (17 goals), Iñigo Pérez needs to solve that problem quick before they slip even farther down the table.

Jorge de Frutos has shouldered most of Vallecano’s goal scoring responsibility so far this season, with six from his 19 La Liga games. That’s not a terrible return, but beyond him, options are limited to say the least.

The Madrid based side that finished eighth last season are just one point above the relegation zone and have lost seven of their 11 away games in 2025/26. To make matters worse, they haven’t won at the Bernabéu since 1996. Perhaps all of that means a sensational win is written in the stars?

Team news

Real Madrid’s season defining defensive injury crisis isn’t over just yet, but it’s looking better than it once was. Antonio Rüdiger is close to returning from his knee injury, although this game looks like it’s come too soon.

Reports are linking Trent Alexander-Arnold with a move away just months after joining. Like Rüdiger, he’s close to returning, and once he does, he has several points to prove. Don’t expect him to be playing today, though.

We’re still some way off seeing Éder Militão (tendon) and Ferland Mendy (ankle) in their famous white shirts.

As for Vallecano, the good news is that Abdul Mumin is back in training after the ACL injury that has ruled him out since last March, but Andrei Rațiu (hamstring), and Iván Balliu (muscle) are out.

Prediction

Real Madrid are in desperate need of a win here, and the odds are heavily stacked in their favour. So, we’re going with a 3-1 win for Árbeloa’s lads.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2026

Preview: Manchester City visit Tottenham Hotspur in a must-win situation

After ebbing and flowing around the turn of the year, the gap at the top of the Premier League is back down to four points. As they approach the final third of the season, Manchester City now have to keep building the pressure on their rivals.

By Neel Shelat

Both sides’ crucial midweek successes

Fixture congestion is a huge concern for top teams around Europe in this period of the season. Both of these teams have been kept quite busy lately as this will be their fifth match in 15 days. With that in mind, it should be easy to understand why their top eight finishes in the UEFA Champions League could prove crucial going forward.

Manchester City will be particularly glad to have snuck into eighth place as it leaves them with an open midweek on either side of a tough league match against Newcastle United. Moreover, Tottenham Hotspur’s direct progression to the Round of 16 could also benefit them as Spurs face Arsenal on the same weekend. If City are to profit at all, though, they will first have to ensure they pick up all possible points in the intervening period.

Spurs remain Pep Guardiola’s bogey team

Among opponents that Manchester City have faced more than thrice under Pep Guardiola, they only have a lower win percentage against Liverpool and Real Madrid than Tottenham Hotspur. In fact, in the Premier League, no other side has a better record than Spurs’ 8-3-8.

The North London club have won three of the last four meetings between these sides, including the reverse fixture on the second matchday of this season. Of course, much has changed for Thomas Frank since the end of August, but his side have every chance of coming away with a result in this match.

Team news

Both teams will have to contend with pretty long injury lists. Spurs have seen Micky van de Ven, Mohammed Kudus, Richarlison, Rodrigo Bentancur, Lucas Bergvall and Ben Davies all suffer issues in January, joining James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski on the treatment table.

City have been missing centre-backs Joško Gvardiol, Rúben Dias and John Stones amidst a defensive injury crisis, with Mateo Kovačić also out for a good while. Up front, Savinho and Oscar Bobb have not featured for a month or so, while Jérémy Doku went off with a calf issue in the last match against Galatasaray.

Key players

Erling Haaland ended a five-match goal drought and scored his first open-play goal in 10 appearances in midweek. He already has 30 goals this season despite that dry patch, and will be raring to resume his battle against Cristian Romero.

At the other end, Marc Guéhi will have a key role to play in just his second league start for Manchester City, as the returning Dominic Solanke will fancy his chances against a weakened back line. Rodri could play a big part in helping his defenders out, while Conor Gallagher will look to disrupt the Spaniard’s game.

Prediction

These two teams have not played out a goalless draw in their last 36 meetings, so a dramatic match is to be expected. In the end, City might just have enough to eke out a victory.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2026

Preview: Man United host Fulham in latest test of Carrick’s credentials

Can Michael Carrick’s Manchester United team build on impressive wins over Manchester City and Arsenal to further highlight their progress?

By Graham Ruthven

Carrick’s at the wheel

Michael Carrick couldn’t have dreamt of a better start to his second stint as Manchester United interim manager. Indeed, wins over Manchester City and Arsenal have pushed United into the top four where they now want to stay.

Sunday’s home fixture against Fulham will be a different sort of test. Against City and Arsenal, United could stay compact at the back and play in quick transition. This is an approach that clearly suits their players.

*Table standing prior to Saturday’s games*

Fulham, however, will attempt to flip the script at Old Trafford. They will likely set up to play on the break and have lost just one of their last eight league games.

Under Ruben Amorim, Manchester United regularly struggled to break down low defensive blocks, demonstrated best by the recent poor performances at home against Wolves, West Ham and Everton.

Carrick has made a strong start, but United must win more matches at home to keep their place in the top four and qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Key players

Nobody has registered more goal contributions (15) for Manchester United this season than Bruno Fernandes who has rediscovered his best form since being moved back into his usual number 10 position.

By using Fernandes ahead of Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo, Carrick has given United some much-needed balance in the centre of the pitch. All three midfielders are expected to start on Sunday.

Bryan Mbeumo has scored in each of his last two appearances and could once again feature as a mobile centre forward with Amad Diallo in line to start on the right wing. Matheus Cunha could come into the lineup after scoring the winner against Arsenal.

Harry Wilson is in the form of his life at the moment, scoring stunners for fun. Indeed, the Welsh international has found the back of the net four times in his last five games for the Cottagers.

Raúl Jiménez will pose a threat as a physical centre forward capable of matching up against Harry Maguire in the air inside the box. Fulham have scored seven set piece goals since December, hinting at an area they could exploit at Old Trafford.

Calvin Bassey will be briefed with tracking Mbeumo’s movement. The Nigerian hasn’t featured for Fulham since playing at the Africa Cup of Nations for his national team.

Team news

Manchester United will be without Patrick Dorgu after the Danish wide player was sidelined for the next 10 weeks with a hamstring injury suffered in the win over Arsenal.

Matthijs De Ligt and Joshua Zirkzee are also unavailable. Otherwise, Carrick has a fully fit and available squad to choose from for his third match in charge.

Rodrigo Muniz, Saša Lukić, and Kenny Tete won’t make the trip to Old Trafford with all three Fulham players currently out through injury. Tete, however, isn’t too far away from a return to action.

Prediction

After the highs of their last two results, the Londoners could be exactly the sort of opposition that bring the Old Trafford crowd back down to earth. We’re going to go a with a frustrating draw for the home side: Manchester United 1-1 Fulham.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2026

Preview: Barcelona travel to Elche on Saturday evening

Elche host Barcelona as the home side look to end a dismal run against Hansi Flick’s men. Barcelona have won the previous nine meetings between the two sides, with Elche’s last point coming all the way back in 2014.

By Matt Smith

When the two sides met earlier in the campaign, it was a comfortable victory for Barcelona, with Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres, and Marcus Rashford all getting on the scoresheet that day.

Team news

Elche could be without a host of players heading into this game, with Héctor Fort and Rafa Mir out injured for the home side. Aleix Febas will also miss out due to suspension, while both Josan and Álvaro Núñez are doubts.

Meanwhile, Barcelona shouldn’t have any fresh injury concerns for their trip to Elche. Gavi, Pedri, and Andreas Christensen all remain on the treatment table.

Elche’s fascinating style

Elche are one of the most eye-catching teams in LaLiga this season. Despite only just being promoted to the top division this term, Elche are giving a fantastic account of themselves, not sitting back and absorbing pressure during games like a lot of newly promoted teams like to do.

Manager Eder Sarabia has kept his style that gained them promotion, looking to dominate possession, sticking with his key principles. In fact, only Real Madrid and Barcelona have averaged more possession than Elche this season (58.8%), an incredible achievement considering they were in LaLiga 2 last campaign.

Barcelona can’t afford too many more slip-ups

Barcelona recently suffered a defeat against Real Sociedad away from home, helping the likes of Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid close the gap. Looking at the form of the two sides behind Barcelona, they can’t afford to make too many more slip-ups if they want to win the title.

Flick’s side have a comfortable enough cushion over Atlético, but Real Madrid are breathing down their neck right now. Barcelona have secured maximum points at home, winning 10 from 10, but they’ve failed to win four of their 11 away trips so far this season. It’s shaping up to be an exciting title race.

Fermín López – new contract?

Reports have claimed that Fermín López is edging closer to signing a new deal, and it’s no surprise considering some of the performances he’s produced in recent months. The likes of Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, and Raphinha take a lot of the plaudits in the final third, but the job that Fermín is doing this season can’t be understated.

Fermín made it 10 goals and assists combined in his previous eight appearances last time out, and he could be the danger man for the away side this weekend. Interestingly, Flick deployed both Dani Olmo and Fermín in the same side against FC København, so we could see plenty of firepower from Barcelona.

Prediction

Elche could pose a threat to Barcelona, having lost just once at home this season, but Barcelona should have too much in attack. We’re going for a narrow 2-1 victory for Barcelona.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2026

Preview: Liverpool meet Newcastle United late on Saturday evening

Liverpool’s 13-match unbeaten run came to an abrupt halt last weekend as Bournemouth claimed a surprise but deserved 3-2 win. The Reds bounced back mid-week with a 6-0 demolition of Qarabağ in the Champions League and now welcome Newcastle United to Anfield on Saturday night.

By Sam McGuire

The story so far

The only consistent thing about Liverpool this season is how inconsistent they’ve been. The Reds started off perfect, winning their five opening games in the Premier League. They then lost nine of 12 before going on an unconvincing unbeaten run that stretched 10 games in the English top-flight.

The Reds have struggled against teams that adopt a low-block this season. Arne Slot has referenced it in a number of press conferences and the numbers tally up with it too. Liverpool rank top for possession (62%), but are sixth for goals, seventh for Expected Goals, and eighth for Big Chances Created.

Liverpool have a lot of the ball but don’t really know what to do with it. There’s a reason they rank 17th in the form table despite losing just one of their last five matches. Only Spurs, Burnley and Palace have picked up fewer points during this period.

By comparison, Newcastle United top the form table having claimed 10 points from their last five outings. The Magpies are another team to struggle for consistency this term and it’s why they find themselves in ninth position with 33 points. They’re five points behind fourth-placed Manchester United and five points clear of 15th placed Crystal Palace. A win this weekend could see them finish the matchday in sixth position while a loss could see them end gameweek in 12th.

Eddie Howe’s side battled it out to a 1-1 draw with reigning European champions PSG on Wednesday. They’ve followed up their last two Champions League matches with defeats in the Premier League.

They’ll probably feel a little confident heading to Anfield though. They don’t have the best record there but their tactics are like kryptonite to their hosts. Newcastle actually have the second best defensive record in the Premier League this term with an xG Against of just 25.2. They’re going to make it difficult for the Reds.

Key Players

For Liverpool, the key players in this game could be Florian Wirtz and Mohamed Salah. The former is in good form with four goals and an assist since the turn of the year. Salah, meanwhile, looked in fine form against Qarabağ in midweek, bagging a goal and creating a match-high seven chances. The duo combined well in periods during the game and Slot will be hopeful of a repeat showing under lights at Anfield.

For the visitors, the key man is Bruno Guimarães. He picked up a knock against PSV and missed the loss to Aston Villa and the draw with PSG but could return for the trip to Merseyside. His return would be a huge boost for Howe and his team. The skipper leads the way for goals (eight) and assists (three) this season. With him in the starting XI, Newcastle are just better.

Team News

Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni are ruled out for the season for Liverpool while Stefan Bajčetić, Jeremie Frimpong and Alexander Isak are out for the foreseeable future. Ibrahima Konaté could miss the match but there’s hope that Joe Gomez and Curtis Jones could return to the first-team picture after missing the mid-week game.

For Newcastle, Howe is still without Fabian Schär, Valentino Livramento, Jacob Murphy, Joelinton and Jamaal Lascelles. Guimarães could well be risked.

Prediction

We’re going with a 2-1 win for the hosts.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2026

Preview: Chelsea meet West Ham in cross town rivalry

Not much feels routine around Chelsea these days, and though Champions League knockout football is assured and they’ve won four in a row, it still seems a home clash with London rivals struggling against relegation will be anything but straight-forward for them.

By Karl Matchett

The blues seem to lurch their way from one headline to the next, whether it’s the dissent in the dugout or the bloated squad causing problems. But now, Enzo Maresca has gone, Raheem Sterling too, Benoît Badiashile reintegrated and former boss Antonio Conte vanquished in Europe. Could it all settle down a bit?

Has Rosenior’s start been…good?

Chelsea fans are rarely agreeable on much, even with each other, and the appointment of Liam Rosenior was another example of that, with plenty appearing angered by it. But aside from the League Cup loss to Arsenal, results have been positive: five wins across three competitions. There remain rumblings over potential Cole Palmer discontent, but he came off the bench to nab two assists in Naples too.

The team remains far from perfect but with João Pedro and Enzo Fernández in decent form, they’ll be a threat against all defences – and back-to-back Premier League wins have them inside the top five again there. More to the point, they’ve a huge chance now to consolidate that run: their next four league fixtures are against four of the bottom five.

The whiff of a hint of a bit of a chance

Conceding a last-minute penalty to Morgan Gibbs-White and losing to Nottingham Forest felt like the end – the gap from 18th to 17th was seven points at that stage and West Ham were ten without a win. But football moves fast – that was only three weeks ago and since then Nuno’s side have managed an improbable three straight victories, one being in the FA Cup. It’s still a five-point gap to safety, and both Forest and Leeds above them have been in decent form themselves, but hope springs eternal in the battle at the bottom.

West Ham might look at their following game away to Burnley as a much more “must win” encounter than this one, but fixtures disappear fast and every match is a chance to pick up an unexpected point which might prove pivotal at season’s end.

Recent form

Despite Rosenior’s fine start as boss, Chelsea’s wider home league form is erratic – two wins from the last five and three wins in their last 11 in the league overall. West Ham’s three-match winning run is their best form all season.

Team news

Nothing new for either side with Chelsea having a lot of long term absentees, including Tosin Adarabioyo, Levi Colwill and Roméo Lavia.

The departure of Lucas Paquetá means West Ham need the new-look attack of Taty Castellanos and Pablo to click fast.

Key player

Enzo is an in-form everything man: above 91% of midfielders for shots, 92% for chances and 95% for goals, plus the best xG of a midfielder in the league this term.

Prediction

No three in a row for the Hammers, surely, though it feels as though the hosts still have an implosion or two in themselves: Chelsea 2-1 West Ham.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2026

Preview: Arsenal look for improvement as they head north for Leeds test

Was the Manchester United result a one-off, or is the Premier League title race really significantly tightening? We’ll all have a better idea by the end of Arsenal’s trip to Leeds United.

By Ian King

With three straight Premier League matches without a win for Arsenal, the title race is starting to tighten again

Perhaps the key question facing Arsenal as they head to Elland Road for their match against Leeds United is how fleeting their current Premier League blip will turn out to be. They’ve now gone three consecutive League matches without a win, and their home defeat to Manchester United last weekend was their first of the season at The Emirates in any competition. They bounced back from this result in the Champions League during the week, but their 3-2 win against Kairat Almaty was a little tighter than might have been expected.

Leeds United have become the Premier League’s draw specialists over the last couple of months. They’ve only lost one of their last ten games in the League, but six of those have been draws, including a 1-1 draw at Everton last week. With the gap between them and the dotted line near the foot of the table now standing at six points, they’re edging their way towards safety, but they’re not quite there yet.

Leeds United haven’t beaten Arsenal in any competition in almost 23 years

Look away now, Leeds United fans, because your team’s record in this fixture is abysmal. Leeds haven’t beaten Arsenal in any competition since May 2003, with Arsenal having won 13 of their last 15 meetings and two draws, the last of which came in November 2020.

Last season, the Gunners won the corresponding fixture 1-0 at Elland Road, while they won 5-0 at The Emirates in August when they met earlier this season.

This match could centre on two injury-prone strikers with points to prove

With nine goals in 21 games this season, Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been a revelation for Leeds this season overall, offering up a demonstration of what he’s capable of when not sidelined by the injuries that plagued his time with Everton and leading for calls for his return to the England squad ahead of the summer’s World Cup. But he’s had a bit of a dip in form recently and he’s now gone three Premier League games without a goal, so this weekend would be an ideal time to get himself back on song.

*Calvert-Lewin’s unique shot map from Premier League games this season*

With a goal against Kairat Almaty being his first of the season, Kai Havertz has staked a claim for more game time in the Premier League. Having missed the first half of the season through injury, Havertz is another player with a point to prove. He’s been available for selection since the end of December, and now it’s time for the German international to demonstrate to Mikel Arteta that his return really adds another string to their bow ahead of the championship run-in.

Both Leeds and Arsenal have players that they could welcome back for this match

William Saliba and Jurrien Timber were both rested for Arsenal’s final Champions League group match with minor knocks, but are expected to return for this match, while Arteta can also welcome back Declan Rice and Mikel Merino, both of whom were suspended in midweek. Arsenal’s main absentee will be 16-year-old Max Dowman, who’s picked up a knock to his ankle and will likely be missing until the middle of February.

Daniel Farke could also have players that he may be able to welcome back from injury, with Gabriel Gudmundsson and Daniel James both potential returnees, although neither are certainties by any stretch of the imagination. But Jaka Bijol has a hamstring injury that will be keeping him out for a month, and Sebastiaan Bornauw is likely to continue to deputise for him.

Leeds are far from ideal opponents for Arsenal, following their Manchester United loss

So, will Arsenal’s home defeat against Manchester United turn out to be a pivotal moment in this season’s championship race or a mere footnote en route to a famous title win? A failure to win this match may leave them finishing the weekend with their lead at the top of the Premier League table cut still further unless they win, and if nothing else, Leeds United have proved themselves to be pretty resilient over the last couple of months.

There remain, of course, plenty of reasons to believe the former. With a 100% record in the Champions League group stage, Arsenal were already home and dry into the next round well before their midweek win, and it remains the case that everybody has been dropping points near the top of the Premier League since the start of the new year, while their record against Leeds spanning back more than twenty years is about as good as it could be.

But Leeds have played with a bit of steel in their backbone over the last couple of months, and this isn’t the ideal time for Arsenal to be playing a team who have become difficult to beat since last autumn. Leeds still have work to do in order to secure their Premier League status at the end of this season, and both Manchester City and Aston Villa are still snapping at Arsenal’s heels.

Three matches without a win isn’t a ‘crisis’, but Arsenal need to get back to winning ways in the Premier League. This weekend, though, might not be that time. I’m going for a 1-1 draw in this one, and for the nerves to still be jangling by the time that Manchester City take on their North London rivals Spurs the following day.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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

Jan

2026

Preview: Antonio Conte’s Napoli host Chelsea in crucial UCL decider

It’s the final day of the Champions League league phase and Chelsea head to beautiful Naples for one of the headline fixtures with a place in the top eight on the line. Will Liam Rosenior get the better of Antonio Conte?

By Alex Roberts

Chelsea were poor in their previous fixture against Pafos, needing a 78^th minute Moisés Caicedo header to get past the Cypriot side. They’re just about in the top eight, but anything short of a win here would likely see them drop out.

It could be worse. Napoli have been dreadful throughout their campaign so far and are on the brink of elimination altogether. Their 1-1 draw with FC København leaves them down in 25^th with just eight points from their seven games so far. Conte has a love/hate relationship with the Champions League.

Estêvão uh huh uh huh, I like it

Rosenior has come in and Estêvão has featured heavily in four of his five games at the helm, a slight increase on the minutes he was getting under Enzo Maresca. The young Brazilian was the best player on the pitch in their 3-1 Premier League win over Crystal Palace.

He remains one of Chelsea’s best attacking threats despite not being a regular starter. In the Premier League, he has the most successful dribbles per 90 (3.2), most shots per 90 (3.2), and the highest xA per 90 (0.29). It’s not an exaggeration to say he’s the future of the club.

On the continent, Estêvão is Chelsea’s top Champions League scorer with three. He’s already shown what he’s capable of against the champions of Spain, there is no reason he can’t do the same against their Italian counterparts.

A little reunion

There are a few former Chelsea men currently plying their trade at Napoli. Billy Gilmour is out with a groin injury, so that leaves Conte and Romelu Lukaku available to rain of their former club’s potential parade.

Conte is still a hero at Chelsea, the last man to win the club a Premier League title before he was unceremoniously sacked by the previous regime. We’re sure the Stamford Bridge faithful are happy things like that don’t happen anymore…

Lukaku, on the other hand, burned every bridge he had at the club with a bewildering interview just a couple of months after joining in which he said he never wanted to leave Inter Milan. The striker has only just returned from injury, so he may not start, but if he does feature, the reception from Chelsea fans will certainly be hostile.

Team news

Both sides will be missing some big names here. The big question is whether Cole Palmer will feature or not. Rosenior has said he SHOULD be fine, but he said that ahead of the Palace game too, and he was nowhere to be seen.

Goalkeeper Filip Jörgensen is also a doubt for the visitors, while Levi Colwill (ACL) Tosin Adarabioyo (thigh), Roméo Lavia (thigh), and Dário Essugo (muscle) are all out.

Napoli have seen their bid to retain the Scudetto take a major hit due to the ongoing injuries they’re having. Vanja Milinković-Savić (thigh), Amir Rrahmani (muscle), Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa (muscle), Gilmour (groin), Kevin de Bruyne (thigh), David Neres (hamstring), and Matteo Politano (thigh) all won’t be back for some time.

Prediction

Chelsea usually turn up when they need to, but despite Napoli’s poor form, they won’t be pushovers, so we’re going with a 2-1 win for the visitors.

(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.

Jan

2026

Preview: Liverpool welcome Qarabag to Anfield for final UCL matchday

Liverpool will be aiming to bounce back from defeat against Bournemouth at the weekend to seal a place in the knockout stages of the Champions League on Wednesday.

By Ross Kilvington

Their final opponents in the group stage this season are Qarabağ, who have already faced English opposition earlier this term, drawing with Chelsea back in November.

With both teams looking to finish the group stage on a positive note, this could be an interesting tie.

A realistic chance of silverware for Liverpool?

With a Premier League title defence all but over before Christmas, does the Champions League represent a realistic shot of silverware for Arne Slot?

The Anfield side did suffer defeats against Galatasaray and PSV Eindhoven earlier this season, yet they have claimed victories against Atlético Madrid, Inter Milan and Real Madrid.

As such, their five wins in the competition have the club sitting fourth in the table, with only a point needed against Qarabağ to seal a top eight finish.

If so, they will avoid playing the likes of Bayern Munich, Arsenal, PSG, Real Madrid and potentially Barcelona, in the next round.

As good as an incentive as any for Slot and his men ahead of Wednesday evening.

Qarabağ could prove to be tricky opponents

The Azerbaijani side have adapted rather well to the Champions League this season. This is only the second time the club have qualified for the group stages of Europe’s elite competition, but they could seal a place in the knockout playoff round with a positive result at Anfield.

An opening night win over Benfica set the tone for Qarabağ, following it up with a victory over FC Copenhagen.

As mentioned, they drew with Chelsea, while a 3-2 win over Eintracht Frankfurt has them sitting in 18^th place ahead of the last match.

Slot will have to pay particular attention to forward Camilo Durán and winger Leandro Andrade. The duo have scored four and three goals respectively in the competition this season.

The Reds have conceded in four of their seven games, something which Qarabağ will be keen to exploit.

Team news

Slot will definitely be without the services of Giovanni Leoni, Alexander Isak and Conor Bradley for this match, while Federico Chiesa could also be absent.

Joe Gomez suffered a head injury against Bournemouth and he could miss out also.

Brazilian midfielder Kady Borges will be missing for the away side, along with Ramil Sheydayev, who is ineligible.

Apart from that, Qarabağ have a fully fit squad to pick from as they look to progress.

Prediction

Liverpool have shown their class in Europe this term, dismantling Real Madrid and Inter, last years finalists, in straightforward fashion.

Another victory is certainly on the cards at Anfield, but Qarabağ should not be underestimated by any stretch of the imagination.

They have scored at least once in six of their first seven matches in the competition this term. Expect them to cause some trouble. In the end, however, Liverpool will seal all three points.

Liverpool 2-1 Qarabağ.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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