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Morocco carry real momentum into this World Cup having made history in 2022 as the first ever African side to reach the semi-finals. 

They’re well placed to go on a decent run again this time around as reigning AFCON champions (controversially) and I think they can cause this Brazil side a few problems in their opening game.

Qualifying was a bit of a slog for Brazil, they only won eight of their 18 matches and relied on Alisson often to see them through matches. 

I think the keeper will have to be at his very best if Brazil are to go deep as I'm not convinced by their defensive structure under Carlo Ancelotti - they will definitely give up chances throughout the tournament.

Alisson is still a world class keeper and managed to keep four clean sheets across his nine starts during qualifying for Brazil. 

He was forced into making 26 saves across these games (2.93 per 90), maintaining an impressive save percentage of 81.3% - the third highest percentage of any keeper during CONMEBOL qualifying behind Sergio Rochet and Hernan Galindez.

Morocco got to the semi finals of the 2022 World Cup with a focus on defensive solidity, but they have developed since then into a nation that boast plenty of attacking threats to test Alisson. 

They tested Nyland for Norway on four occasions in their final warm-up game and averaged 5.10 shots on target per game in their run to the AFCON final earlier this year.

The likes of Bilal El Khannouss, Ismael Saibari and Brahim Diaz can all offer a real threat to the Brazilian backline, with Morocco also having more direct options such as El Kaabi who can pose danger from the bench if Morocco find themselves chasing the game.

Scott McTominay has become a different player and human being since joining Napoli. He was their most-fouled player by some distance over the course of the Serie A season averaging 2.35 fouls drawn per 90 minutes.

During World Cup qualifying, Scott McTominay was our second-most fouled player behind John McGinn. He averaged 1.67 fouls drawn per 90 minutes across the six qualifiers.

He played 70 minutes against Bolivia in our final friendly before the tournament and he was fouled twice in that game.

Given the magnitude of the occasion for both teams, this game should be played with plenty of intensity, so we should see a few cards handed out. Haiti can contribute several and I think they could get a couple or even clear the three or more line themselves.

They will be coming up against a Scotland side who were particularly effective at drawing cards from opponents during qualification, with their foes averaging 2.34 cards per game.

Digging a little deeper, each of our 6 qualifying opponents received at least 2 cards, with two of those sides also reduced to 10 men. Scotland's players picked up 12 yellow cards across their six qualifying matches, that's obviously an average of two per game.

Carlens Arcus is Haiti's right back and he could be up against a combination of John McGinn and Andy Robertson on his side.

McGinn as a direct opponent is a great situation for someone to try and win a foul. We know what he can get up to out of possession. He averages 1.17 fouls committed per 90 minutes during qualifying. He played in all six World Cup qualifiers and committed a foul or more in five of them.

Ben Gannon-Doak averaged 1.62 shots per 90 minutes during qualifying. And he comes into this having had a total of three shots inside 62 minutes played in the friendly v Bolivia.

He created four chances in that game which is no surprise given he is one of Scotland's most dangerous attacking outlets.

In Scotland's last qualifier at home to Denmark, Doak was substituted after 20 minutes through injury. In the two previous qualifiers, he had two shots with both on target v Belarus and Greece.

McTominay is Scotland's key player and should continue as a box crashing midfielder here following another strong season in that role for Napoli.

He has had at least one shot on target in his last six internationals, having managed one against Bolivia in the 4-0 win last weekend.

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Shankland scored in both of Scotland’s warm-up games against Bolivia and Curacao, netting from a header after just five minutes last time out.

John McGinn will line up against one of the most fouled players in the Haiti squad in Jean Ricner Bellegarde, who averaged 2.95 fouls won per 90 in the Premier League this season.

Charlens Arcus picked up three yellow cards during qualifying across nine starts. Haiti averaged 14.60 fouls per game during qualifying. 

Bellegarde committed 13 fouls across just six starts in qualifying (2.22 per 90).

This is pretty much a must win game for Scotland given how tough this group is likely to be. Three points should be enough to reach the knockout rounds, and there won’t be a better opportunity to end a run of nine major tournament games without a victory.

Haiti are one of the weakest sides at the World Cup and should struggle against a Scotland side that have scored 4+ goals in both of their warm-up matches against Curacao and Bolivia.

Haiti actually played Curacao last year, losing 5-1 on that occasion, which gives you a bit of an idea about how vulnerable some of these smaller nations could be during the World Cup. 

Scotland dominated the shot on target count in both of their warm-up games for the World Cup, registering 11 against Curacao to three followed by eight efforts on target to Bolivia’s three.

Haiti aren’t expected to have more than three shots on target here going by the lines set by the bookmakers, while Scotland are set around the 6+ shot on target mark. Scotland are expected to play with two strikers which I think really suits them and will allow them to be direct.

Scotland averaged 4.80 shots on target per 90 during qualifying, a metric they exceeded in both warm-up matches, suggesting that the lower level of opponent should lead to Steve Clarke’s side registering the most shots on target in each half. 

Scotland are likely to rely on corners quite a bit during the World Cup, they were a theme of the SPFL season which ended quite dramatically and this should translate to the national side.

Scotland hit 6+ corners in both of their warm-up games and have maintained an average of 5.10 corners per game across their qualifying and friendly matches this year. 

Haiti conceded 4.60 corners per game during qualifying against a lower standard of opponent than they will line up against here. I expect Scotland to take the game to the minnows and rack up the most corners in each half. 

Curacao are the biggest underdogs at this World Cup, and they face an immediate baptism of fire against one of the tournament favourites, Germany.

Julian Nagelsmann is not short of attacking talent in his ranks, and he is expected to deploy Florian Wirtz out on the left wing, but the front four are likely to interchange and play fluid football. Shurandy Sambo will have plenty of defensive work to get through this weekend, and this will be a massive step-up from the type of opponent he is used to facing. 

Sambo played for Sparta Rotterdam in the Dutch Eredivisie this season, on loan from Burnley, and he picked up six yellows in his 25 appearances.

However, he only started 18 of those games. The 24-year-old tends to be strong in his challenges and engage in duels, rather than backing off, which bodes well for backing him to be carded.

On the other side of the pitch, Ibrahim Sangare will have an equally as demanding job on the defensive end, tasked with protecting the back line. Sangare recorded six yellow cards from 42 appearances for Nottingham Forest this season, which is nothing to write home about, but he tends to take things up a gear when playing for his national side. 

Sangare racked up 15 fouls from just four starts at AFCON - he recorded the second-most infringements of any player in the competition, despite Ivory Coast being eliminated in the quarter-finals. His average of 4.05 fouls per 90 was particularly notable, and Sangare was fortunate to only escape with one booking. 

Ecuador can be effective on the break, highlighted perfectly as they finished second in the South American qualifiers. Sangare will be tasked with stopping counter-attacks, so a cynical foul could be on the cards.

Caicedo accumulated 16 yellow cards and one red from his 50 appearances across all competitions for Chelsea this season. 12 of those bookings came in the Premier League - Caicedo ranked fourth out of all players for total cards accumulated, and also fourth for total fouls committed.

The 24-year-old has maintained that aggressive defensive approach for his national side - he has been booked in two of his last four matches for Ecuador, despite those all being friendlies. Even during the qualifiers, Caicedo picked up four yellow cards and one red in his 16 appearances. 

His disciplinary record looks set to deteriorate even further this weekend, as he comes up against Ivory Coast's forward line. Caicedo should find duels against the likes of Yan Diomande, Amad Diallo and Nicolas Pepe, who all tend to be very direct in their play, looking to beat their opposing marker.

This is another opening game that could really set the tone for this group, Germany are expected to top it quite comfortably with their opening game being against Curacao - but one of these sides is pretty much guaranteed to finish in second place which could open up a decent route to the latter stages.

Ecuador are one of the sides i’ve earmarked to keep an eye on during the World Cup, their defensive set up is really admirable but I’m focusing on their ability to score goals which will be the defining factor for the South American side if they are to go deep in the tournament. 

Ecuador have found the back of the net in eight of their last 10 international matches, avoiding defeat since defeat to Brazil all the way back in 2024. It’s a remarkable run which shows how hard they are to beat, and I think they can exploit a pretty weak Ivory Coast backline. There’s a lot to like about the former AFCON champions, but I do think that their backline will be what makes them fall short of a special run at the tournament.

This is a massive game in Group F as I expect these two nations to be the top two sides. Topping the group could lead to a really kind pathway to the quarter finals for either of these sides, so it’s a game that will have plenty of consequences for the way this group falls as I don’t expect Sweden or Tunisia to offer much of a challenge.

Netherlands have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their four matches this year, most recently conceding to Algeria and Uzbekistan in their warm-up matches for the competition. Qualification was far too easy for the Dutch and they weren’t really tested defensively, that will certainly change here against a Japan side that have won each of their last six matches ahead of the World Cup.

I do worry a little about Japan in terms of physicality against the elite nations, I think they can match them when it comes to technical ability but the conditions at this World Cup are testing and that may eventually what limits them from doing something special at the tournament.

This could be a cricket score. I’m firmly in the camp that the extended format at the World Cup has diluted the quality of the competition slightly, and I think this will be reflected by a few heavy scorelines in the group stages where there are real mismatches.

This is one of those mismatches, Curacao are the smallest ever nation to feature at a World Cup and have struggled in their warm-up games, shipping 4+ goals in matches against Scotland and Australia. There’s a clear gulf in class between the nations and I expect Germany to come away with a comfortable victory, scoring at least three goals.

Germany have seen 3+ goals in each of their last five international matches, covering this goal line on their own in three of these games.

This is a massive game in Group F as I expect these two nations to be the top two sides. Topping the group could lead to a really kind pathway to the quarter finals for either of these sides, so it’s a game that will have plenty of consequences for the way this group falls as I don’t expect Sweden or Tunisia to offer much of a challenge.

Netherlands have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their four matches this year, most recently conceding to Algeria and Uzbekistan in their warm-up matches for the competition. Qualification was far too easy for the Dutch and they weren’t really tested defensively, that will certainly change here against a Japan side that have won each of their last six matches ahead of the World Cup.

I do worry a little about Japan in terms of physicality against the elite nations, I think they can match them when it comes to technical ability but the conditions at this World Cup are testing and that may eventually what limits them from doing something special at the tournament.

Curacao are making their first ever World Cup appearance this summer, and simply reaching the tournament was a historic achievement in itself.

Germany, by contrast, are four-time winners of the competition, but their recent performances have been underwhelming. After winning the competition in 2014, the Germans have suffered back-to-back group stage exits in 2018 and 2022, so they will aim to buck that trend in 2026. 

Nagelsmann will demand a positive start from his squad in Houston, and he certainly has the quality in his ranks to do so with a front four of Kai Havertz, Jamal Musiala, Leroy Sane and Florian Wirtz. 

Curacao conceded just five goals from their ten CONCACAF qualifying matches, but they didn’t face a side with anywhere near as much quality as Germany in the final third, so this will be a huge test for them

Germany ranks tenth in the FIFA world rankings, while Curacao sit 82nd - there is a massive gulf in quality between these sides, and it is likely to be one-way traffic throughout.

Nagelsmann likes his side to be front-footed in their approach, and Germany are adept when it comes to playing incisive balls through. They are likely to be relentless right from the outset, so Curacao are likely to have to deal with plenty of shots and crosses into the box, which opens up the possibility for corners. 

Curacao only conceded 36 corners from their ten qualifying games, but again, the focus here is on Germany. They had an average of 7.2 corners per game at Euro 2024, clearing this line in two of their three group stage games. They then won five of their six World Cup qualifying games, with four of those to nil.

Netherlands have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last four matches since the qualifying campaign concluded, and their form in the warm-up friendlies has raised concerns heading into this tournament. They were beaten 1-0 by Algeria before scraping past Uzbekistan with a 2-1 win, after Cody Gakpo scored from the penalty spot in the 98th minute. Netherlands also had a man sent off in that game for a handball. 

Japan were totally dominant in their qualifying campaign, and they recently managed to beat England in a friendly. They have proven that they can cause problems for the elite European sides, and so the Samurai Blue will fancy their chances of at least getting on the scoresheet here. 

With that being said, keeping the Netherlands at bay will be a tough task - they have real quality in their ranks, with talent playing all across Europe’s elite teams.

Virgil Van Dijk is arguably one of the most dangerous aerial threats of any player in world football, and he will be the primary target when the Netherlands get a chance to send the ball into the box.

The Liverpool centre back had an average of 1.25 shots per 90 in the World Cup qualifying campaign, contributing two goals in that time. 

He also registered a shot in five out of six appearances at Euro 2024, landing this selection in all three group stage games.

Looking at the Japan squad, there isn’t really anyone who can match Van Dijk’s level of physicality, so the Netherlands will hope to tap into that edge this weekend.

Group E is one of the most competitive ones on paper, and a defeat here could spell serious danger for whoever loses, given that Ivory Coast and Ecuador still have to face Germany.

This is likely to be quite a feisty affair given the potential ramifications, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see plenty of cards dished out. 

Ecuador can be a frustrating side to play against - they keep things compact defensively, looking to frustrate their opponents and counter quickly.

Ivory Coast also have an aggressive edge to their play, and they averaged 17.8 fouls per game at AFCON.

Memphis Depay played a key role for the Netherlands in their qualifying run, and the 32-year-old has been included in the squad for the World Cup, but it’s Donyell Malen who looks set to lead the line.

He had an excellent second half of the season, scoring 14 goals in 18 appearances for Roma after joining from Aston Villa in January. He comes into this World Cup in a rich vein of form and will hope to maintain that output. 

Perhaps the one thing that the Netherlands have lacked recently is a real finisher in the final third - Malen will hope to fill that void this summer, as the Dutch are not short of creative players who can create chances.

Keito Nakamura is expected to occupy the left wingback position in Moriyasu's 3-4-3 system, but he is still given plenty of license to get forward and join in the attacks.

He had an average of 2.17 shots per 90 during the qualifiers, as he often looked to arrive late in the box and create overloads. 

Nakamura scored 14 goals from 29 appearances for Reims in the French second division this season, and four of those goals came in the final game of the campaign against Pau.

Nakamura can be devastating in the final third, and he should be full of confidence heading into this clash against the Netherlands.

Van Dijk will hope to cause problems in the final third, but he will primarily be tasked with keeping Japan at bay here.

He isn’t particularly renowned for jumping into tackles, but Van Dijk did average 2.0 fouls per 90 for the Netherlands during Euro 2024, which was the highest figure in the Dutch squad, and he picked up two bookings.

Even during the qualifiers, he had an average of 1.0 fouls per game, with multiple infringements committed in three of his eight starts, which shows how he tends to be a bit more aggressive when playing on the international stage. 

Japan's attacking unit is fluid, and they will aim to pull Van Dijk out of position and cause problems for the Dutch defender.

After narrowly escaping relegation with Spurs, Micky Van De Ven will be hoping for a more positive outcome at the World Cup, and he is given a slightly different role for his national side.

Van De Ven is typically deployed at left back by Koeman, which means he typically has more ground to cover out wide. 

He will have to deal with Takefusa Kubo cutting inside from the right and Doan, who often looks to drive forward from his wingback position to create overlapping runs.

Kubo had an average of 2.83 fouls drawn per 90 across all competitions for Real Sociedad this season, so Van De Ven is likely to have his hands full.

Netherlands have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last four matches since the qualifying campaign concluded, and their form in the warm-up friendlies has raised concerns heading into this tournament. They were beaten 1-0 by Algeria before scraping past Uzbekistan with a 2-1 win, after Cody Gakpo scored from the penalty spot in the 98th minute. Netherlands also had a man sent off in that game for a handball. 

Japan were totally dominant in their qualifying campaign, and they recently managed to beat England in a friendly. They have proven that they can cause problems for the elite European sides, and so the Samurai Blue will fancy their chances of at least getting on the scoresheet here. 

With that being said, keeping the Netherlands at bay will be a tough task - they have real quality in their ranks, with talent playing all across Europe’s elite teams.

These are the two best sides in Group F on paper, and they should approach this match with real ambition, knowing that a win will put them in a great position to finish top of the group to set up a favourable knockout draw.

Netherlands are a team that likes to commit bodies forward into their attacks, with overlapping fullbacks, which create crossing opportunities. They had an average of 6.5 corners per game in their World Cup qualifying matches, while Japan recorded an average of 7.2 corners per game in the AFC pathway. It is worth noting, however, that they didn’t face a side anywhere near as strong as the Netherlands.

In fact, Japan may have come away with a 1-0 win against England recently, but they managed just 30% possession, and the Three Lions were unfortunate to score given that they had eleven corners.

Gakpo put in a standout performance in the recent friendly win over Uzbekistan, scoring both Dutch goals from the penalty spot.

He is expected to play a key role on the left wing at the World Cup, and it seems like Ronald Koeman trusts him as one of the more senior players in the squad. Gakpo scored four goals from eight starts for his national side in the qualifiers, finishing with an average of 2.48 shots per 90, which was one of the highest figures in the squad.

44% of those efforts hit the target, indicating he tends to be accurate when the space opens up. He contributed heavily to the Netherlands’ unbeaten record of six wins and two draws from their eight games.

Virgil Van Dijk is arguably one of the most dangerous aerial threats of any player in world football, and he will be the primary target when the Netherlands get a chance to send the ball into the box.

The Liverpool centre back had an average of 1.25 shots per 90 in the World Cup qualifying campaign, contributing two goals in that time. 

He also registered a shot in five out of six appearances at Euro 2024, landing this selection in all three group stage games.

Looking at the Japan squad, there isn’t really anyone who can match Van Dijk’s level of physicality, so the Netherlands will hope to tap into that edge this weekend.

Ritsu Doan is expected to feature in a right wingback position for Japan at the World Cup, which puts him right up against Gakpo in this opening fixture.

In addition to his goalscoring contributions, Gakpo also had an average of 1.79 fouls drawn per 90 in the qualifiers, which shows just how much of the ball he tends to see. 

Doan is used to playing in a more advanced position for Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga, but he still averaged 1.02 fouls per 90 this season.

He is tenacious in his duels and often looks to drop deeper to help out his fullback, so playing at wingback suits him nicely. That matchup on the flank is one to keep an eye on.

Curacao are making their first ever World Cup appearance this summer, and simply reaching the tournament was a historic achievement in itself.

Germany, by contrast, are four-time winners of the competition, but their recent performances have been underwhelming. After winning the competition in 2014, the Germans have suffered back-to-back group stage exits in 2018 and 2022, so they will aim to buck that trend in 2026. 

Nagelsmann will demand a positive start from his squad in Houston, and he certainly has the quality in his ranks to do so with a front four of Kai Havertz, Jamal Musiala, Leroy Sane and Florian Wirtz. 

Curacao conceded just five goals from their ten CONCACAF qualifying matches, but they didn’t face a side with anywhere near as much quality as Germany in the final third, so this will be a huge test for them

Germany ranks tenth in the FIFA world rankings, while Curacao sit 82nd - there is a massive gulf in quality between these sides, and it is likely to be one-way traffic throughout.

Nagelsmann likes his side to be front-footed in their approach, and Germany are adept when it comes to playing incisive balls through. They are likely to be relentless right from the outset, so Curacao are likely to have to deal with plenty of shots and crosses into the box, which opens up the possibility for corners. 

Curacao only conceded 36 corners from their ten qualifying games, but again, the focus here is on Germany. They had an average of 7.2 corners per game at Euro 2024, clearing this line in two of their three group stage games. They then won five of their six World Cup qualifying games, with four of those to nil.

Germany should be able to generate plenty of set-piece scenarios on Sunday, especially if Curacao sit deep and look to defend their box in a compact low block.

The German centre-backs will aim to pile into the box at every available opportunity, looking to get on the end of crosses, and Nico Schlotterbeck is therefore a player to keep an eye on. 

The Dortmund captain had an average of 1.04 shots per 90 across all competitions domestically this season, which is impressively high for a centre back.

It reflects his willingness to attack the ball and be aggressive in the opposition box, while he also does sometimes look to try his luck from range.

Juninho Bacuna recorded the most infringements of any Curacao player during their World Cup qualifying matches, and he managed some notable foul counts.

Juninho recorded at least three fouls against Barbados, Bermuda, Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago (twice), and Jamaica. That even includes five infringements against Haiti. He doesn’t hold back when it comes to flying into challenges, and Juninho is incredibly aggressive in the heart of midfield. 

Even at a domestic level, he has been a target for fouls. Juninho played in the Turkish Süper Lig with Gaziantep for the first half of the season, and he had an average of 1.68 fouls per 90 in that time. He then joined Volendam in the Dutch Eredivisie, and his foul count rose further to 1.9 fouls committed per 90.

Tahith Chong is perhaps the most recognisable face in the Curacao squad, having come through the ranks at Man United.

He spent the 25/26 season at Sheffield United in the Championship, where he averaged 2.23 fouls drawn per 90 across all competitions. He is expected to operate on the right wing for Curacao, and Chong will be essential for alleviating the pressure on his side and allowing them to get a foothold in possession. 

Curacao will need to use Chong as one of their outlets - he excels at retaining possession and using his body to buy soft free-kicks in midfield, which will be so important against a side like Germany.

Since Curacao’s qualifying games, Chong has drawn ten fouls in three appearances in friendly matches.

Given that Brazil won only two qualifiers away from home in nine attempts, the price for Morocco to take something from their opening game is a big one.

The Atlas Lions have only nine full senior international matches since the last World Cup, with their latest defeat coming back in January 2024 at AFCON.

They are on a 32-match undefeated streak in matches through 90 minutes, while they also won their previous meeting against Brazil shortly after the last World Cup.

Brazil saw 2+ cards in 13 of their 18 qualifying matches and ranked 4th in CONMEBOL for overall cards with 40 across their 18 games.

By contrast, Morocco’s opponents in qualifying were shown 3+ cards in six of their eight matches.

Referee Slavko Vincic has been appointed to officiate this game, with the Slovak referee not exactly known for going light on the cards: he has shown 109 in 26 games this season – 4.19 per game.

Real Madrid’s Brahim Diaz is the player that Morocco will most look to for attacking inspiration, having carried their challenge during AFCON earlier this year.

He had 10 shots on target in that competition, which was more than twice that of any other member of their World Cup squad.

He hit the target at the rate of 1.54 per 90 and had at least one shot on target in six of the seven fixtures he played in that tournament.

He had two shots on target in the recent friendly with Norway, having had one against Madagascar.

No Morocco player picked up more fouls than the Manchester United defender during their run to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations, with Mazraoui on the end of 20 indiscretions from opponents.

This was a rate of 2.9 per 90 minutes. He finished the competition with a run of six successive games in which he had drawn at least two fouls, while he was fouled 3+ times in five of these games.

He will play left-back here, meaning Lucas Paqueta is a potential direct opponent, with the former West Ham man committing 2.7 fouls per 90 in qualifying.

After a tepid qualifying campaign, Brazil have been a whole lot more entertaining in their pre-tournament friendlies, suggesting that Carlo Ancelotti’s side could open up for the tournament proper.

Their last four internationals have produced 18 goals (4.5 per game), with each fixture yielding at least three goals. With Morocco’s five pre-competition warm-ups also all bringing at least 2 goals, this is a fixture that promises excitement.

When these sides last met in 2023, there were 3 goals as Morocco came out on top 2-1.

Morocco have been in strong scoring touch in the lead-up to the World Cup, having netted in each of the five pre-tournament friendly matches they have played.

These included a 1-1 draw against an Ecuador side that qualified ahead of Brazil in their CONMEBOL group. They have scored in 28 of their last 30 recognised FIFA internationals.

Brazil, meanwhile, have conceded 1+ goals in five successive games, plus 10 of their last 11 that have not been played at home.

Morocco averaged a healthy 5.0 shots on target per game in qualifying, mustering at least three efforts on their opponents’ goal in 88% of their matches.

This form has continued into their pre-tournament friendlies, with five shots on target against a strong Norway side after having nine against Madagascar a few days earlier.

Brazil’s defence has not exactly been robust either. They conceded 3.17 shots on target on average, and while this figure is inflated by two games in which they conceded 10, they conceded 3+ in four of their last six outings.

In a recent friendly with Panama, they gave up nine shots on target to their opponents.

Slovak referee Slavko Vincic is in charge of this fixture and is known to be a match official who officiates matches by going to his pocket often.

Across the 26 matches he has overseen this season, he has shown 109 cards at a rate of 4.19 per game. Brazil’s games in qualifying averaged 4.28 cards per game while Morocco’s were only slightly less busy for referees, with 4.00 cards per match.

The Selecao had 78% of their matches hit a minimum of three cards, while that figure rose to 88% with their North African opponents.

Raphinha was eclipsed by only four players when it came to shots on target in CONMEBOL qualifying, with the Barcelona winger mustering 16 efforts at a rate of 1.37 per 90 minutes.

He featured in 13 different matches across the campaign and mustered at least one shot on target in 10 of these. A high shot count has been a feature of his play all season.

He averages 4.24 shots per 90 with Barca, and that has translated into 1.57 shots on target.