Another mini-release containing Twin Upgrades has arrived in FIFA 23 Ultimate Team as part of the FUT Birthday event.
With Team 2 of FUT Birthday currently in packs we are coming toward the end of the promo, and what a promo it has been!
FUT Birthday Icons were introduced for the first time, and great rewards are available in the various objectives released along the way, and now there are even more players available in packs...
FUT Birthday Mini-Release 2
FUT Birthday Team 2 and a second batch of FUT Birthday Icons were released on Friday, 31 March.
Just like the previous week, EA provided another mini-release the following Sunday, with three more players gifted Twin Upgrades on Sunday, 2 April.
Matteo Guendouzi (OVR 88)
French midfielder Matteo Guendouzi always seems to be a popular player in FIFA Ultimate Team, and his new FUT Birthday item will be no different.
Guendouzi's physical attributes stand out, with 98 Stamina and 93 Aggression making him great at winning possession back for your team.
83 Pace is decent, and on the ball Guendouzi boasts 94 Short Passing and 91 Vision, meaning he can start attacks from deep.
With 92 Shot Power, 82 Long Shots, and 80 Finishing, don't be surprised to see Guendouzi on the scoresheet every now and then either.
Matteo Pessina (OVR 87)
AC Monza's Italian playmaker Matteo Passina looks like a bargain at his current 20k price tag!
Capable of playing CM, CAM, or CF, Pessina possesses 86 Pace and 86 Finishing which will cause your opposition plenty of problems.
75 Balance is a slight concern at this stage of the season, but his dribbling stats are otherwise very strong.
A proper all-rounder, Pessina shows few weaknesses, however, at this stage in the FUT season he also doesn't have the standout attributes to excite fans.
Joakim Maehle (OVR 86)
Danish star Joakim Maehle is the lowest-rated player in the second FUT Birthday mini-release with an 86 OVR.
His 94 Pace is certainly high enough to be a useable full-back, and his alternate positions of RB, RM, and LM will help him to slot into any formation.
95 Positioning is an eye-catching attribute, although the 63 Finishing that accompanies it is disappointing.
97 Stamina, 87 Crossing, and 85 Dribbling all point towards an attacking full-back, rather than one who will sit deep in defence.
What are Twin Upgrades?
According to EA, "FUT Birthday Twin Upgrades bring two versions of the same Player Item to the Ultimate Team pool of available pack items at the same time—one with 5* Skill Moves and one with 5* Weak Foot—each that suits different squad building needs and styles of play."
Each player's respective items boast identical attributes in-game, however, the only difference is the Weak Foot and Skill Move ratings.
Players who utilise skill moves effectively will obviously prefer to use a player with 5* Skill Moves, while a 5* Weak Foot attribute will help the passing and shooting of more traditional players.
Mini-Release 1
Released on Sunday, 26 March were Oleksandr Zinchenko, Darwin Nunez, and Koke with all three players available in packs until Friday, 31 March.
No longer available in packs, you will have to look to the transfer market to add any of these players to your squad.
Oleksandr Zinchenko (OVR 90)
The mini-release's highest-rated player is Arsenal left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko who has received a huge upgrade to 90 OVR!
Annoyingly his 90 Pace is split with 95 Acceleration and 86 Sprint Speed making his top speed lower than desired.
A solid defender, the Ukraine captain's 88 Defensive Awareness and 88 Standing Tackle make him a reliable option for your defence.
On the front foot, Zinchenko's passing is expectedly high with 90 Short Passing and 90 Crossing, so expect him to chip in with a few assists!
Darwin Nunez (OVR 89)
The new FUT Birthday Darwin Nunez should be deployed as a central striker, of that there is no doubt!
Liverpool's summer signing boasts 94 Strength and 95 Pace which will make him more than a handful for even the best of defenders.
A chemistry style to improve his 90 Finishing, while also increasing his Dribbling stats would be our recommendation, so we would opt for the Finisher style.
His Passing attributes are weak, but who cares when he is the one on the end of the passes smashing in the goals!
Koke (OVR 88)
Put a Shadow chemistry style on Koke's FUT Birthday item and you have the perfect defensive midfielder!
His 80 Pace isn't ideal, but with a Shadow style, he becomes very useable as he will cover the entire pitch with 97 Stamina.
The Spaniard is gifted technically too with 92 Short Passing, 90 Long Passing, and 87 Ball Control to keep things ticking over in your midfield.
Pair Koke with Atletico Madrid teammate Marcos Llorente's recent Fantasy FUT item and you will have a truly sensational midfield partnership.