Union Berlin has been on a rollercoaster ride since mid-January, with a mix of draws, heavy defeats, and a crucial win against Bayer 04 Leverkusen. They have picked up 19 points against top-half teams, showcasing their ability to compete with stronger sides.
Just over 24 hours later, 21-year-old Hall left the pitch having proven himself as one of the finest full-backs on the planet. Ultimately, Yamal had the last laugh, converting a penalty with the very last kick of the game to snatch a draw, breaking Newcastle hearts in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
Osimhen has already proven he can lead the line for a title-winning side. His explosive campaign with Napoli showcased everything Bayern Munich typically covets in a striker: pace in transition, aerial dominance, relentless pressing, and a ruthless penalty-box instinct. He stretches defenses vertically in a way few forwards can, forcing back lines deeper and creating space for attacking midfielders to operate between the lines.
These days, the best defensive midfielders in the world tend to be specialists who stay deeper in the engine room. But this was never the case 30 years ago: midfielders tended to chip in to do a little of everything, getting forward when needed and tracking back in reverse. As the role of a DM evolves, it's not unusual that some of the best players in the world right now play at the base of a midfield, given that it's a position that you need vision, awareness and a high IQ so let's delve into what makes a world-class no.6 in 2025.
Say what you like about Hansi Flick, but the first-team head coach isn't for turning. Win, lose or draw, he clearly won't have his Barça side playing any other way than with the high-risk, high-reward high line. As we saw again at Celta, when it doesn't work and the Blaugranes are so easily exposed, it looks amateurish. However, in the second half, there was a clear indication of how well it can contain opposition teams when used correctly.
Amorim stated, "I really have an idea and I love training my players. I truly believe in my work - for me, that is the fun part."
In the Bundesliga more teams try to play out from the back, more teams press and sometimes even play man-v-man. Therefore, the spaces are a bit bigger, which we can take advantage of by bringing pace into our game.