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Even without most of their starters, there seems to be no stopping this Real Madrid side.

Carlo Ancelotti kept his big hitters out of Friday’s trip to Real Sociedad, wisely prioritising Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final first leg against Bayern Munich, but still walked away with three points after Arda Guler’s first-half strike sealed a win which was anything but glamorous.

Here are Madrid’s best and worst players according to 90min‘s player ratings.

Aurelien Tchouameni – 8/10

In a game which saw Madrid under a lot of pressure throughout, Aurelien Tchouameni stood tall and did everything he could to stifle the space available to Sociedad’s nimble forwards.

His defending was excellent but some of the passes he pulled off were utterly sublime, with Tchouameni building his own highlight reel of flicks and tricks from the first minute until the last.

Honourable mention

Arda Guler – 7/10

This was the opportunity Arda Guler has been crying out for, and he made sure it did not pass him by.

Not only did Guler open the scoring with a smart strike, but he played with some serious confidence as he tried to add to his tally, weaving his way around defenders and firing in shots whenever possible.

He did, however, spoil his outing with a loss of discipline that saw him withdrawn shortly after the hour mark as Ancelotti feared he was going to get himself sent off, but this was still a positive showing from the teenager.

Dani Ceballos – 3/10

Real Madrid played with almost no control whatsoever, and while that was down to poor showings from a handful of players, it felt like Dani Ceballos was nearly a complete passenger throughout.

Playing in this unconventional inverted winger role that Federico Valverde has perfected, Ceballos looked awkward and never figured out how to link up with those around him.

Dishonourable mention

Joselu – 4/10

In a game which was largely played in Madrid’s own half, it should come as no surprise to hear Joselu found it hard to get involved.

The towering striker did his best to lead the line and his effort cannot be faulted, but games like this are always going to go badly for him.

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Chelsea host UWCL holders Barcelona at Stamford Bridge on Saturday for the second leg of their semi-final clash.

Emma Hayes’ side hold a one-goal advantage heading into the weekend’s fixture after Erin Cuthbert scored the only goal of the first leg in Barcelona last week. However, Chelsea are well aware of the threat their opponents pose as their Champions League hopes have been shattered twice by the Catalan club in the last four years.

Barcelona are the current holders of the competition and will be hoping to reach the final for a fourth consecutive year. Chelsea, on the other hand, have featured in the UWCL final just once in their long history but were comfortably beaten 4-0 by Saturday’s opponents back in the 2021 showdown.

The London outfit may be one of the most successful clubs in England, but their record in Europe fails to match up. With Hayes set to depart Chelsea at the end of the season after more than a decade at the club, this represents one final chance at securing the trophy that has somehow always evaded her.

Here’s 90min‘s preview of Saturday’s UWCL semi-final second leg.

Chelsea vs Barcelona H2H Record (All Games)

Current Form (all competitions)

Chelsea captain Millie Bright returned to the matchday squad in the first leg last week following a long spell on the sidelines with a knee injury. Hayes confirmed she’s available for the second leg, but it remains to be seen whether she gets any minutes on the pitch having not featured since the 2-2 draw against Real Madrid in the group stages back in November.

Elsewhere, the Chelsea boss also confirmed Nathalie Bjorn and Maren Mjelde trained as normal and are likely to be in the squad on Saturday. Bjorn has been sidelined since early March with a calf problem.

Chelsea predicted lineup vs Barcelona (3-5-2): Hampton; Charles, Carter, Buchanan; Lawrence, Nusken, Leupolz, Cuthbert, Kaneryd; Ramirez, James

The visitors remain without long-term absentee Mapi Leon after she underwent knee surgery at the end of last year. The defender has not been named in the squad to face Chelsea, but has travelled with her teammates to London.

Jonatan Giraldez’s side were in league action midweek against Levante Las Planas, but the manager took the opportunity to rest some key players ahead of another huge European fixture. Keira Walsh was named on the bench on Wednesday, while Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati, Salma Paralluelo, Fridolina Rolfo and Caroline Graham Hansen were not involved at all.

Barcelona predicted lineup vs Chelsea (4-3-3): Coll; Batlle, Paredes, Engen, Rolfo; Bonmati, Walsh, Guijarro; Hansen, Paralluelo, Caldentey

Chelsea’s form has been staggered over the last few weeks following defeat in the Conti Cup final against Arsenal and against Manchester United in the semi-finals of the FA Cup. However, in the league they remain dominant and, unlike Barcelona, had no midweek fixture to contend.

The one-goal advantage is slim and a goal early doors from the visitors could make it a long and arduous afternoon for Chelsea. But, with the experience in the squad, the Stamford Bridge crowd behind them and if they build on last week’s defensive masterclass, they should have enough to get over the line.

Prediction: Chelsea 2-1 Barcelona

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Liverpool have made their minds up. Feyenoord’s Arne Slot will replace Jurgen Klopp as manager next season.

The Dutchman has made a serious impression since his arrival to the world of management just five years ago, leading AZ Alkmaar to the brink of Eredivisie glory before getting his hands on the trophy with his current side last season.

A deal to hire Slot was agreed late on Friday evening and so, with his move almost finalised, here’s how he could set up at Liverpool.

Questions should be asked of any potential manager who doesn’t want Alisson as their starting goalkeeper.

The only debate in this spot will revolve around who operates as backup to the Brazilian, with Caoimhin Kelleher tipped to head off in search of first-team football this summer.

Slot’s arrival would likely be enough to convince Trent Alexander-Arnold to sign a new contract as the Dutchman’s tactical setup encourages his full-backs to be as active in attack as possible.

Furthermore, the specific 4-2-3-1 setup Slot utilises offers plenty of cover for his marauding full-backs, which could be perfect for someone of Alexander-Arnold’s skill set.

Quick passing from defence into midfield is key to Slot’s teams, so someone like Ibrahima Konate should have no issues fitting in.

The Frenchman’s only real concern is his patchy injury history, which could cost him a spot in the team if Liverpool choose to act on their interest in signing a new centre-back this summer.

Virgil van Dijk has already made it clear he’d be keen to work under Slot, and you can bet the feeling is mutual.

At Feyenoord, Slot turned left-sided centre-back David Hancko from a relative unknown into a superstar. Just imagine what he could do with a player who already sits at the top of the mountain.

As with Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson’s desire to get forward as often as possible will work well under Slot.

The Scot isn’t the long-term option for this position – he turned 30 in March – but there’s no doubting Robertson is good enough to lead Liverpool for at least a few more years.

Alexis Mac Allister’s versatility will seriously appeal to Slot, who sees his midfield pivot as one of the most important parts of his team.

Just as happy passing the ball as he is tackling to win it back, Mac Allister would be asked to do both jobs in Slot’s 4-2-3-1, sitting deep as cover for his marauding full-backs while also spraying passes out towards them.

It feels like the stars are aligning with this one. Teun Koopmeiners, who has been linked with Liverpool for the last few months, has admitted he wants to leave Atalanta this summer and would be keen on a move to England.

Why is that significant? Well, it was under Slot at AZ Alkmaar that Koopmeiners turned into a force to be reckoned with. They know each other incredibly well already and would likely jump at the chance to reunite on Merseyside.

Coincidentally, Mohamed Salah is a natural fit for Slot’s team. The boss likes his wingers to be stronger on their inside foot and, should he make the move to Anfield, will be delighted when he realises he doesn’t have to change anything with Salah.

Slot wants his wingers to cut inside and get in the box, and even asks one of his forward line to turn into a makeshift striker when the team are defending. That could work perfectly for Salah.

After a hot start to life at Anfield, Dominik Szoboszlai’s stock has taken a bit of a downturn recently, but that shouldn’t be enough to scare Slot away.

A competent passer with a love for a long-range screamer, Szoboszlai could be an ideal fit for this attacking midfield role, although don’t be surprised if links to Feyenoord’s Calvin Stengs start to emerge in the coming weeks.

Following the recent revelation that Klopp was the man behind Liverpool’s interest in Darwin Nunez, the Uruguay international finds himself facing an uncertain future after this season.

Nunez may not be cut out for life as a top-level striker, but Slot could offer him a chance out wide. A natural right-footer, he fits into Slot’s inside-out vision just like Salah.

If Liverpool want a new source of goals up front, Slot will not hesitate to suggest a move for Feyenoord’s Santiago Gimenez, who has scored goals for fun over the past 12 months.

A number of elite sides have looked at Gimenez as a possible target this summer, but the Mexico international would almost certainly favour a reunion with Slot at Anfield if the opportunity arose.

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The 2024 summer transfer window looks set to be dominated by strikers, with RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko one of many players being tracked by Europe’s elite.

The 20-year-old’s €50m (£42m) release clause makes him a fascinating prospect, not least because Leipzig are expected to be flexible when it comes to that clause. At a time in which financial rules have left the globe paralysed by fear, that could be massive for any suitor.

Here’s a look at Sesko’s potential destinations, ranked by fit.

Barcelona have been linked to countless players this summer, despite the fact they can’t afford to sign anybody, and that feels like the case with Sesko.

Camp Nou officials probably do like Sesko, who would actually make sense considering 35-year-old Robert Lewandowski isn’t getting any younger, but they’re not going to be able to compete for Sesko financially.

Fortunately for Barcelona, they do have Vitor Roque as the heir to Lewandowski’s throne. Time to hope he comes good.

Fit: 1/10

Liverpool have plenty of pressing matters as they prepare for Jurgen Klopp’s departure, but signing a new striker shouldn’t be one of them.

The Reds already have an expensive forward in Darwin Nunez, and while Sesko would make a very nice alternative, it seems like Liverpool need to be spending their money elsewhere.

A new centre-back is key and another midfielder wouldn’t hurt, and then there’s the little old question of potentially needing to replace Mohamed Salah if he is swayed by Saudi Arabia.

Fit: 2/10

We’re now entering the teams that actually need strikers this summer, but Sesko may not be the kind of player Manchester United are looking for.

When Rasmus Hojlund was struggling, the Red Devils were looking for a proven goalscorer with experience – Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting was a target, for reference. Now the Dane is firing, however, there is more willingness to get a little creative with the next signing.

The problem with Sesko is that he is young, unproven in the Premier League and, effectively, just another Hojlund. It makes no sense to take another risk in attack.

Fit: 5/10

After Gabriel Jesus admitted scoring goals wasn’t his strength, Arsenal decided they wanted a new striker, and they joined the queue of suitors for Sesko.

Since then, however, Kai Havertz has stepped up and filled the void in attack, and now you wonder whether Arsenal actually need a new striker.

Spending nearly £50m on Sesko, who would either sit on the bench or force Mikel Arteta to drop £65m-man Havertz, doesn’t feel like a wise move.

Fit: 5/10

AC Milan are expected to lose top scorer Olivier Giroud this summer, and replacing him is not going to be easy.

Neither Luka Jovic nor Noah Okafor have shown enough to suggest they could lead the line for Milan, who are now on the hunt for another towering goalscorer.

Sesko is exactly the sort of player Milan should be looking at, but reports suggest their focus is now on Bologna’s Joshua Zirkzee, whose proven record of scoring in Serie A gives him an understandable advantage here.

Fit: 7/10

Kylian Mbappe’s imminent departure from Paris Saint-Germain will change a lot of things about the club, including who will lead the line in attack.

A turn towards younger players is on the agenda for PSG, who are also looking to avoid the big-money megastars that have defined the past decade at Ligue 1’s richest club, and few strikers meet the criteria better than Sesko.

The only problem for PSG is Sesko’s limited track record in a major league. After all, they’re trying to replace their all-time record goalscorer, so they can’t really afford to get this wrong.

Fit: 8/10

Chelsea need somebody to put the ball in the back of the net. That has been abundantly clear for years now but, for whatever reason, the problem hasn’t been solved.

Sure, they may want a proven goalscorer like Victor Osimhen, but Chelsea have shackled themselves by years of immense spending that probably should limit their spending this summer.

Sesko is half the price of Osimhen but has the potential to reach his level, and you just know that potential will have piqued the interest of Chelsea’s owners. Sesko fits the project perfectly, even though he is still a bit of a gamble.

Fit: 9/10

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West Ham star Jarrod Bowen is the latest highly-owned attacker to succumb to injury in FPL.

The Hammers attacker missed their Europa League clash with Bayer Leverkusen on Thursday. With a return date not yet known for his knee problem, now is the time to sell, especially as West Ham have no double gameweeks in the final weeks of the season.

So who are the best alternatives? in conjunction with Fantasy Football Hub’s powerful AI Points Predictions tool, here are the best replacements for the injured Bowen in FPL Gameweek 33.

Cole Palmer

Chelsea’s Cole Palmer is reaching must-have status in FPL, netting seven double-digit hauls this season. The Blues have eight fixtures before the end of the campaign, including two matches in both Gameweek 35 and 37.

He leads the form charts with three double-digit hauls in the last four gameweeks, racking up six goals and two assists, and had 12 shots on target in this time. Penalties remain an important source of points for Palmer, with the Blues receiving a league-high 11 spot-kicks.

Luis Diaz

With a looming Double Gameweek 33 and a kind home fixture against Crystal Palace this weekend, fantasy managers should be considering at least doubling up on Liverpool’s front three. Winger Luis Diaz has the recent form, with three attacking returns in his last three matches.

Diaz’s home form has been particularly impressive this calendar year, with four goals and two assists in six appearances and just one blank. He has completed 90 minutes in three of the last four games and can be relied upon as a regular starter in Jurgen Klopp’s side. 

Kai Havertz

With a leading 38 goals in 2024, the case to double up on Arsenal attackers ahead of their Double Gameweek 34 is increasingly compelling, with Kai Havertz a crucial source of points. He has scored just four points fewer in this spell than the popular Bukayo Saka, who continues to carry fitness concerns.

Havertz has racked up two goals and two assists in the last four gameweeks and has started nine consecutive games in the Premier League. Opponents Aston Villa are without a clean sheet on the road in their last four, conceding eight goals in that period.

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