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Bruno Lage has been working busily behind the scenes in order to improve this Wolves squad ahead of the new season.

He’s started his work in impressive fashion by luring Trincao to the club from Barcelona with an option to buy.

However, the Portuguese cannot afford to rest on his laurels just yet.

On the chalkboard

Wolves have a number of areas they desperately need to improve before next season, specifically in attack where a lack of goals really troubled them in 2020/21.

Raul Jimenez was missing from the end of November until the end of the season after sustaining a fractured skull in a sickening clash of heads with David Luiz.

The Mexican was a huge miss as the club’s Player of the Season, Pedro Neto, ended the campaign as their joint top scorer alongside Ruben Neves on just five goals.

Jimenez has made a full recovery and will play for the rest of his career with protective headgear.

However, at the age of 30, you have to wonder whether the tall forward will find top form again.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-wolves-transfer-news-ceballos-zinchenko-euros-felix-lage” title=”Read the latest Wolves transfer news!”]

He’s been a wonderful servant for the Old Gold down the years, though, beating the goalkeeper on 48 occasions in 110 matches.

The new Jimenez

Rafa Mir would have been the ideal man to replace their star man in the future but it looks increasingly likely that the Spaniard will be heading for the departure lounge this summer.

Instead, they could hand the eventual task of replacing Jimenez to Schalke striker Matthew Hoppe.

According to 90min, Wolves are one of a number of sides plotting a bid in the coming weeks for the American centre-forward.

Born in California, Hoppe has enjoyed an intriguing rise to the German top-flight.

He played for LA Galaxy when he was a teenager and then went onto play for Barcelona’s academy in the United States.

Speaking about his time there, academy director Sean McCafferty, commented:

“In the Southwest Division you’ve got LA Galaxy, Real Salt Lake, two of the best academies in the country, and we were able to win the division. We’ve had tremendous consistency throughout the year, and we have the top goal scorer in the country in Matthew Hoppe. He’s of the highest level.”

Standing at the colossal height of 6 foot 3, he is similar in stature to Jimenez and like the club’s Mexican sensation, he is adept in the air and a complete natural when it comes to scoring goals.

Hoppe won 1.1 aerial duels per game last season and found the net on seven occasions. That’s not the greatest tally in the world but it’s important to remember that he’s still only 20 years of age.

Compared to Robert Lewandowski, the American evidently has immense potential.

A piece on the official Bundesliga website detailed the following: “Tall and lithe but with a strong frame, the American has a knack of losing his marker at just the right time, his clever movement creating pockets of space inside the penalty area. Although predominantly right-footed, he can also score with his left, with his head and from outside the box.”

Jimenez also has the ability to find clever pockets and score in a number of different ways. Consequently, Hoppe could be his ideal replacement in a few years time.

AND in other news, Alan Nixon delivers Wolves transfer update, fans should be excited…

Brighton defender Ben White is overpriced at £50m, former Leeds United midfielder David Norris has told Football FanCast.

Leeds have been credited with an interest in re-signing White, who spent the 2019/20 season on loan at Elland Road, with journalist Duncan Castles claiming last month that the Yorkshire club are one of many Premier League outfits keen on the player.

It is Arsenal, however, who look the closest to signing him. According to The Athletic, the Gunners are moving nearer to agreeing a deal that is expected to be around the £50m mark, which is similar to the fee that Castles has also mentioned.

On that potential fee for White, Norris told FFC in an exclusive interview:

“50 million… he’s had a good season; his reputation is growing. I still think it’s overpriced for me at this stage.

“If that’s what they’re asking for, they’re going to want close to that and I don’t think Leeds should [get involved].”

White did have a good season last term. He impressed manager Graham Potter, who was particularly pleased with the central defender’s athleticism.

Regarding Arsenal, they probably need a new centre-back after losing David Luiz, so it is not hard to see why they are targeting a player like the Brighton man.

Manchester United have reportedly set a deadline by which a decision on Mason Greenwood’s future will be made.

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• Forward spending 2023-24 season at Getafe
• Tied to contract in England through to 2025
• Big call yet to be made on long-term future

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  With Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s partial takeover at Old Trafford being ratified by the Premier League, long-term plans are now being drawn up by the Red Devils. Greenwood is unlikely to play any part in those, but no definitive call on what happens next with the 22-year-old forward has been made.

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  WHAT RATCLIFFE SAID ABOUT GREENWOOD

  Ratcliffe has said of the one-cap England international, who continues to impress during a loan spell at Spanish side Getafe: “We will make a decision. I don’t know if he could still have a future. All I can do is talk about the principle of how we will approach decisions like that. Is he the right type of footballer? Are we happy with that? Is he a good person or not? He is a Manchester United footballer and we are in charge of football. So the answer is it’s quite clear we have to make a decision.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  According to , that decision will be made by the end of May. Ratcliffe is said to have made the Greenwood saga a “priority” for United. It is felt that a resolution is required that allows all parties to move on, without a protracted saga providing an unwelcome distraction.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR GREENWOOD?

  Greenwood has not figured for United since January 2022, when he was arrested on suspicion of rape and sexual assault. Those charges were dropped in February 2023 and the talented winger has attracted interest from Barcelona and Atletico Madrid during a stint at Getafe that has delivered seven goals and five assists so far this term.

Leeds United are tracking Blackburn Rovers forward and Chile international Ben Brereton, according to the Chilean edition of AS.

The lowdown

Brereton is currently on Copa America duty and, after coming on as a substitute in their opening group match against Argentina, has started their last three matches.

He scored what proved to be the winning goal against Bolivia and provided an assist in a draw with Uruguay.

The 22-year-old, who was born in Stoke-on-Trent, scored seven goals and provided five assists in 40 Championship appearances last season.

He has only a year remaining on his contract at Ewood Park and is valued at £4.5million by Transfermarkt.

The latest

Leeds are among the clubs ‘following’ Brereton after manager Marcelo Bielsa himself expressed an interest.

Bielsa himself managed the Chile national team, of course, between 2007 and 2011.

But Leeds face competition from Europa League outfit Real Sociedad, who have shortlisted Brereton.

The future of Alexander Isak, whom the report says is attracting Premier League interest himself, could be key to Sociedad’s pursuit.

The verdict

Brereton has made a dream start to his Chile career off the back of what was a decent season for Rovers in the second tier. It’s no surprise to see him attracting attention.

He’d be a shrewd addition to Leeds’ attacking ranks given his versatility. Though he’s predominantly a left-winger, Brereton also played on the other flank and through the middle last season.

Not only, then, could he provide back-up to Jack Harrison, but also to the likes of Patrick Bamford and Raphinha, potentially meaning Bielsa could improve the depth in multiple positions at once.

In other news, read this intriguing prediction about Leeds’ finances.  

The fullback needed to rediscover himself after a chastening spell at Camp Nou, and he's done just that in the Eredivisie

Sergino Dest entered this season humbled. Barcelona had decided they didn't want him, and after being loaned to AC Milan, the Italian giants decided they had no use for him either. Once one of Europe's most promising fullbacks, Dest had been knocked down a peg or two. He needed to reassess.

And so he moved back to the Netherlands, his country of birth. A loan move to PSV was agreed, and the hope was that a return to the Eredivisie would help Dest rediscover part of what made him such a dynamic young star with Ajax. Still just 23, there remains a really good player there waiting to be unleashed; it just turned out that Barcelona and Milan weren't able to provide the right environments to help get that player out.

PSV, on the other hand, has proven to be the ideal spot for Dest. His time back in the Eredivisie has worked wonders, with Dest playing at a high level on both sides of the defense. He may have take a step back, but it is one that has allowed him to reconnect with the player who burst onto the scene just a few years ago.

The move to PSV hasn't ended Dest's Champions League dreams, either. While his parent club, Barcelona, gears up to face Napoli, Dest and PSV have a last-16 clash of their own against Borussia Dortmund, with the first leg in Eindhoven on Tuesday.

Having already escaped a tough group that featured Arsenal, Lens and Sevilla, PSV won't just be happy to have come this far. No, for both Dest and PSV, this is a chance to make a statement and a chance to prove they belong at the highest level Europe has to offer.

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  Humbled in Spain and Italy

  Dest's move to Barcelona was a dream move, not just for him, but for fans of American soccer. For years, fans of the U.S. men's national team had dreamed of an American player conquering the world with one of Spain's giants, and Dest looked ready to be that player.

  He'd played just one full season at Ajax, but he'd shined as an attacking rightback. The pipeline from the Eredivisie to Barcelona had always been strong, dating back to the legendary Johan Cruyff, and Dest was just the latest bit of business between the Dutch great's most beloved clubs.

  The American, though, never quite earned the trust of those in charge at Barcelona. He played quite a bit under Ronald Koeman, but never really found a place under the Dutchman's successor, Xavi. After making 72 appearances across his first two seasons, Dest was deemed surplus to requirements by Xavi ahead of the 2022-23 season.

  He was loaned to Milan, a lateral move in terms of stature, but after just eight league appearances, Dest was told he wouldn't be needed for the second half of the season. Totally frozen out, he joined up with the USMNT outside of a FIFA window, showing how little use the Rossoneri had for him.

  "You can just look at it in two ways," Dest said this summer. "You can look at it in a negative way like everything is going bad or you can just keep trying to find a positive way in the negative things that happen. That was my thing that I did. I always looked at it positively and I was like, 'okay, at the moment, I'm not playing, I'm not doing so well, but, in these times, I can just work on myself individually', so that's also what I did.

  "I feel like all these times, even if you're not playing, you can always work on yourself. You can always improve and nobody's perfect, so everybody can still work on himself or herself as a result."

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  Joining PSV

  Dest was determined to earn his Barcelona place after returning in the summer of 2023, but Xavi had other ideas, and so the fullback was left facing reality: he had to leave again.

  Knowing this, PSV were insistent. Led by former USMNT midfielder Earnie Stewart, the club went crazy this summer in recruiting American talent. Ricardo Pepi made a big leap up the Eredivisie ladder after starring on loan at Groningen, while Malik Tillman joined on loan from Bayern Munich after thriving with Rangers in 2022-23. And Stewart was desperate to sign Dest, too, and he simply didn't let up.

  “He was consistent, he didn’t stop," Dest told . "After a couple of times that we said ‘no, no, no’, he didn’t stop. He kept trying to find ways to make it happen. After a while you starting thinking ‘this might be what I need at this moment in my career’. Obviously, when you have been at bigger clubs you don’t want to go down to a club that is in a lesser division. This is still a really great, nice club, but after AC Milan and Barcelona, you want to stay at that level. But I didn’t play for six months, so I didn’t really have a choice. I had no other option than to just do it and prove everybody wrong and show them again.”

  That's exactly what Dest has done, as he's shown that he deserves another chance at the very top.

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  Season so far

  Dest's move to PSV was all about getting back on the field, and he's spent plenty of time on it this season. Both sides of it, too.

  Switching between leftback and rightback, Dest has featured 17 times in the Eredivisie this season. He's scored one goal and provided five assists, helping PSV run rampant in the league this season.

  Through 22 Eredivisie games, PSV have been dominant, dropping just four points thus far. They have yet to lose in the league, having amassed a 10-point lead over second-place Feyenoord, and are a level above everyone else in the Eredivisie, with Dest having played a key role in that.

  The Champions League, though, has been where they faced real tests. Drawn into a difficult group, PSV were able to seal a second-place finish with time to spare, booking their spot in the knockout rounds. Up next? A clash with Dortmund and a chance for PSV to prove themselves against a true European power.

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  Facing Dortmund

  PSV will be somewhat happy with their draw. They get the chance to face a big club, but also one that feels beatable.

  Dortmund emerged from this season's 'Group of Death', outlasting Newcastle and Milan to join Paris Saint-Germain in qualifying for the knockout stage. They're a good team, but likely not a title contender, and so PSV could have gotten a much worse draw than this.

  Dest, meanwhile, says he likes PSV's chances, even if they do feel like the underdog against a team as established as Dortmund. Heading into the first leg of their tie in Eindhoven, Dest was the club's chosen player for media duties, and he American discussed his excitement for the upcoming clash.

  "I was satisfied with the draw," Dest said. "In my opinion, you could also draw stronger opponents, but Dortmund remains Dortmund. I really think it will be a 50-50 battle. I expect a very intense match, from side to side."

  He added: "These matches are special. You look forward to Champions League games that little bit more. Hopefully it's not the game of the year, because that would mean there are more to come. It's true they've had a bit more trouble in the league than usual, but they finished first in their Champions League group. That's what I focus on because it's against the best teams."

Many Wolves fans have been buzzing as a transfer update emerged on Kaio Jorge.

As per A Bola, he is ‘most likely’ to join the Midlands club as they have already made an offer in the region of €15m (£12.9m) for his signature.

Jorge’s current contract at Santos ends in December, and so the Molineux outfit should be able to strike a deal with the Brazilian club.

Jorge is an up-and-coming talent at just 19 years of age, having played for Santos’ senior team since 2018, scoring 15 goals and supplying a further two assists in 71 games across all competitions (Transfermarkt).

He also scored six times in 10 matches for Brazil at under-17 level (Transfermarkt) and has been courted by some of the top clubs in European football, including Arsenal and Chelsea.

Jorge has also been dubbed as the ‘new Cristiano Ronaldo’, and given that he is Brazilian and also started his footballing career at Santos, obvious comparisons will be drawn to Neymar.

Wolves fans on Jorge transfer update

These Wolves supporters buzzed as the transfer update was shared on Twitter, with one claiming that it was ‘great news’ while some even went as far as to call him ‘Neymar 2.0’ and speak of ‘Joao Felix’ vibes in reference to the Atletico Madrid starlet who worked under Lage at Benfica:

“He’s giving me Joao Felix vibes”

Credit: @YasWWFC

“Neymar 2.0”

Credit: @jakehiltonaston

“King”

Credit: @JackParker7WWFC

“Would be a really good signing, I think!”

Credit: @Beeowolf79

“Great news as we need another striker but youth again… Also need seasoned professionals to establish ourselves in the Prem.”

Credit: @Rich93656525

“This looks quite promising though, if Lage wanted him when he was at Benfica”

Credit: @AnnoDomini79

In other news, find out which Wolves ace’s Euro 2020 display has been criticised

The Reds were being ridiculed after losing out on both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia to the Blues, but Jurgen Klopp is laughing now

When Jurgen Klopp spoke to Liverpool supporters at an event in December, he felt compelled to admit that the club's midfield overhaul has gone better than he could ever have expected. "During the summer, we had a few strange things happen in the transfer market," he acknowledged, "but here now, between us, I can say, 'My god, were we lucky, eh?!' We didn't know that at the time, and it didn’t feel like it at the time, but I'm really happy that it worked out."

Klopp's relief was understandable. Liverpool looked like losers when the season began with them still searching for a defensive midfielder. They had, as Jamie Carragher pointed out, made "a mess" of their recruitment strategy, losing out on not only Moises Caicedo to Chelsea, but also Romeo Lavia in rather farcical fashion.

Indeed, the former Reds defender called the situation "a joke" – but nobody at Anfield could see the funny side. All of the excitement generated at the start of the summer transfer window by the quickly-completed acquisitions of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai had given way to embarrassment by the time Liverpool belatedly brought in a specialist No.6.

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  'Top fit' or stop-gap solution?

  Even then, Wataru Endo was 30 years of age and coming from struggling Stuttgart. It felt like a stop-gap solution, and smacked of desperation. A significant number of supporters were seriously underwhelmed – and Klopp knew it.

  "I know how football fans are," the manager said at the time, "they would prefer to bring in a player who is £110 million. But have a look, have a look, because he's a really good player. Experienced player, captain of Stuttgart, captain of Japan, speaks good English, nice guy, family man, machine on the pitch, good footballer and, on top of that, sensational attitude.

  "He is obviously a top fit and we will have a lot of fun with him. I'm really sure he can help us immediately, which is super-cool because the season has already started."

  As it transpired, though, the late arrival at Anfield almost inevitably hindered Endo early on.

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  'What world is this?'

  Few players immediately get to grips with Klopp's footballing philosophy, particularly defensive midfielders, given the manager asks so much of his No.6s. Fabinho, lest anyone forget, struggled horribly in the holding role for months before eventually becoming arguably the most important player in Klopp's first great Liverpool team.

  Klopp also subsequently acknowledged that he probably increased the difficulty of Endo's adaptation by throwing him in at the deep end, with the £16m ($20m) signing's first two appearances coming in games that saw the Reds reduced to 10 men, against Bournemouth and Newcastle.

  Klopp also admitted that he hardly helped matters by clumsily suggesting that Endo being a "very calm and very polite" character had held him back a little.

  "I was not too happy with how I described the situation [with his previous comments on Endo]. I am not a native speaker," the German pointed out. "But if we don't give people time anymore, what world is this? Endo is a top player." He's certainly proven that over the past three months.

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  Endo becomes essential

  Endo saw just 32 minutes of game time across September and October, but he had become so influential by the time the Asian Cup rolled around in January that Klopp was jokingly hoping that Japan would get knocked out in the group stage so he could have him back as quickly as possible.

  "I told him, 'if I wish you look, it would be a lie!'" the Reds boss said laughing, before later adding, "It’s a bit of a shame how he found his feet and now he goes to the Asian Cup, but that's how it is. And besides, what a kid and what a player!"

  Klopp could be forgiven for feeling frustrated. Endo had become an essential part of a table-topping squad competing on four fronts. After coming off the bench to score a crucial late leveller in the 4-3 win over Fulham, he had started six games in a row before departing for Qatar.

  Upon his return, he went straight back into the line-up for the recent wins over Burnley, Brentford and Luton Town, leaving Klopp unsurprisingly keen to stick it to those who had been quick to write off Endo.

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  'Endo gives something different to the team'

  “We don’t give people time anymore," he lamented. "Internally, we do, but because we talk [to the media] every three days – or more often – about these kind of things, it feels like after four weeks, we're already speaking about when it will finally click.

  "But you need a bit of time, that’s all. We see him every day in training and he is one of the hardest-working people I ever met. It was always clear that it will be good, but I'm happy obviously for him that the public can see it now too.

  "He gives something different to the team, that’s clear. We don’t have 20 players on the pitch who have tackling as a hobby. But (Endo) is doing it for us. On top of that, his passing is really good, his awareness is really good, and his positioning when we have possession is much better."

  Endo's improvement has come with an added benefit, in that it has allowed Klopp to move Mac Allister into a more advanced midfielder position for Liverpool's last two games – the merits of which were obvious as the 25-year-old broke into the box to score the second goal in Saturday's 4-1 win at Brentford.

Madrid CFF superstar Rachael Kundananji has been linked with a move from Liga F in Spain to the NWSL ahead of the 2024 campaign.

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• Unnamed NWSL side bid $430k for Kundananji
• Madrid CFF turned down substantial offer
• Zambian pushing for exit from Liga F side

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Zambian superstar, who has lit up Liga F with her goalscoring prowess, is reportedly pushing for an exit from Spain. According to Marca, via , Madrid CFF turned down a $428k (€400k/£340k) bid from an unnamed NWSL side in an attempt to lure her to the USA.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Kundananji, who has eight goals and two assists this campaign in Liga F action, is now pushing for an exit herself, per the report. The Zambian has a $750k (€700k/£556k) release clause and the Spanish side are not willing to let her go easily. However, with the 23-year-old wanting out from the club, an agreement could be struck with the unnamed party in NWSL.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Kundananji was a GOAL 50 winner in 2023, being voted as one of the most exciting up-and-coming strikers in the women's game.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR RACHAEL KUNDANANJI?

  The 23-year-old's future is now up in the air going forward, and with the NWSL campaign just over a month away, anything could be on the cards. However, she is still a Madrid CFF player, and until a deal is made, that will not change.

USWNT icon Megan Rapinoe has been accused of "narcissism" for her "proof there isn't a god" remark after her final professional game for OL Reign.

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• Rapinoe made final pro outing against Gotham FC
• Came off after just six minutes due to Achilles problem
• Claimed injury blow was proof that god doesn't exist

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Rapinoe made her final professional appearance during OL Reign's NWSL final clash against Gotham FC on Saturday, but saw her night cut short in unfortunate fashion. The 38-year-old had to be substituted after injuring her Achilles six minutes into the game, with OL Reign going on to lose 2-1 in her absence.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  It was undoubtedly a cruel way for Rapinoe to bring the curtain down on her illustrious career, but she stirred up some controversy with her post-match comments. "I’m not a religious person or anything and if there was a god, like, this is proof that there isn’t," Rapinoe said. "This is f***ed up. It’s just f***ed up. Six minutes in and I eat my Achilles."

• WHAT WAS SAID ABOUT MEGAN RAPINOE?

  SportsCenter presenter Sage Steele, formerly of , did not take kindly to Rapinoe's remarks. The 50-year-old, who is open about her faith and calls herself 'a believer' in her bio on X, said in a response to a video of Rapinoe's interview on the social media platform: "Narcissism at its finest."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Rapinoe will go down as one of the most influential women's players of all time, having won two World Cups and 203 caps for the USWNT. She also lifted three NWSL Shields at OL Reign and won the Ballon d'Or Feminin back in 2019.

There will be important duels all over the pitch as Barcelona and Real Madrid face off for the first time this season

The first Clasico of the year arrives with the standard amount of tension and intrigue. These games are always pivotal — with the victor taking something of an upper hand in La Liga's title race.

And this one will be much the same. Madrid lead Barcelona by one point atop the table, but the Blaugrana are yet to be beaten this year. Both teams are undeniably impactful going forward, but both have some defensive weaknesses that can certainly be exploited. For the first time in a while, these are two glaringly imperfect teams facing off.

For that reason, it could be a contest that comes down to individual moments of class. Barcelona, for example, will have to fear Jude Bellingham. Meanwhile, Madrid must prepare for the in-form Lamine Yamal. But it's not just those two who can have the capacity to change the game. Rather, there are interesting contests on the turf and in the two dugouts that should make for a fascinating encounter.

GOAL takes a look at some of the battles most likely to sway the first Clasico of the year…

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  Vinicius Jr vs Ronald Araujo (again!)

  There aren't too many good positional battles in individual positions in football anymore. Lionel Messi vs Sergio Ramos; Steven Gerrard vs Frank Lampard; even Jamie Carragher and Didier Drogba had a great rivalry every time they faced up against each other.

  Vinicius and Araujo, then, is something of a throwback. With so much of Xavi's focus on positional play and build-up patterns, it was odd that he elected to deploy Araujo, his starting centre-back, against Vinicius on the right side of defence in the Spanish Super Cup last year.

  But it worked a charm. Vinicius, then in arguably the form of his life, was marked out of the game by the Uruguayan. And they have enjoyed a handful of entertaining battles since. Araujo got the best of the Brazilian in three straight contests in the middle of the campaign last season, but Vinicius ran riot in the Copa del Rey semi-final in April. And on Saturday, they shall meet again.

  It might look different this time. With Jules Kounde injured, Araujo is likely to play centre-back. But Vinicius, too, is playing narrower this year — and the duo are likely to be matched up against each other once more. Vinicius isn't in the same electric form as last season — a muscle injury has since his 2023-24 campaign get off to a slow start. But the bubbling rivalry is sure to deliver.

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  Jude Bellingham vs Oriol Romeu

  Good luck, Oriol.

  A cynic here might argue that Bellingham is yet to face top-tier opposition in his natural position for Madrid. After all, he was stuck awkwardly on the left when Madrid were nullified by a crafty Atletico Madrid side a month ago. A much-changed Napoli and overperforming Girona have presented challenges in their own right. But Barcelona are on another level.

  And Romeu will hope to prove that. The destroyer has been solid this season at the base of an energetic Blaugrana midfield, filling the void left by Sergio Busquets admirably. But Bellingham is a different beast. For Romeu, the challenge might not be technical ability as much as the Englishman's engine. The 32-year-old has never been known for his athleticism or mobility, and Bellingham's ability to pick up the ball in space and make driving runs into the final third is arguably his biggest asset for this Madrid side. It won't be a singular effort to stop him, but Romeu will have to try to rein in one of the world's best.

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  Antonio Rudiger vs Robert Lewandowksi

  One of the best duels of last season was Rudiger's back and forth with Erling Haaland in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final. The Norwegian, in the middle of one of the most prolific seasons in English footballing history, barely had a sniff against the German, who simply made life awkward for him throughout.

  There wasn't much finesse to the matchup. Rather, it was an old fashioned game of nudges, bumps, half-fouls and just enough shirt pulling to stay within the rules. City, of course, would go onto the final, but Haaland was still relatively quiet.

  And Rudiger will hope to do the same again, this time against Lewandowski. This is a very different type of challenge, of course. Lewandowski is strong, but he isn't the same freakish athlete that Haaland is. Instead, the Pole drifts around, finds pockets of space, and pounces on loose balls in the box. But Rudiger has plenty of experience against top forwards all over Europe. He can certainly be backed to make Lewandowski's life awkward — especially with the striker just coming off an injury.

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  Lamine Yamal vs Eduardo Camavinga

  This really wasn't supposed to be the matchup here. If Ancelotti had his way, he wouldn't be asking his centre-midfielder to step in at left-back once again. And for Xavi, asking a 16-year-old to play on the right isn't ideal — no matter how good he is.

  But it should make for a fascinating encounter. Camavinga is an excellent defender, who enjoys one-on-one duels, and will have very few qualms about getting stuck in, or giving the slight Yamal a hard time on the ball. However, the Barcelona teenager is so elusive, and in such electric form that Camavinga might not get close to him.

  Yamal has been a vital creative presence for the Blaugrana so far this year. And he will need to be once again if Barca are to walk away with a result on Saturday.