Manchester City have topped the Deloitte Football Money League for the second year running, with 11 of the world's 20 highest-earning clubs coming from the Premier League.

Reigning English champions City last year became just the fourth club ever to top the list, which examines the top-performing football clubs in terms of revenue every year.

City remained the world's highest revenue-generating club in the 2021-22 campaign – the first season in which fans returned to stadiums as coronavirus restrictions were eased.

They made £619.1million (€731m) over that period to finish ahead of LaLiga giants Real Madrid (€713.8m), while Liverpool climbed from seventh to their highest position of third after making £594.3m (€701.7m).

Fellow English clubs Manchester United (fourth), Chelsea (eighth), Tottenham (ninth) and Arsenal (10th) also make the top 10, with West Ham (15th), Leicester City (17th), Leeds United (18th), Everton (19th) and Newcastle United (20th) in the top 20.

It marks the first time in the report's 26 years that a single country has provided more than half of the rich list.

"The Premier League was the only one of the big five European leagues to experience an increase in its media rights value during its most recent rights sale process," said Tim Bridge, the lead partner in Deloitte's Sports Business Group.

"It continues to appeal to millions of global followers and its member clubs have a greater revenue advantage over international rivals."

Paris Saint-Germain (fifth), Bayern Munich (sixth), Barcelona (seventh), Juventus (11th), Atletico Madrid (12th), Borussia Dortmund (13th), Inter (14th) and Milan (16th) make up the rest of the top 20.

In the women's game, Barcelona generated the highest revenue (€7.7m) after winning the Champions League in 2021 and reaching the final last year.

Memphis Depay has been linked with a move away from Barcelona, having had a frustrating 2022-23 season.

The Dutchman has only made a handful of appearances for the Blaugrana, following an off-season of busy transfer activity at Camp Nou.

Depay had been linked with several clubs, including Premier League outfits Manchester United, Arsenal, Newcastle United and Tottenham.

TOP STORY – MEMPHIS TO EXIT BARCELONA FOR ATLETICO

Depay will leave Barcelona to join Atletico Madrid with an agreement reached on a fee of approximately €3-4million, reports Fabrizio Romano.

The Dutch forward is set to travel to Madrid to complete the formalities and medicals soon.

According to Romano, the 28-year-old will sign a two-and-a-half-year deal with Atleti.

 

ROUND-UP

– Fabrizio Romano claims Borussia Monchengladbach goalkeeper Yann Sommer will undergo medical tests with Bayern Munich on Thursday, before signing his contract with the Bavarians with the deal done between the clubs.

– Sky Sport Italia claims Roma are willing to sell Nicolo Zaniolo in January at the right price, approximately €40m, as the likes of Tottenham, Arsenal, West Ham United  and Borussia Dortmund circle.

Real Madrid are interested in Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho but the Red Devils have made an improved contract offer for the Argentinian, reports The Independent.

– Arsenal are happy to wait until the end of the season to pursue West Ham's Declan Rice, after missing out on Mykhaylo Mudryk, claims The Sun.

Tottenham have made a first bid for Sporting right-back Pedro Porro, which included a player plus guaranteed money, but the Portuguese club have turned this down, according to Fabrizio Romano. Sporting want €45m (£39m) with talks ongoing.

Chris Wood is on the cusp of joining Nottingham Forest on loan from Newcastle United, reports The Athletic. The deal would include an option to make the move permanent.

– West Ham tabled an offer for Aston Villa forward Danny Ings, reports The Telegraph.

Real Madrid are "at the beginning of a new cycle", according to Carlo Ancelotti, who is confident Los Blancos' young players can step up to halt their difficult run of post-World Cup form. 

Madrid were heavily criticised for their performance in Sunday's Supercopa de Espana final defeat against Barcelona, with young midfielders Gavi and Pedri impressing in a deserved 3-1 win for the Blaugrana.

Excluding penalty shoot-outs, the European champions have only won two of their five games since the World Cup, only overcoming fourth-tier Cacereno in the Copa del Rey and struggling Real Valladolid in LaLiga.

With some of Madrid's experienced players – including midfielders Toni Kroos and Luka Modric – attracting criticism in recent weeks, Ancelotti says his side are undergoing a transition.

"It is a young team. Everyone talks about Modric, Kroos or [Karim] Benzema, but there were already youngsters and there are more who have arrived this year," Ancelotti said in a press conference ahead of Thursday's Copa del Rey tie against Villarreal. 

"I think we are at the beginning of a cycle. It is a moment of transition from one fantastic era to another. 

"There are some players who have made history at this club and others who are starting their careers. The day Luka, Karim and Toni stop playing, there are others who will take command."

Madrid failed to contain a young Barcelona team in the latest edition of El Clasico, but Ancelotti does not believe Los Blancos are trailing their rivals when it comes to player development.

"I think Madrid takes great care of the academy and we have a lot of youngsters who are progressing a lot," he said. "I'm sure some of them will be key players in the coming years.

"There are some periods in which you do not have those players, and others in which you can rely on them. But I think this generation is going to be very, very good."

Thursday's trip to the Estadio de la Ceramica sees Madrid reunited with a Villarreal team which beat them 2-1 in LaLiga less than two weeks ago, but Ancelotti is determined to use the last-16 tie to turn their form around. 

"It's an opportunity to get out of this difficult moment," Ancelotti said. "The sooner we get out of this rut, the better. It's a difficult game but we consider it a great opportunity.

"It was clear it would be difficult to find our level after the World Cup, but also injuries have reduced us a lot. The injuries to [Aurelien] Tchouameni and [David] Alaba have upset us a lot. 

"We have to hold on and get through this section of the season. Last year, during January we were not very good. But we got out of that difficult dynamic and we're going to do the same this season.

"We must not lose confidence. I have a lot of depth in this squad, with fantastic players. We have to trust them and we are sure that we are going to get better."

Chelsea may not be finished with their January signings, reportedly joining Tottenham in the pursuit of Brighton and Hove Albion winger Leandro Trossard.

Trossard, 28, is in his fourth season with the Seagulls, and after never scoring more than eight Premier League goals in each of his previous three campaigns, he is on pace to set a new personal-best with seven in his first 16 appearances.

His exploits this season have included a hat-trick in a 3-3 draw against Liverpool, as well as goals against Manchester City and Chelsea, but he recently butted heads with head coach Roberto De Zerbi and has been left out of Brighton's last two matchday squads.

The Belgium international with 24 senior caps has also had his agent announce his intention to leave the club this month, triggering plenty of interest from fellow Premier League sides.

 

TOP STORY – CHELSEA WANT TROSSARD TO RECREATE MAGIC WITH POTTER

According to The Mirror, Chelsea are understood to now be a main player along with Tottenham and also Arsenal as the three clubs compete for Trossard's services.

Trossard had only six months remaining on his contract on the south coast, before Brighton reportedly activated a 12-month extension to ensure he would not be able to leave the club on a free transfer.

It is believed Chelsea have the most spending power of the trio, even after their £88.5million purchase of Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk, and Trossard remains a favourite of his former boss Graham Potter.

His asking price has been set at £25m, while the report adds any potential deal for fellow Brighton talent 21-year-old Moises Caicedo – also of interest to Chelsea as well as Liverpool – would cost "more than double" that £25m figure.

 

ROUND-UP

– The Mirror is reporting West Ham would like to bring in 29-year-old Manchester United centre-back Harry Maguire on loan.

– According to Sky Sports, Arsenal have enquired about 23-year-old Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby, but have been told he will not be available this month and will cost €100m (£88.5m) at the end of the season.

Barcelona are hoping to secure 32-year-old Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan on a free transfer at the end of the season, per the Telegraph.

– Fichajes is reporting Arsenal will attempt to sign Chelsea's Raheem Sterling after failing to land the 28-year-old England international prior to his move to Stamford Bridge last year.

– According to The Independent, Real Madrid and Juventus are monitoring United 18-year-old Alejandro Garnacho after he rejected the club's most recent contract extension.

Xavi is confident Barcelona's talented new generation can enjoy a trophy-laden period after landing their first silverware in the post-Lionel Messi era.

The Catalan giants defeated fierce rivals Real Madrid 3-1 at King Fahd International Stadium in a one-sided Supercopa de Espana final in Riyadh on Sunday.

Barcelona, who required penalties to defeat Real Betis in the semi-finals, have now won the domestic cup competition a record-extending 14 times, twice more than Madrid.

However, it arguably marked the start of a new dawn as it was the first trophy Xavi has lifted in his 14 months as head coach, and a first for Barca since Messi left in August 2021.

With the likes of Gavi and Pedri shining in Saudi Arabia, Xavi is hopeful it is the first of many major honours heading to Camp Nou in the coming years.

"We have a really good generation of players and you can see the hunger they have for trophies," Xavi said at his post-match press conference. 

"I hope this will be a point of inflection, but this doesn't stop. On Thursday we have the Copa del Rey, next weekend LaLiga.

"I'm happy for the players. They've received a lot of criticism, unfair in many cases, and they were liberated today. 

"It's a massive morale boost and we can work with more peace of mind. It's also important for the fans. 

"This club has seen everything in recent years: financial problems, the departure of Leo [Messi] was big. I hope this will be the first trophy of many."

 

Teenage attacking midfielder Gavi opened the scoring for Barca before setting up Robert Lewandowski for the second late in the first half.

The Spain international also laid one on a plate for Pedri in the second half against the reigning European and LaLiga champions, who pulled one back through Karim Benzema.

Not only did Gavi impress in a creative and attacking sense, he also won a game-high 10 duels and was fouled more times (four) than any other player on the field.

"He is a kid that excites everyone," Xavi said of Pedri, who is the youngest player to score in El Clasico (18 years 163 days) since Ansu Fati in October 2020 (17y 359d).

"When you see him compete like that...the heart, soul and character that he plays with are contagious for the rest of the team.

"He's a born leader – it all comes naturally to him, and all at the age of 18. He is spectacular. I don't get tired of praising him. He has no ceiling, so don't slow him down."

Barca also lead Madrid by three points at the top of LaLiga, are through to the last 16 of the Copa del Rey and remain in Europa League contention.

Xavi added: "This performance makes the players believe in what we are doing. But we cannot stop here."

Carlo Ancelotti dismissed talk of Real Madrid being subjected to "sporting humiliation" by Barcelona in a 3-1 Supercopa de Espana final but accepts they are in a "difficult moment."

Barca dominated the El Clasico showdown in Riyadh on Sunday, claiming their first major trophy under head coach Xavi.

Teenage attacking midfielder Gavi was the star of the show, scoring the opening goal and laying one on for Robert Lewandowski just before half-time.

The 18-year-old Spain international also set up Gavi for the Blaugrana's third goal at the King Fahd Stadium, with Karim Benzema scoring a consolation in the closing stages.

Madrid were beaten by Villarreal in their last LaLiga game and trail leaders Barca by three points in the title race.

Although Xavi's side were much the better side, Los Blancos were the architects of their own downfall, making a mess of playing out for the back as they looked shaky at the back and were overrun in midfield by a vibrant Barca side.

Head coach Ancelotti said: "It's not a critical moment, it's a difficult and complicated moment. It usually happens over a season. It can be fixed with the usual commitment and the usual attitude.

"The players must realise that. These mistakes are easy to avoid."

The Italian added: "We gave away, it started even, there wasn't much rhythm and avoiding gifts is the first thing, but we have given two. We have to improve our physical condition and play as a team.

"The mistakes have been definitive. It wasn't a good match for anyone. Talking about sporting humiliation seems to me to be disrespectful. They were better, period."

Sergio Busquets hopes "competitive animal" Gavi can play a big part in a successful era for Barcelona after he starred in a 3-1 Supercopa de Espana final defeat of Real Madrid.

The 18-year-old attacking midfielder scored the opening goal in Riyadh on Sunday before setting up Robert Lewandowski for the second late in the first half.

Gavi also laid one on a plate for Pedri in the second half of the El Clasico showdown at the King Fahd Stadium, where Xavi celebrated winning his first major trophy as Barca head coach.

Teenager Gavi was outstanding in the Blaugrana's record-extending 14th Supercopa triumph, causing the lacklustre European and LaLiga champions all sorts of problems.

Barca captain Busquets hailed the young Spain international and thinks he can make a big impact for the Catalan giants for years to come.

Busquets told Movista: "He [Gavi] is a competitive animal, at that age the players are in the youth team or in the subsidiary and he has played at an incredible level, scoring goals and giving assists.

"I would tell him to keep learning and listening. Hopefully he will mark an era at Barca."

Barca lead Los Blancos by three points in the LaLiga title and laid down a marker by outclassing them to take the first domestic trophy of the season.

Busquets added: "We couldn't miss this opportunity to win a title after a period of changes in coaches and players.

"We had hope and ambition, but at Barca you always demand to win and Xavi has reminded us of that."

Gavi scored one goal and set two up as Barcelona beat Real Madrid 3-1 in the Supercopa de Espana final to give Xavi a first major trophy of his reign.

Outstanding teenager Gavi opened the scoring after being picked out by Robert Lewandowski in a one-sided El Clasico showdown in Riyadh on Sunday.

Gavi then put one on a plate for Lewandowski to double the Blaugrana's lead just before half-time at the King Fahd Stadium and the attacking midfielder laid on for Pedri to make it 3-0 after the break.

Karim Benzema scored a late consolation but European and LaLiga champions Madrid were totally outclassed by their fierce rivals, who won the Supercopa for a record-extending 14th time and secured a first major honour since club legend Xavi was appointed as head coach in November 2021.

Thibaut Courtois superbly tipped Lewandowski's strike against the post and Alejandro Balde blazed wildly off target following up in a bright start from Barca.

Benzema met Ferland Mendy's cross with a header that drifted just wide before the Blaugrana deservedly took the lead as Los Blancos made a mess of trying to play out from the back in the 33rd minute.

Sergio Busquets pounced on a sloppy pass from Antonio Rudiger and Lewandowski set up Gavi, who beat Courtois with a composed left-foot finish.

Gavi returned the favour just before the break, racing away after being played in by Frenkie de Jong and playing the ball across the face of the goal to give Lewandowski a tap-in following more poor defending.

Barca carried on where they left off following the interval, Courtois coming to Madrid's rescue by denying Ousmane Dembele and Lewandowski.

It came as no surprise when the Catalan giants struck again 69 minutes in, Pedri arriving at the back post to turn in another pinpoint pass from the brilliant Gavi after Los Blancos were caught in possession yet again.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen kept out Rodrygo's drive with an excellent one-handed save and although Benzema fired home clinically in stoppage time, Barca were already out of sight and there only concern would be Ronald Araujo limping off late on.

Xavi insists Barcelona must prove their trophy "hunger" ahead of the Supercopa de Espana final showdown with Real Madrid.

The Blaugrana are aiming to end a 21-month wait for silverware, having lacked such success since their Copa del Rey victory over Athletic Bilbao under Ronald Koeman in April 2021.

Barca required a penalty shoot-out to defeat Real Betis in the Supercopa semi-finals on Thursday, but they are now on the brink of lifting a first trophy under Xavi.

All the same, head coach Xavi believes his side enter the latest Clasico as underdogs, with Madrid having won four trophies in 2022, including the Champions League and LaLiga.

"Madrid are very strong and, psychologically, they have a slight advantage because they have played more finals in recent years, and they have more experience," Xavi said, ahead of the game in Riyadh.

"We have a lot of young players that have not won trophies with Barca. When you start playing football as a child, this is what it's for: to play finals against Madrid.

"We are not afraid, we are not anxious. We are facing a golden opportunity to win a title that would mean a lot in the middle of the season.

"It's been a long time since we won a title, and we have to be hungry, as I told the players against Betis. I see it as an advantage to show this hunger to win trophies.

"In Barca, it is non-negotiable to win, and the objective is trophies. It would be the same if it was another rival. We will go after them with enthusiasm and motivation.

"We are 90 or 120 minutes from winning a title, and we're going to give our all to do that.

"The first objective was to reach the final, and it was not easy. Now, the objective is to take the trophy back to Barcelona. It's the pressure that comes with being at a big club, but the pressure is welcome."

Karim Benzema's return to full fitness has given Real Madrid a spring in their step heading into the second half of the season, according to Carlo Ancelotti.

Benzema struggled with persistent hamstring problems in the first few months of the season, which forced him to miss France's World Cup campaign in Qatar.

He has shrugged off those injury woes in recent weeks, though, scoring four goals in his past three games.

The latest came in Wednesday's Supercopa de Espana win over Valencia, which set up a mouth-watering final against arch rivals Barcelona on Sunday.

The Ballon d’Or holder is likely to lead the line against Xavi's side and Ancelotti is in no doubt the 35-year-old is fit and raring to go, declaring: "Benzema is back."

"That gives us a lot of confidence - for the next few games and for this second half of the season. He looks motivated and he's training well.

"He's a very important player for us. I think the team dealt well with his absence in the first half [of the season] and he'll help us in this second half."

Madrid enjoyed a magnificent 2022, winning the Champions League, LaLiga, Supercopa de Espana and UEFA Super Cup.

Ancelotti scoffed at suggestions his players might have become complacent after their recent success, insisting they are hungry for more trophies.

"It's not true [they are complacent]," he added. "We are talking about players who have not only won last year. They have started winning in 2013, and they will never have a full belly because they have a mental quality that is very high.

"Also, because we are in a very demanding club, and it doesn't allow you to have a full belly."

Cristiano Ronaldo paid old friends a visit on Friday, dropping in on Carlo Ancelotti and Real Madrid ahead of the Supercopa de Espana final in Riyadh.

It may have been rude of Madrid's record goalscorer not to show his face, given Los Blancos were training at the facilities of his new team, Al Nassr.

The 37-year-old was nevertheless warmly received as his former team were put through their paces, training in the build-up to Sunday's trophy game against Barcelona.

Ronaldo watched the session and met with Madrid's players, the club said, with the Portuguese perhaps hankering for a slice of the action.

He also chatted with fellow former Madrid star Roberto Carlos, with the Brazilian making an appearance at the session as well.

Ronaldo last featured in a Supercopa for Madrid in August 2017, scoring in a 3-1 first-leg win against Barcelona at Camp Nou before Madrid won the second game 2-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu to seal a 5-1 aggregate rout over their fiercest rivals.

Ronaldo has yet to make his competitive debut for Al Nassr, who face Al Shabab in the Saudi Pro League on Saturday.

He is expected to miss that game, having also sat out a fixture against Al Tai last week, due to a two-match ban handed down by the English Football Association after Ronaldo slapped a mobile phone out of a young Everton fan's hand at the end of Manchester United's defeat at Goodison Park last April.

Ronaldo has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Al Nassr, the deal seemingly ending his long and successful career in European club football.

He scored 451 goals in 438 games for Madrid in a staggering nine-year stint with Los Blancos, before moving on to Juventus in July 2018.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has made a strong impression on Casemiro with a winning mentality he has seen in few coaches throughout his career.

Casemiro joined United from Real Madrid in August in a deal potentially worth £70million (€78.9m), having played under the likes of Carlo Ancelotti, Rafael Benitez and Zinedine Zidane.

The Brazil international signed for the club amid a period of relative uncertainty given the disappointing nature of the previous season and Ten Hag's arrival a few months earlier ushering in a new era.

But after a slow start for both, Casemiro has excelled and Ten Hag has overseen significant collective improvement, with United fourth in the Premier League and hoping to go a point behind champions Manchester City with a win in Saturday's derby.

Ten Hag has applauded Casemiro for the impact he has made and the midfielder reciprocated with praise of his own.

"He's certainly a manager who is obsessed with winning," Casemiro told ICS. "Few managers in my career had the same obsession to win.

"He's someone who always wants to win: even in training, he always wants the best. He's a hard-working manager who demands a lot of his players so that we're always at our best and that's important for us.

"I also view him as a manager with the desire to see Manchester United grow and develop, that's one of his most important characteristics, not just his but all the coaching staff who follow his lead."

Casemiro has transformed United's midfield with a crucial blend of destructiveness and playmaking ability.

Every 90 minutes he averages 6.3 involvements in open-play passing sequences that end in a shot, a record bettered by only five central midfielders in the Premier League this term (minimum of 500 minutes), including more recognised creators such as Bruno Fernandes (7.3) and Kevin De Bruyne (8.0).

Additionally, just five players in the league (min. 500 minutes) have been involved in more shot-ending build-up sequences (48) without creating or taking the shot. Both of these highlight how central Casemiro's playmaking skills are from his deep-lying position, even if he is not necessarily the one playing the key pass.

But it is off the ball where many fans feel his presence is most welcomed, given the only other United central midfielder to record at least three tackles and eight duel wins (3.8 and 8.1) on a 90-minute basis over a season in the past 15 years is Marouane Fellaini in 2013-14 (3.1 and 9.3) and 2016-17 (3.0 and 10.8).

Casemiro does not think he is doing anything that would not be expected of him, though, and it is this simplicity and clarity from Ten Hag that he values.

"He's a very intelligent coach," Casemiro told ICS. "He knows what he can ask for from each player.

"I'd say he doesn't ask me for anything I can't do, obviously I can contribute to the team. The manager makes adjustments of course, but he doesn't ask for anything different from what I've been doing throughout my career.

"Nothing special is requested. Of course, the league and the games themselves allow you to get forward more.

"Everyone, including the manager, knows my role: bring balance to the team, support my team-mates, play between the centre-backs, provide cover for the full-backs, help the midfield, play out from the back with a quality pass. Nothing different from what I've always done in my career."

Real Madrid could face Seattle Sounders in their Club World Cup semi-final following Friday's draw.

UEFA Champions League winners Madrid will enter the tournament in Morocco at the last-four stage next month.

Carlo Ancelotti's side will have to wait to learn the identity of their opponents, but it could be MLS debutants Seattle.

The Sounders are the first American team to reach the Club World Cup, having won the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League final against Liga MX's UNAM.

Seattle are to make their debut in the second round against the winner of the sole first-round tie between CAF runners-up Al Ahly and OFC champions Auckland City.

The victors in that match will then go through to face Madrid, record four-time world champions.

On the other side of the draw, Copa Libertadores winners Flamengo, who were finalists against Liverpool in 2019, are to take on either CAF champions Wydad Casablanca – also hosts Morocco's representative – or AFC nominees Al Hilal.

With the two semi-finals to take place on February 7 and 8, the final and third-place play-off will follow on February 11.

Erik ten Hag's arrival at Manchester United last year began a process of culture reset. For years, the club allowed big egos to inflate, and the team's mentality to shrink, while an arrogant hierarchy seemingly assumed waving big cheques guaranteed success.

Ten Hag has taken steps to fix all of the above, and in the roughly eight months since he began working in May, the difference has been significant.

"There was no spirit," Ten Hag said last week. "I saw no team dynamic in the squad. The mental resilience was very low. I saw that as an outsider – and also noticed it in my first weeks at the club.

"I looked at the culture of the club. I asked, 'how did Manchester United become great?'. The club has bought an unimaginable number of players in recent years who have not been good enough. Most purchases have been average – and at United average is not good enough. United's shirt weighs heavily."

Of course, hindsight is 20/20, and you can't say Ten Hag's impact has come without "waving big cheques". But the problem with previous eras was how the money was spent.

Casemiro, who cost £60million, is the prime example. At 30 years old, there's no doubt some fans were unsure he was the man to reinvigorate a midfield that had quite literally been a problem for over a decade, but he's been exceptional and a big part of United's transformation.

From slow start to key man

Saturday's Manchester derby will be a true litmus test of not only United's progress under Ten Hag, but also the influence Casemiro has.

Let's not forget, City crushed United 6-3 at the start of October. Pep Guardiola's men were even 6-1 up for about 11 minutes before a late Anthony Martial double.

Their midfield of Scott McTominay, Christian Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes simply couldn't handle City's dynamism, and then Erling Haaland and Phil Foden were irresistible in front of goal.

That was, unsurprisingly, the last game before Casemiro took ownership of the holding midfield role at United. Casemiro has played 1,330 minutes across all competitions since, second only to Fernandes (1,349), while Scott McTominay has managed just 439.

Over the same period, only Newcastle United (24) have claimed more points than the Red Devils (23) in the Premier League, with November's 3-1 reverse at Aston Villa their sole defeat.

Of course, it's difficult to attribute United's improvement to Casemiro alone, but there's no doubt his effective blend of destructiveness and creative subtlety have made Ten Hag's midfield a completely different proposition.

Not only is he so adept at reading the game and snuffing out attacks, Casemiro's long-underrated technical abilities suit Ten Hag's style of play down to the ground.

More than meets the eye

Anyone who regularly watched Real Madrid during Casemiro's long stay will have already known there's more to him than simply kicking people. Admittedly, frequent viewers of arguably the most popular team on Earth is hardly a niche group, yet there was certainly a lack of awareness from fans and pundits alike regarding Casemiro's 'other' talents when he joined United.

Because Ten Hag wants his team to generally dictate possession, players without excellent technique will stick out like a sore thumb, which is presumably one explanation for Aaron Wan-Bissaka featuring so irregularly until the past couple of weeks.

The fact Casemiro has become so influential speaks volumes.

Every 90 minutes he averages 6.3 involvements in open-play passing sequences that end in a shot, a record bettered by only five central midfielders in the Premier League this term (min. 500 minutes), including more recognised creators like Fernandes (7.3) and Kevin De Bruyne (8.0).

Additionally, just five players in the entire league (min. 500 minutes) have been involved in more shot-ending build-up sequences (48) without creating or taking the shot. Both of these highlight how central Casemiro's playmaking skills are from his deeper role, even if he's not necessarily the one playing the key pass.

But he is proving extremely effective without the ball as well, and his powers of ball recovery combined with smart distribution make him such an asset, with only Rodri (32, from 1,391 minutes played) initiating more shot-ending open-play sequences after winning possession than Casemiro (22, from 979 minutes played).

It's arguably that hard-working, destructive nature that makes him so refreshing for United, though. The only other central midfielder they've had over the past 15 years who has recorded at least three tackles and eight duel wins (3.8 and 8.1) on a 90-minute basis over a season is Marouane Fellaini in 2013-14 (3.1 and 9.3) and 2016-17 (3.0 and 10.8).

Fellaini's stats will be boosted by his aerial effectiveness, and obviously the Belgian never had the same technical grasp Casemiro has, with his two brilliant passes in the build up to Marcus Rashford's goals in the EFL Cup win over Charlton Athletic earlier this week prime examples of his class in that respect.

He's probably the most complete midfielder they've had since Roy Keane, and the fact Ten Hag so emphatically filled a void that's been gaping throughout the post-Alex Ferguson era is proof enough of the manager's culture shift at Old Trafford.

Beating City will be another major statement.

Xavi is looking forward to a "desired final" as Barcelona set up a Supercopa de Espana decider against Real Madrid.

The Blaugrana had to win a penalty shoot-out against Real Betis on Thursday to seal their place in Sunday's final after a 2-2 draw in Riyadh.

Robert Lewandowski and Nabil Fekir both scored to take the game to extra time, before a stunning volley from Ansu Fati and a backheel effort from Loren Moron sent it to penalties.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen was the hero for the Blaugrana as he saved from both Juanmi and William Carvalho to win the game, and his head coach noted the morale beating their El Clasico rivals in the final could have.

"It is a desired final and now we are going for the title," Xavi said. "I always want to play against the best and beat them.

"It's a trophy and therefore important, but it's not going to change the season either, although it would give us more morale and peace of mind for the rest of the season. We will try to fight for the three remaining titles no matter what happens."

Xavi also complimented Ter Stegen's role in the victory against an impressive Betis, adding: "Since I've been here I've been delighted with him, he's the icing on the cake." 

It was not a classic performance from the LaLiga leaders in Saudi Arabia, with Betis having more shots (15-12) across 120 minutes.

Xavi noted his team had failed to go on to win in normal time or extra time despite taking the lead in both, and wants his players to evaluate how they have managed games since the World Cup.

Barca drew 1-1 with Espanyol after taking the lead in their first game after Qatar 2022, lost a goal advantage three times in their Copa del Rey game at Intercity before eventually winning 4-3, and were hanging on by the end of their 1-0 win at Atletico Madrid on Sunday.

"Other days we have done very well but since the World Cup break, we have struggled to seal matches when we have been dominant and have played with personality," he said. 

"We have to critique ourselves... we have to improve to achieve success this year."

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