10 Key Battles in World Football for Weekend of September 12-14
One-on-one battles don’t always determine the outcome of a football match, but they typically provide a subtext that both intrigues and affects the mentality and morale of their teammates.
Over the next few days, we’ll be treated to some fascinating matchups. Wingers will be looking to get the better of full-backs; midfielders will be looking to out-do one another; central defenders will be looking to lose their markers on attacking set pieces.
The following slideshow will highlight 10 such battles to keep an eye on this weekend.
Let’s get to it.
10. Francesco Lodi vs. Nigel De Jong
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Sunday’s match between Parma and AC Milan—the final Serie A kick-off of the weekend—will feature a midfield battle between Francesco Lodi and Nigel De Jong. Lodi was bright in Parma’s opener, stringing 96 percent of his passes together (statistics courtesy of WhoScored.com) as his more attack-minded teammates struggled to score against Cesena.
The physical De Jong will be tasked with containing the 30-year-old and cutting out some of those passes.
9. Alberto Moreno vs. Kieran Richardson
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Liverpool left-back Alberto Moreno impressed against Tottenham the last time out but could find himself on the back-foot from time to time against Aston Villa on Saturday.
Kieran Richardson is coming off another good performance against Hull, in which he assisted Andreas Weimann’s winner and will hope to get in behind Moreno as much as possible at Anfield.
8. Maxime Gonalons vs. Jeremy Toulalan
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Both Lyon and Monaco will be desperate to pick up the three points from Friday’s showdown, as both sides have struggled to begin the season.
The key to victory could well be in the centre of midfield, where Maxime Gonalons will be looking to keep things neat and tidy for a Lyon outfit that has appeared rather disjointed to start the campaign.
On the other side of the ball, the veteran Jeremy Toulalan will similarly try to organise Monaco’s play from the back.
7. Antonio Valencia vs. Junior Hoilett
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Canadian speed merchant Junior Hoilett will bring his pace to Old Trafford on Sunday, where he’ll likely come up against Antonio Valencia.
Hoilett, 24, gave Sunderland right-back Santiago Vergini fits in last month’s 1-0 win for Queens Park Rangers over Sunderland, and if he’s watched any of the match, Valencia will know what he’s in for.
The Ecuador man will work as a right-sided wing-back on Sunday and will also look to get forward as often as possible—something that will only increase his run-ins with Hoilett.
6. Stephan Lichtsteiner vs. Giovanni Pasquale
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Another battle for space down the flanks will see Juventus wing-back Stephan Lichtsteiner take on Udinese counterpart Giovanni Pasquale on Saturday.
Lichtsteiner, who didn’t have the best of nights for Switzerland against England on Monday, likes to provide attacking width from the right, but Pasquale, who works from Udinese’s left, will give little away.
The 32-year-old is not at all adverse to throwing himself into a tackle.
5. Cesar Azpilicueta vs. Nathan Dyer
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Nathan Dyer has been one of the primary factors in Swansea’s red-hot start to the season, and against West Bromwich Albion on August 30 he scored twice in a 3-0 win and also completed 91 percent of his passes—many of which came in the high-risk area of the attacking third.
This weekend, he’ll go up against Chelsea left-back Cesar Azpilicueta, who has played so well to start the campaign that he’s kept summer signing Filipe Luis on the sidelines for the Blues.
4. Florian Klein vs. Franck Ribery
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Having struggled to overcome a back injury and being threatened with suspension from UEFA president Michel Platini following his international retirement, Franck Ribery will be frustrated and have something to prove in his first Bundesliga match of the season on Saturday.
Facing him will be Stuttgart right-back Florian Klein, who will no doubt be hoping Ribery is still short of fitness. Otherwise, it could be a long 90 minutes for the Austrian.
3. Oscar De Marcos vs. Neymar
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Neymar returned to his scoring ways for Brazil during the international break, potting the winner in a 1-0 friendly victory over Colombia.
He’s back to full fitness, and with club side Barcelona about to face in-form Athletic Bilbao on Saturday, his return could not have come at a better time.
The 22-year-old will operate to Lionel Messi’s left at Camp Nou, which means he’ll be seeing a lot of Athletic right-back Oscar de Marcos, who was brilliant in the Champions League against Napoli and earned an assist on Aritz Aduriz’s winner at the new San Mames.
2. Jack Wilshere vs. Yaya Toure
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Jack Wilshere has said he’ll study Andrea Pirlo and Javier Mascherano in an attempt to become a more effective, deep-lying midfielder, as per Jonny Singer of the Daily Mail, and on Saturday the Arsenal man will have a chance to put his lessons to use.
With the Gunners hosting Premier League champions Manchester City, Wilshere will likely sit a bit deeper than he’s previously accustomed to at club level, and that could mean a direct battle with City’s Yaya Toure, who's generally considered the best midfielder in the English top flight.
1. Sergio Ramos vs. Diego Godin
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Both Sergio Ramos and Diego Godin have a knack for coming up big in important matches.
Ramos, don’t forget, scored Real Madrid’s equaliser against Atletico Madrid in last spring’s Champions League final, while Godin’s goal against Barcelona won La Liga for Atletico.
On Saturday, the two defenders will face one another during the Madrid derby, and their proximity to one another on set pieces will be a matter of some importance to the teams they represent.
It’s a fairly safe bet that one of them will play a vital part in a derby win.
