Hello and welcome to our prediction for Team of the Week 9 which will be released on Wednesday this week!
This week will be the final Team of the Week before the World Cup break and with the current Path To Glory Promo I don't think TOTW9 will be that good as some players who could have been in already got leaked but we should still see some good players included! Important to keep in mind is that most big leagues, apart from La Liga, had a matchday midweek too so there are a few more possible players, especially from the Bundesliga and Serie A! But that should be it for now, go on and check out the potential squad!
STARTING XI
GK: Koen Casteels (VfL Wolfsburg) - 84 OVR -> 86 OVR:
In-Form VfL Wolfsburg dealt a blow to Borussia Dortmund's title hopes in a deserves 2-0 win midweek. Wolfsburg's shot-stopper Koen Casteels was one of the best players that day, making a total of six saves to keep the clean sheet and secure all three points for his side.
LB: Nuno Mendes (Paris SG) - 80 OVR -> 83 OVR:
Two Portuguese youngsters from Ligue 1 could feature in TOTW 9 this week and one of them is Paris SG's Nuno Mendes who assisted two goals in Paris comfortable 5-0 victory over Auxerre on Sunday. He got the joint-highest rating this week from L'Equipe (8 together with Lovro Majer) and with the lack of good defender options I'm optimistic he'll make it.
CB: Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen) - 82 OVR -> 84 OVR:
Leverkusen have struggled for consistency all season but, after overcoming both Union Berlin and Cologne to earn back-to-back wins for the first time in 2022/23, Xabi Alonso's side were fill of confidence and picked up another victory with a comfortable 2-0 over VfB Stuttgart. Jonathan Tah was among the goalscorers and could be in the side this week.
LB: Andrew Robertson (Liverpool) - 87 OVR -> 88 OVR:
A controlled Liverpool had the measure of Southampton in the final game before the World Cup break, with a number of contenders for the man of the match in a 3-1 win. The Scot took another significant step in his assist competition with Trent, adding two to his tally thanks to both the dead ball and his trademark run down the left flank and was rewarded MOTM.
CDM: Merino (Real Sociedad) - 83 OVR -> 85 OVR:
Real Sociedad went back on winning ways after going three games without a La Liga win, beating struggling Sevilla with 2-1 away from home on Wednesday. Spanish midfielder Merino assisted both goals for his side and with La Liga not having double matchday before the World Cup, Merino looks like a likely candidate for an inform.
CDM: Jamal Musiala (FC Bayern) - 84 OVR -> 86 OVR:
Bayern Munich could not have ended 2022 on a better note, winning their last game of the year 2-0 against Schalke 04 and secured the top spot before the World Cup break. Musiala once again captured the spotlight with his sublime skill, creating 4 chances and assisting both the goals of the game from a deeper midfield role.
CM: Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal) - 84 OVR -> 86 OVR:
Arsenal secured a 2-0 win over Wolves and the win gives the Gunners a five-point lead at the summit as the league now presses pause for the World Cup. Odegaard made a positive start to the game and helped Arsenal progress the ball with his passing. He scored from close-range to put Arsenal ahead shortly after the restart and added his second goal 20 minutes later. Odegaard also played two accurate long balls and won two duels.
RM: Jonas Hofmann (M'gladbach) - 84 OVR -> 86 OVR:
Lighting up Friday night's Battle of the Borussia's with an elegant, game-winning display, Borussia Mönchengladbach was hitting all the right notes as they took all three points with a 4-2 win against Borussia Dortmund. German International Jonas Hofmann was the outstanding player for his side, scoring one and assisting another two.
LW: Eljif Elmas (Napoli FC) - 78 OVR -> 82 OVR:
Napoli registered their 11th league win in a row after toppling Udinese in a 3-2 result in Saturday, finishing the calendar year on top of the Serie A standings. The Macedonian has been thriving in the absence of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Provided the assist for Osimhen’s opener with a sublime cross and added the third goal himself after a fabulous dribble.
ST: Randal Kolo Muani (Eintracht Frankfurt) - 78 OVR -> 84 OVR*:
Eintracht Frankfurt continued their run and breezed past Hoffenheim to climb even more in the Bundesliga standings. French attacker Kolo Muani, who wasn't included in the World Cup squad due to the high competition, once again shone and finished the game with a goal and an assist to his name, picking up a 1.5 match rating from Kicker.
ST: Edin Džeko (Inter) - 84 OVR -> 86 OVR:
Inter got back to winning ways after two consecutive defeats in the Champions League and the Serie A against Bayern Munich and Juventus respectively, by demolishing Bologna 6-1 at the San Siro. Should have had a hat-trick today when missing an open sitter and not connecting with Dimarco’s lovely cross, but despite this scored a goal of the season contender, won a penalty and made an assist.
SUBS & RESERVES
SUBS
GK: Geronimo Rulli (Villareal) - 82 OVR -> 84 OVR:
Villareal recorded important three points after two consecutive La Liga defeats, beating Espanyol away narrowly with 1-0 thanks to an own goal from Lecomte. On the other side, Rulli was on alert for his side, finishing the game with a total of 6 saves and could pick up his first inform this week.
CB: Tiago Djalo (LOSC Lille) - 75 OVR -> 81 OVR:
I've said it earlier, there are two Portuguese youngsters who could find their way into the side and the second one I was talking about is Lille's Tiago Djalo after he scored the only goal in Lille's narrow 1-0 win against SCO Angers and also helped Lille keeping the clean sheet after they went down to ten men 15 minutes before the final whistle.
CDM: Kökcü (Feyenoord) - 79 OVR -> 82 OVR:
The title race in the Dutch Eredivisie is very exciting this season so far and unlike most expectations, it's Feyenoord who will be on top of the league until the season kicks off again. Kökcü could pick up the inform this week after Feyenoord recorded a comfortable 5-1 win against Excelsior.
CAM: Ondrej Lingr (Slavia Praha) - 75 OVR -> 81 OVR:
After I correctly predicted Olayinka in Team of the Week 7 I'm once again going to include a player from Slavia Praha, this time it's Czech midfielder Lingr after he scored twice and assisted another in Slavia's 4-0 win.
LM: Kerem Aktürkoglu (Galatasaray) - 75 OVR -> 81 OVR:
One of the highest Scorlines the past weekend came from the Turkish Süper Lig where Galatasaray picked up all three points after trashing Basakesehir with 7-0. Aktürkoglu was the standout performer that day, finishing the game with a hat-trick.
ST: Ivan Toney (Brentford) - 77 OVR -> 81 OVR:
Manchester City were dealt an unlikely blow as they lost 2-1 at home to Brentford in the Premier League on Saturday. Ivan Toney was a menace in the air as he thrived as the link-man up against City's fretting centre-backs and on top of that he scored both goals for his side with the winner coming in the 98th minute of the game.
ST: Moise Kean (Juventus) - 78 OVR -> 82 OVR:
RESERVES
CM: Lukas Görtler (FC St. Gallen) - 73 OVR -> 79 OVR:
St. Gallen recorded another win in the Super League and kept pace with second placed Servette after recording a 7-2 victory over Sion. There are actually two contenders for an inform from that game, one of them is Lukas Görtler who scored twice and assisted another two. If it's not him it should be Latte Lath who picks up the inform.
CAM: Zian Flemming (Millwall) - 73 OVR -> 79 OVR:
Millwall went level on points with Preston North End as they won 4-2 at Deepdale on Saturday afternoon. Zian Flemming was the standout, scoring three times from the CAM position and should be in the side this week.
ST: Zinho Gano (Zulte Waregem) - 71 OVR -> 78 OVR:
There have been a lot of games with 8 or more goals and you could expect players being included only from winning teams but this one is coming from a draw. Zulte Waregem and KAS Eupen shared points in an entertaining 5-5 draw and Gano scored two and assisted another two.
ST: Tosin (FC Zürich) - 69 OVR -> 77 OVR:
Bottom of the league side FC Zürich went back on winning ways with a comfortable and very unexpected 4-1 victory over second placed Servette FC and Tosin could pick up the inform after he scored three of the goals.
ST: Mikautadze (FC Metz) - 69 OVR -> 77 OVR:
FC Metz recorded another important win in the Ligue 2 with a comfortable 4-1 victory over Paris and Mikautadze scored three of the goals, making himself a strong contender for an inform.
That concludes this week's Team of the Week predictions! What do you make of these predictions? Is there anyone else who should have made the TOTW? Let us know below!