For fans of passionate football matches, Christmas appears to have come early. In the same weekend that Manchester United square off with Liverpool in the English Premier League, Serie A offers up an intense fixture of its own as Milan’s most esteemed footballing residents, AC Milan and Internazionale, clash in the Derby della Madonnina.

Milan and Inter, two clubs sharing one stadium and one city, both have an opportunity to establish bragging rights facing off in only the third weekend of the 2015/16 Serie A season. After an international break, calcio couldn’t ask for a more frenzied return to action.

Both clubs have had their fair share of heartbreak of late. It’s relative, of course; while Milan and Inter considered respective 10th and eighth-place finishes last season torturous, many other clubs would have found them reasonable. This only exemplifies the relentless inherent ambition associated with the Milanese giants.

And ambition is the key word ahead of this particular derby. While the two sets of fans are, generally speaking, jovial as far as city rivals are concerned, the current circumstances will likely lead to a more vociferous atmosphere inside San Siro. With both aiming for a return to the top of Serie A, this clash is seen as an early indicator of the abilities of both to follow up on grand pre-season targets.

For the first time in several years, spending has been big in the capital of Lombardy. Milan invested in quality, bringing in—among others—highly rated young central defender Alessio Romagnoli, creative midfielder Andrea Bertolacci, Colombian hitman Carlos Bacca and Shakhtar strike sensation, Luiz Adriano.

Inter reciprocated by going for quantity, signing an entire new back line of Martin Montoya, Miranda, Jeison Murillo and Alex Telles to complement other reinforcements such as Geoffrey Kondogbia, Adem Ljajic and Stevan Jovetic.

For all of the players mentioned, the Milan derby represents a fresh experience. For the coaches, however, this weekend is merely another notch on their personal derby bedposts.

Roberto Mancini and Sinisa Mihajlovic are former brethren. They played together at Sampdoria and Lazio before Mihajlovic assisted Mancini during his first spell as head coach of the Nerrazzuri between 2006 and 2008. They get on well, but their friendship will be put to one side on Sunday evening.

While Mihajlovic has offered a charitable bet with the winning coach donating to a cause to aid refugees—per Football Italia (h/t Gazzetta dello Sport)—the competitive tone will be in full swing come kick-off time. Neither can afford to lose in this most important of derbies.

Date: Sunday, September 13

Time: 7:45 p.m. BST

Venue: San Siro

TV Info: BT Sport Europe (UK)

Live Stream: Not available

Form Guide

Carpi 1-2 Inter

Inter 1-0 Atalanta

Inter 0-0 AEK Athens (friendly)

Galatasaray 1-0 Inter (friendly)

Inter 0-3 Real Madrid (International Champions Cup friendly tournament)

Mantova 2-3 Milan (friendly)

Milan 2-1 Empoli

Fiorentina 2-0 Milan

Milan 2-0 Perugia (Coppa Italia)

Tottenham 2-0 Milan (Audi Cup friendly tournament)

Team News and Predicted Formations

In the dying embers of the summer transfer window, Inter made four additions to their first-team squad. Finally, they sealed a deal for Croatian attacking midfielder, Ivan Perisic, while Alex Telles and Felipe Melo arrived from Galatasaray, and Adem Ljajic joined on loan from Roma.

Each of the deals addressed areas that either already were, or had the potential to be, problematic. Telles offers a genuine left-footer for the left-back berth, Melo adds muscularity to the midfield, and Perisic and Ljajic bring the possibility of width as well as extra creative capacity in the final third.

All four are available for involvement this Sunday, and it is highly likely that one of Ljajic or Perisic will start in their first-ever Milan derby, playing behind a front two in a 4-3-1-2 system.

Inter could be without two key players at both ends of the team, however. Brazilian international centre-back Miranda has been ruled out through injury, while their prolific striker Mauro Icardi is a doubt. If the latter is in any way fit, he will unquestionably start.

Like Inter, Milan are also set to line up in a now-customary 4-3-1-2 shape. However, the Rossoneri have several doubts going into this crucial fixture.

For a start, their defence has been wobbly this season, something not aided by a midfield with absent tendencies, an issue that persists from last season.

Thus, Milan will probably opt for experience at the back, choosing Cristian Zapata over Rodrigo Ely, who missed the win over Empoli through suspension after he was sent off in the opening Serie A game away to Fiorentina.

Mattia De Sciglio will transfer from right- to left-back, replacing the injured Luca Antonelli, whose penetrative runs will be missed. This makes room for Ignazio Abate to return to the starting lineup at right-back.

An even bigger worry lies in front of the back four, though, where Milan will be without Andrea Bertolacci through injury.

Even with Bertolacci, Milan have issues in the middle. Neither he nor Bonaventura appear at all suited to the energetic hustle and bustle of being in the centre of a midfield diamond, so Milan may well have a completely different central midfield pairing in front of enforcer Nigel de Jong.

The likelihood is that Juraj Kucka will be brought in to add more of a physical dimension, while Riccardo Montolivo’s more pragmatic nature could be better suited to a match of this significance than Bonaventura’s attacking whims.

Inter Milan (4-3-1-2): Samir Handanovic, Davide Santon, Andrea Rannocchia, Jeison Murillo, Juan Jesus; Marcelo Brozovic, Gary Medel, Geoffrey Kondogbia; Ivan Perisic; Stevan Jovetic, Mauro Icardi

AC Milan (4-3-1-2): Diego Lopez, Ignazio Abate, Cristian Zapata, Alessio Romagnoli, Mattia De Sciglio; Riccardo Montolivo, Nigel de Jong, Juraj Kucka; Keisuke Honda; Carlos Bacca, Luiz Adriano

Players to Watch

Geoffrey Kondogbia was pursued by both Milanese clubs during the summer after an impressive season with Monaco. Eventually, the French midfield ball-winning ace chose blue and black over red and black, something Milan fans are unlikely to forgive or forget.

A powerful presence with a tactically astute mind, Kondogbia will have a major influence on this match. Milan’s midfield is seen as a weakness, one that Inter will hope to exploit and dominate. Kondogbia will be vital in this task.

Milan are likely to be tested by a reinvigorated Inter attack featuring an in-form Jovetic. The Montenegrin could be partnered by Icardi for a double goal threat, but even if not, the Rossoneri defence will have to be fully alert.

Alessio Romagnoli is young, relatively inexperienced, and as such, this game could define his fledgling Milan career. Those around him look shaky, so the 20-year-old will have to play with maturity beyond his years if Mihajlovic’s men are to keep a clean sheet.

Key Battle

Milan may have to play a more direct style of football, bypassing the centre of midfield, if they are to defeat an Inter side who have an evident advantage centrally and get their strike duet of Bacca and Adriano into the game.

Bacca will be integral with his pace, movement and eye for goal, though he is likely to be marked by his compatriot, Murillo.

This all-Colombian battle will be an intriguing one. Murillo impressed at the 2015 Copa America for his country and seems to have established himself quickly in Mancini’s starting lineup, though he will be up against it opposite Bacca, one of European football’s best strikers.

Odds

Inter win: 13/10

Milan win: 27/10

Draw: 40/17

Odds provided by Oddschecker

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Arsenal are reportedly looking at Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi as a potential January target as manager Arsene Wenger prepares to strengthen his weak strike unit in the new year.

Olivier Giroud remains the Gunners’ only proven striker, and the recent news of Danny Welbeck’s long-term injury has only served to highlight how short they are up front, per BBC Sport.

According to Spanish outlet Fichajes.net (h/t Metro‘s Will Giles), Wenger is targeting 22-year-old Icardi as the man to solve his strike problems.

The Argentinian certainly has the pedigree to make a big impact at the Emirates having netted 22 times in Serie A last season, per WhoScored.com.

Arsenal have been crying out for such a prolific finisher for some time now, as even Giroud has only ever managed a maximum of 16 goals in a league season since his arrival in north London in 2012.

As noted by Fichajes.net (h/t Giles), though, Icardi will not come cheap, if at all, as he only recently signed a new contract with Inter that ties him to the club until 2019.

Having not signed a single outfield player during the summer transfer window, Arsenal are surely going to have to be active in the market in January, per Bleacher Report’s Andy Brassell:

One of Arsenal’s many reported prospective targets during the summer—quite a list despite none of them actually signing for the Gunners—was Julian Draxler, who eventually moved from Schalke to Wolfsburg.

The 21-year-old has explained that he decided to stay in the Bundesliga as he does not feel he is ready yet for a move abroad, per German newspaper Bild (h/t Colin Harvey in the Daily Star): “From the outside, maybe my move isn’t understandable. Schalke are a great club in Germany. Many people thought that if I left it would be for a top foreign club, but I decided not to go abroad as I didn’t feel ready for that kind of move.”

Arsenal should not give up hope of eventually snapping up Draxler, and they should keep tabs on his progress at Wolfsburg.

He is immensely talented, and although his value is likely to only increase—Wolfsburg had to shell out a lot to sign him—he would theoretically fit very well into the Arsenal setup. Bundesliga expert Clark Whitney suggested it was the right time to sell the player:

In the short-term, though, the Gunners need greater depth in the strike department. Even if they are successful in the run up to Christmas, they cannot launch a season-long title challenge with their current squad.

Thus whether it be a move for Icardi or an alternative option, Arsenal and Wenger look set to be busy in the new year.

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Arsenal are reportedly looking at Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi as a potential January target as manager Arsene Wenger prepares to strengthen his weak strike unit in the new year.

Olivier Giroud remains the Gunners’ only proven striker, and the recent news of Danny Welbeck’s long-term injury has only served to highlight how short they are up front, per BBC Sport.

According to Spanish outlet Fichajes.net (h/t Metro‘s Will Giles), Wenger is targeting 22-year-old Icardi as the man to solve his strike problems.

The Argentinian certainly has the pedigree to make a big impact at the Emirates having netted 22 times in Serie A last season, per WhoScored.com.

Arsenal have been crying out for such a prolific finisher for some time now, as even Giroud has only ever managed a maximum of 16 goals in a league season since his arrival in north London in 2012.

As noted by Fichajes.net (h/t Giles), though, Icardi will not come cheap, if at all, as he only recently signed a new contract with Inter that ties him to the club until 2019.

Having not signed a single outfield player during the summer transfer window, Arsenal are surely going to have to be active in the market in January, per Bleacher Report’s Andy Brassell:

One of Arsenal’s many reported prospective targets during the summer—quite a list despite none of them actually signing for the Gunners—was Julian Draxler, who eventually moved from Schalke to Wolfsburg.

The 21-year-old has explained that he decided to stay in the Bundesliga as he does not feel he is ready yet for a move abroad, per German newspaper Bild (h/t Colin Harvey in the Daily Star): “From the outside, maybe my move isn’t understandable. Schalke are a great club in Germany. Many people thought that if I left it would be for a top foreign club, but I decided not to go abroad as I didn’t feel ready for that kind of move.”

Arsenal should not give up hope of eventually snapping up Draxler, and they should keep tabs on his progress at Wolfsburg.

He is immensely talented, and although his value is likely to only increase—Wolfsburg had to shell out a lot to sign him—he would theoretically fit very well into the Arsenal setup. Bundesliga expert Clark Whitney suggested it was the right time to sell the player:

In the short-term, though, the Gunners need greater depth in the strike department. Even if they are successful in the run up to Christmas, they cannot launch a season-long title challenge with their current squad.

Thus whether it be a move for Icardi or an alternative option, Arsenal and Wenger look set to be busy in the new year.

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As gamers around the world wait patiently for the much-vaunted release of FIFA 16, developers EA Sports have released their list of the fastest players in the game. 

Arsenal‘s Theo Walcott will be the most difficult player to catch with a speed ranking of 96. Fortuna Dusseldorf‘s 24-year-old midfielder Mathis Bolly also earns a 96, while Borussia Dortmund‘s speed demon Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang clocks in with a 95. 

Here’s the top 20 players, as per The Metro:

1. Theo Walcott (Arsenal) – 96
2. Mattis Bolly (Fortuna Dusseldorf) – 96
3. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund) – 95
4. Ernest Asante (Stabaek Fotball) – 95
5. Jurgen Damm (Tigres Uanl) – 95
6. Gareth Bale (Real Madrid) – 94
7. Jonathan Biabiany (Inter Milan) – 94
8. Dominic Oduro (Impact De Montreal) – 94
9. Kekuta Manneh (Vancouver) – 94
10. Marco Sau (Cagliari) – 94
11. Innocent Emeghara (San Jose) – 94
12. Fahad Al-Muwallad (Al-Ittihad) – 94
13. Ryo Miyaichi (St. Pauli) – 94
14. Lucas (Paris Saint-Germain) – 93
15. Juan Cuadrado (Juventus) – 93
16. Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) – 93
17. Luciano Narsingh (PSV) – 93
18. Maicon (Lokomotiv Moscow) – 93
19. Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow) – 93
20. Bruma (Real Sociedad) – 93

Curiously, there’s no place in the top 20 for Walcott‘s teammate Hector Bellerin, who was the Gunners’ fastest player in speed tests conducted in February. 

FIFA 16 is set to be released on September 22. 

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Lucas Leiva has admitted he almost left Liverpool during the transfer window but is delighted to be staying on Merseyside and remaining with the Reds. 

The Brazilian opened up about recent events to the club’s official website and said he hopes to be an important player for manager Brendan Rodgers this season:

It’s been very intense [the window], to be honest. 

I think the last couple of years, every transfer window my name is [linked with a move]. 

Of course there are times when you think you might have to move on and I was very close to moving but one thing I will always have is commitment to this club.

I’ve been here so long and I always said if I had the choice to be here and be happy, I would always choose Liverpool. 

When your future is in doubt, you might have to think of another solution, but I’m happy that it didn’t happen and I’m here to fight for the club as I have been doing for eight years.

The Liverpool Echo (h/t David Wright of the Express) reported the player was on the verge of joining Besiktas in August, with the Turkish club’s Erdal Torunogullari quoted as saying by Lig TV: “Lucas is a player on our shortlist, talks are ongoing.”

However, the deal didn’t materialise—leaving the midfielder stuck in the reserves at Anfield.

But the injury to Jordan Henderson has opened the door for Lucas, giving him a chance to impress Rodgers once again in the first team. 

Despite his falling stock, the 28-year-old featured regularly for Liverpool last season; he appeared 20 times in the Premier League, starting 16 games, per WhoScored.com.

But Henderson’s rise to prominence and the arrival of James Milner have left his long-term future in question. 

Leiva remains popular among Liverpool fans, with blogger Jack Sear complimenting the midfielder:

The Liverpool Echo’s Joe Rimmer also congratulated the player for remaining with the Reds, applauding him for his recent comments:

Leiva will continue to be a faithful servant as long as Rodgers wants him, but his first-team chances will remain limited when the Liverpool midfield is fit. 

Stephane Henchoz Slams Shaqiri

Former Rodgers target Xherdan Shaqiri has been attacked by former Liverpool and Switzerland defender Stephane Henchoz for choosing Stoke City ahead of host of bigger clubs.

David Wright of the Express reports the ex-Red believes the highly regarded Shaqiri signed a five-year deal with the Potters purely for financial gain and said he finds the talented player’s decision “incomprehensible”:

Why else would Xherdan Shaqiri sign a five-year contract with Stoke? 

He is certainly not there because Stoke have big ambitions to reach the Champions League, which will never be the case. It is only because of the money at Stoke. 

I find it incomprehensible. He’s at Stoke because he can get money there he can get nowhere else. That’s all.

The Swiss international nearly joined Liverpool in the January transfer window in a £12 million deal, per Blick (h/t Charles Perrin of the Express), but said he opted to sign for Inter Milan after a “gut feeling.” The player said he wanted to join Liverpool, but his then-current club Bayern Munich could not agree a deal, leading him to favour a doomed switch to Serie A.

Shaqiri is destined to do well in England, and the drop to a side that doesn’t traditionally chase trophies could help his game.

At Bayern, he always seemed out of his depth in competitive matches, and he might have struggled with the spotlight at Anfield too. 

However, a good season for Stoke will see his value rocket once again; at 23, he still has so much to offer, and his development in the top leagues may only be about to bear fruit in the coming months. 

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From the moment the fixtures were drawn, Barcelona players and supporters alike would have viewed their clash against Atletico Madrid in the third week of the season as a stiff test.

To head to the Vicente Calderon is never easy, especially not now Diego Simeone has reinforced his side with some intriguing attacking options to go with their usual steely resolve and combative nature.

But circumstances have transformed a tough match into a huge challenge for Luis Enrique side.

Atletico, who on Wednesday welcomed Filipe Luis back to training after injury, per Sport, have no injuries, suspensions or absences to worry about.

That is not the case for the visitors.

There is a big question mark over Gerard Pique’s availability for the game.

As things stand, the Spanish centre-back is suspended for the clash, the third game of a four-match ban.

However, according to Sport, Barcelona will take the case up with the Court of Arbitration for Sport in a bid to get the punishment temporarily lifted:

Barcelona are set to present their case in front of the Court of Arbitration for Sport as they seek to reduce Gerard Pique’s suspension. The Blaugrana will do so on Wednesday and hope that the CAS don’t have time to make a decision before the end of the week, which would free the defender up to play against Atletico at the Vicente Calderon.

It may be that the CAS decide to keep Pique’s four-game ban in place, but if there’s no decision immediately, Luis Enrique may have the player available for this weekend’s hugely important fixture. The number of injuries in defence mean it would be beneficial to have Pique available.

Missing Pique is a big enough problem already given the key role the defender played in winning the title last season.

Thomas Vermaelen has performed brilliantly so far in his stead, but the clash against Atletico will be a challenge on a different scale for the Belgian.

It could be the moment his career really takes off in Catalonia, or it could prove to be a further puncture.

But the problems don’t end there for Luis Enrique’s side.

There is also the absence of right-back Dani Alves with a groin injury. His back-up, Douglas, has been injured for weeks too.

However, with the Brazilian duo out of action and Martin Montoya on loan to Inter Milan, Sergi Roberto has stepped up to the mark.

The midfielder is being converted into a right-back by Lucho, and his performances against Athletic Club and Malaga in that spot were excellent.

Unfortunately for Barcelona, Sport said the club has been keeping quiet over a muscle injury he has suffered.

Sergi may yet be fit to play against Atletico, but if not, reserve left-back Adriano may be shifted over to the right flank, which would be a real problem.

The Brazilian is not good enough to keep out a side like Atletico, and it would be no surprise to see Antoine Griezmann peel off to the left to take advantage of Adriano during the game.

To make matters worse, a new casualty is Claudio Bravo.

The Chilean goalkeeper asked to be excluded from his national squad for personal reasons and remained in the Catalan capital to train during the break.

Sadly for him, he hurt his calf in training and is expected to be out of action for three weeks, his agent, Cristian Ogalde, explained to radio show Al Aire Libre (h/t Sport).

That means Marc-Andre ter Stegen is poised to make his debut in La Liga.

The German goalkeeper should have few problems, having already won the Champions League and Copa del Rey as a first choice, but Barcelona’s goalkeepers have been picked on lately.

As noted by Graham Hunter on ESPN FC, the use of Bravo and Ter Stegen as sweeper-keepers has lured teams into shooting from distance to dangerous effect. He wrote:

I asked Enrique about the Barcelona style for ‘keepers after the match, and he said that it wouldn’t change: It was a vital part of their offensive and defensive strategy. But he also said quite clearly that these two instances were errors and that they must be corrected.

Until they are, watch out for every team in La Liga bombarding the Barcelona goal the instant the Spanish champions lose possession almost anywhere on the pitch.

To make matters worse, Ter Stegen shipped eight goals in two games earlier this season and has since been replaced by Bravo.

That might have given the German’s confidence a bit of a battering, with the Chilean keeping two clean sheets in La Liga in the two games so far.

With a defence weakened by both injury and suspension and Bravo’s injury, Atletico Madrid can expect some joy when they attack on Saturday night.

It makes what was always going to be a tricky match extremely difficult, and Barcelona will be praying their attacking stars can find their form at the Calderon.

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Sunderland‘s Ola Toivonen has claimed that Liverpool previously tried to bring him to England and says he “regrets” not making the switch to Anfield.

The 29-year-old attacking midfielder recently linked up with the Black Cats and his former PSV Eindhoven boss Dick Advocaat in a season-long loan move from Rennes, but the Swedish international told the Northern Echo (h/t Joe Short of the Express) that he missed out on a dream transfer to Merseyside:

I have had opportunities to come to the Premier League before; a couple of years ago it looked like I would be joining Liverpool when Roy Hodgson was there. Not fighting hard enough for that to happen is something I regret in my life. I am 29 so when I look back I will be pleased that I took the opportunity to move to France to try out a new league also.

I experienced how it is to live there, experienced a new language and culture so it was a nice time. But I always wanted to play in the Premier League so when I got the call from Sunderland it was a quick decision to make.

Toivonen made his name at PSV during a successful five-year spell but took the opportunity to move to Ligue 1 in 2014. Last season saw the Red and Blacks finish mid-table in the league, with Toivonen scoring seven goals in 28 starts, per WhoScored.com.

It is clear to see why Roy Hodgson was interested in the lofty midfielder, who is also comfortable in the striker’s position.

Toivonen is the kind of talent Hodgson tactically relates to, but it is questionable whether Liverpool supporters would have been satisfied with such a purchase, given the team’s Champions League ambitions. 

Ezequiel Lavezzi‘s Long Goodbye

Argentina international Ezequiel Lavezzi has spoken of his potential farewell season at Paris Saint-Germain, admitting he might leave the French capital at the end of the year—with Liverpool interested in the tricky attacker.

The 30-year-old told Telefoot (h/t Liam Corless of the Mirror) that he is happy to be playing with his great friend Angel Di Maria, but the partnership is likely to be short-lived, as the winger keeps his options open:

The truth is I want to stay because I have a lot of faith in the team. This year we brought in players that really reinforced the team. I’m very happy for new signing Angel Di Maria, it’s always good to play with your friends. He is a great player, I hope he adapts quickly. I think it’s my last year in Paris. But I’m okay and I want to finish it the best way possible. You never know what can happen. Today I want to stay, tomorrow we’ll see.

Lavezzi has been one of Europe’s most dynamic and exciting forwards—during his time at Napoli and PSG—however he has steadily fallen down the pecking order at the Parisians, and a move is likely if he wants a starting berth. 

The player scored eight goals in 30 Ligue appearances last term, per WhoScored, but he started as a substitute in 11 of those matches. 

Lavezzi and Di Maria have already started to prove their worth as an attacking duo, after the Argentinians recently combined for a fine goal for PSG, per Sportskeeda:

The player was linked with a move to Liverpool 12 months ago, as reported by the Express’ Jamie Anderson, with the writer declaring: 

A host of European giants including Inter Milan, Fiorentina and Atletico Madrid are known to want the forward, but the lure of the Premier League could see him destined for Anfield. The sale of Luis Suarez to Barcelona and the injury to Daniel Sturridge has exposed Liverpool’s forward line to be somewhat suspect.

Rickie Lambert, Fabio Borini and Mario Balotelli, though good player’s, may struggle to seamlessly adapt to the infamous ‘Rodgers ethos’ of energetic and incisive football.

Anderson’s assessment was accurate, with Lambert, Borini and Balotelli all failing to make the grade, leaving Rodgers to look elsewhere for striking talent. 

Lavezzi would be a shrewd purchase by Rodgers as he looks to add experience to his front line. The continued absence of Sturridge leaves the Reds permanently hamstrung, and the energy of the Argentinian would be perfect for English football. 

Roberto Firmino will need time to prove if he is a goal threat, but if Rodgers wants a player who could offer inspiration and goals, Lavezzi would be the perfect solution at an affordable price. 

The weight of expectation is now on the shoulders of Christian Benteke, but the Belgian has been known to experience goal droughts, meaning Rodgers must add another striker in the next 12 months. 

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Former Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy doesn’t think the Reds have the quality to contend for a top-four finish in the Premier League, but he did love the signing of former Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke during the summer transfer window.

Speaking to Sportsmail‘s Luke Augustus, he tipped the Belgium international to do great things at Anfield, saying: “I think [Christian] Benteke is a brilliant signing—he’s definitely a player who is going to do well.”

Benteke headlines a group of new players who arrived at Anfield during the summer, including talented youngster Joe Gomez, Brazil international Roberto Firmino, star full-back Nathaniel Clyne and seasoned veteran James Milner.

The 24-year-old scored 13 goals in 26 Premier League starts for Villa last year, establishing himself as one of the top young target men in the country, per WhoScored.com. Along with goals, the Belgian brings a healthy work-rate up front, and he’ll weigh on defences any way he can, via WhoScored:

As a young player with plenty of upside and Premier League experience, it made sense for the Reds to trigger his release clause and bring him to Anfield in an attempt to solve the issues at the striker position.

Last season’s options didn’t produce at all, and both Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert have joined new clubs just one year after making the move to Liverpool. Daniel Sturridge remains the team’s most talented scorer, but health has been a major issue during the last few seasons.

Bellamy believes Sturridge and Benteke can both have excellent seasons, providing Philippe Coutinho continues playing like a star. The Brazil international was one of the top breakout players last season and enters the 2015-16 season as the Reds’ primary playmaker, in charge of getting the ball to the front men.

But despite the obvious talent of the forwards and the solid purchases manager Brendan Rodgers made this summer, Bellamy still thinks the team isn’t good enough to crack the top four and qualify for the Champions League. Depth remains an issue, and key contributors like Gomez and Jordon Ibe lack the experience that could make the difference in pivotal moments.

The Reds could still qualify through the Europa League, as the winners of that competition are now automatically handed a spot in the Champions League, but Bellamy doesn’t see that happening, either:

The Europa League is difficult, it really is to try and compete in that and then play Premier League football on a Sunday.

In the Champions League you’re travelling to some of the best cities and stadiums in Europe but in the Europa League you’re going further out, to lesser stadiums, travelling is a lot more stressful and I feel in that competition everyone just wants to get through.

You try and get to the quarter-finals as well as you can with your league form intact, while changing as much as possible, but it get serious around about the knockout stage.

Before then you just want to try and keep your league position as strong as possible while trying to get through the group stages.

Liverpool added a bunch of high-upside players during the summer, and while the expectations for the 2015-16 season should be tempered, the long-term future of this team looks very bright. Benteke is both an immediate-impact player and a long-term option, however, so it’s easy to see why Bellamy is such a fan of the signing.

Denis Cheryshev Responsible for Failed Alberto Moreno Move?

According to Catalan newspaper Sport (h/t Liverpool Echo‘s Kristian Walsh), Spanish full-back Alberto Moreno didn’t join Real Madrid because Rodgers was adamant the Reds had to receive Russian winger Denis Cheryshev in return.

The 24-year-old reportedly has a buyout clause of £146 million, according to the Daily Star (via Walsh), and Los Blancos plan on sticking to said clause, as they don’t want Cheryshev to move.

Walsh was sceptical of the report, as he believes the Reds were never interested in the Russia international in the first place:

Quite why the Reds wanted the Russian winger is unknown, given it was understood the club had no interest in him earlier in the summer. Still, Catalan newspaper Sport says it was mooted Cheryshev would come to Anfield, with Moreno heading to the Bernabeu. Neither deal happened.

What a surprise.

Cheryshev spent the 2014-15 season on loan with Villarreal and showed enough promise to warrant a move back to the Bernabeu. He’s unlikely to see much playing time in 2015-16, however, with a host of established stars ahead of him in the pecking order.

As reported by Marca, he seems determined to show his value to the Real fans and would be willing to switch positions if that’s what it took to get on the pitch:

I think the coach sees me on the left side of midfield. We haven’t spoken about playing at full-back – there are other players who can operate in that position, like Alvaro Arbeloa and Nacho, but if there were a big need, I’d have no problem doing it. That said, I see myself more in attacking positions – that’s where I’m most comfortable.

The Reds could always use depth at the wide positions, but Cheryshev hasn’t done enough during his young career to warrant any kind of significant transfer fee. Right now, he wouldn’t be an automatic starter at Anfield, and his upside may not be as high as that of Ibe, who also needs minutes to keep developing.

Moreno provides valuable depth behind young starlet Gomez, and with Marcelo the obvious choice to start at left-back for Los Blancos, it’s hard to see why Real would be interested in the Spaniard. Manager Rafa Benitez felt comfortable sending Fabio Coentrao out on loan to Inter Milan, so he clearly trusts the options he already has at the position.

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When the dust settles on another busy summer transfer window for Liverpool, manager Brendan Rodgers may regret not pursuing the club’s reported interest in French defensive midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia.

According to Simon Jones of MailOnline, the Reds were scouting Kondogbia extensively towards the end of the 2014/15 season, when he played for AS Monaco:

The France international was one of the most coveted players in Europe prior to signing for the wealthy French club from Sevilla in 2013.

Real Madrid, Manchester United, Juventus and Paris St Germain were all keen.

He had an initial dip in form after his move but has since kicked on again and has impressed Liverpool scouts in Europe and the French league this season.

At the time, Jones painted Kondogbia as the type of under-the-radar, high-potential talent that Liverpool have purposefully targeted under Rodgers—with the likes of Emre Can, Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho as evidence of this approach.

However, the 22-year-old eventually signed for a resurgent Inter Milan in a deal worth up to £25 million, according to Ian McCourt of the Guardian.

Jones suggested that “Liverpool’s budget and attraction will hinge on qualification for the Champions League.”

But with Inter also missing out on qualification for Europe’s elite competition after an eighth-place finish in the 2014/15 Serie A and the Reds spending big this summer on the likes of Roberto Firmino (£29 million) and Christian Benteke (£32.5 million), it seems that a move for Kondogbia would have been feasible.

Missing out on him could prove to be a costly mistake and a considerable regret for Rodgers this season.

Liverpool’s Need for a Defensive Midfielder

“I would have liked to have seen them sign a defensive midfield player, with Steven Gerrard having moved on,” former Reds defender Jamie Carragher professed in an August column for Sky Sports.

“Emre Can can maybe step in there and you still have Lucas Leiva, but it looks like a position that Liverpool need to fill, and it is one that I am slightly surprised they haven’t given their defensive record over the last few years.”

Though overall the 37-year-old is “impressed” with Liverpool’s business this summer, his notion that his former club needed to sign a defensive midfielder is a pertinent one.

The paramount importance of a defensive midfielder in the Premier League is becoming more and more significant as styles of play develop. Though the English top flight is renowned for its fast-paced attacking game, for a side to breach the dome of top-six superiority, it must become smarter and counter this threat.

Deploying a sitting, destroyer-type defensive midfielder has boosted the fortunes of Chelsea and Arsenal in the race for the top four, too. Both Nemanja Matic and Francis Coquelin are exemplary within their field.

In 36 league games with Matic in 2014/15, Chelsea lost just twice (6 percent), while their capitulation without him against Newcastle United saw them lose one of their two games without him.

In 22 league games with Coquelin last season, Arsenal lost just three times (14 percent), losing four games out of 16 without him (25 percent). Their win ratio with the Frenchman at the base of their midfield was boosted considerably, too. With Coquelin, the Gunners won 73 percent of their league games. Without him, they won just 38 percent.

Employing a specialist defensive midfielder of true quality is of fundamental tactical importance in the Premier League, but with Lucas Leiva representing Rodgers’ only option on this front, Liverpool will struggle at times this season.

Lucas Leiva

Brazilian midfielder Lucas looked set to leave Liverpool this summer, with James Pearce of the Liverpool Echo quoting Besiktas board member Erol Kaynar as declaring that “A loan deal [for Lucas] is likely, it could go ahead within the next two days.”

Lucas was set to join up with the Turkish giants on a season-long loan before his performance in Liverpool’s 0-0 draw with Arsenal seemingly changed Rodgers’ stance on the 28-year-old’s future.

Pearce provided an update on Lucas’ future after the Emirates Stadium stalemate, suggesting that the club had “shelved plans to off-load” the former Gremio midfielder, as corroborated by Rodgers in conversation with Sky Sports during his post-match briefing.

“Lucas is our best defensive midfield player,” he said. “There are games where I play three midfield players but not always with a defensive specific one, but when we do need that, he is the best one we have.

“He came in tonight and did a great job and is very much part of what we want to do.”

Lucas is one of the club’s longest-serving current players behind centre-back Martin Skrtel, and his introduction into Rodgers’ first team in 2014/15 prompted an upturn in form, but his two appearances this season so far have provided a succinct evaluation of his quality.

A disciplined, aggressive option at the midfield base, Lucas is a means to an end for Liverpool—the sole defensive-minded body that Rodgers can rely on in big-game encounters such as away to Arsenal—but in the manager’s assertion that “he is the best one we have,” there is an element of complacency.

Against both Arsenal and West Ham United this season, Lucas has proven his deficiency in this vital role, with persistent injury issues leaving him physically depleted and unable to intervene with consistency as opponents build dangerous attacks in midfield and break on the counter.

Lucas is the best defensive midfielder that Liverpool have, but this is largely due to the fact that Lucas is the only defensive midfielder that Liverpool have.

This summer, they needed an upgrade.

Geoffrey Kondogbia

“What happens if you can’t sign the tall, athletic, 22-year-old France midfielder that almost every major Champions League club has looked into signing from Juventus this summer?” Duncan Castles wrote for Goal.com in June, comparing Kondogbia with international team-mate Paul Pogba.

“You turn your attention to the tall, athletic, 22-year-old France midfielder who appears certain to move away from AS Monaco this summer.”

Suggesting that Pogba and Kondogbia are on the same level may be a stretch, but with the former as the toast of European football—reportedly commanding a ridiculous fee of £105 million, according to Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t the Express)—Kondogbia was the more realistic option for European clubs this summer.

While Pogba is an well-rounded, attack-minded central midfielder, Kondogbia is a different specimen.

A well-built, 6’2″ defensive midfielder, Kondogbia is suited to a holding midfield role, shielding the back four and breaking up play—in this sense, much like Lucas.

But unlike Lucas, Kondogbia also offers a progressive, dynamic option in building from the midfield. Last season, for example, he averaged 1.8 successful dribbles per 90 minutes in Ligue 1, more than all but five central midfielders to make 10 or more appearances in the French top flight—those being Oscar Trejo (2), Marco Verratti (2.3), Javier Pastore (2.5), Morgan Sanson (2.6) and Giannelli Imbula (3).

For Roberto Mancini at Inter, Kondogbia has so far operated alongside Gary Medel and Fredy Guarin in a three-man midfield base, with the trio interchanging roles in a fluid system.

Medel and Kondogbia both offer imperious defensive quality, which has seen Inter concede just one goal in their first two games in Serie A this season.

Interestingly, Lucas has long been linked with a move to Inter, as suggested by Tuttosport (h/t talkSPORT) at the end of June, but the youth, dynamism and vitality of Kondogbia, along with his defensive quality, make the Frenchman a much better option for Mancini.

But could Liverpool have snatched Kondogbia from under Inter’s noses this summer? Castles believes so.

“Kondogbia, it is said, is ‘a huge Liverpool fan’; fanatical enough that an offer from Anfield might even sway his decision,” he continued.

“Whether this Liverpool administration has the sense to find out is another matter entirely.”

With Rodgers seemingly lacking the sense to address his side’s lack of quality in the defensive sector this summer, allowing Inter to sign a top-level young talent like Kondogbia, the Liverpool manager has left his side lacking once again.

Failing to recognise this and ignoring the availability of Inter’s new No. 7 could become a major regret for Rodgers this season.

Statistics via Squawka.com and WhoScored.com.

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First it happened with Porto, and then Inter Milan.

On the occasions Jose Mourinho has won the Champions League, he’s done it with front men who have been at the peak of their powers.

In 2003/04, the goalscoring duties were shared out among Benny McCarthy, Dmitri Alenitchev and Derlei at Porto, who scored a healthy 10 goals between them.

Six years later with Inter, Diego Milito did it all but single-handedly, finding the back of the net on six occasions en route to the Nerazzurri becoming European champions. Two of that half-dozen came in the final against Bayern Munich, also.

If Mourinho is to repeat that success with Chelsea this season, he’s going to need Diego Costa to show up.

So lethal in the Premier League last year, Costa failed to register a single goal in Europe—a fact that played its part in Chelsea’s early Champions League exit against Paris Saint-Germain.

Costa wasn’t a bit-part player, either. He featured in seven of Chelsea’s eight games, including 200 of the 210 minutes played against PSG in that last-16 disappointment.

He cut a frustrated figure in the tie, offering little by way of a goal threat, much like he did throughout the entire European campaign.

Indeed, his best performance came in the groups when Chelsea travelled to Lisbon to face Sporting. Normally so deadly when through on goal, he wasted an early one-on-one opportunity and was also guilty of some other glaring misses on the night.

When Costa’s in town, we expect so much more.

We can point to injuries playing their part in impacting his season, yet it was hardly the case in the Premier League.

The Spanish international scored 20 goals in 26 games to deliver Chelsea the title—a phenomenal return given it was his debut campaign in English football, not to mention the suspensions and other controversies that he endured.

Like his teammates, Costa couldn’t rediscover that same ruthless streak in Europe, which has to change if Chelsea have any chance of pitching up at the San Siro for the final come May.

Costa’s failures in the Champions League almost mirror his manager’s lack of success in the competition at Stamford Bridge.

Despite his pedigree, Mourinho has always been the nearly man when it comes to delivering European glory in West London.

He’s taken Chelsea to three semi-finals, where they have lost on each occasion—twice to Liverpool, the other Atletico Madrid.

Costa was part of the Atletico side that so mercilessly dispatched Chelsea, battling their way through the tie to eventually grind down Mourinho‘s men and take victory.

Costa scored eight goals in Europe in 2013/14, which is why Mourinho had long marked him out as the man to lead the line at Stamford Bridge.

And much like his manager, it’s the Champions League that will be the barometer to define the legacy Costa leaves.

Mourinho is at Chelsea to ensure domestic success, although it’s dominance in Europe that owner Roman Abramovich is demanding above all else. That’s the last frontier of the journey Chelsea have enjoyed since the Russian’s riches propelled them to sit among the football elite.

Success in 2012 saw the club peak, and Abramovich‘s desire is to make that consistent, to become much more than just an anomaly in the history of the European game. He wants a dynasty, and those only come with glory that is repeated over and over.

It’s why Abramovich has Mourinho; it’s why Mourinho has Costa.

Goals are the currency that determine success in football at any level, and Chelsea didn’t register enough them in Europe last season. If Costa continues to struggle on the continent, it’s going to be a repeat of 2014/15, when the Premier League champions suffered significant disappointment.

Considering how Chelsea’s title defence has started in the early weeks of the new season, things aren’t looking positive domestically, either.

That means the importance of succeeding in Europe is only going to be heightened, and for that reason alone, Chelsea dare not fail.

As Chelsea prepare to announce their Champions League squad ahead of Matchday 1 in less than a fortnight, it’s Costa who stands out as being the man to ensure that doesn’t happen.

He needs to step up.

Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report’s lead Chelsea correspondent. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes

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