Team of the Week 19 (TOTW) predictions


With all of Europe’s top nations now back after various winter breaks, we can begin to cast an eye to the league run-ins. The league tables have taken shape, and the sides know what needs to be done to ensure to stay up, fight for European places and challenge for the title. 

With players refreshed at the beginning of a World Cup year, the goals were flying in this past weekend. In the Premier League, Sergio Aguero grabbed the headlines with a hat trick in Manchester City’s 3-1 win over Newcastle, with both Chelsea and Arsenal returning to form with both sides scoring four goals in heavy wins. 

In La Liga, the Barcelona train keeps chugging along, defeating Real Betis 5-0, whilst the struggling Real Madrid looked to be back on song in a 7-1 win over Deportivo La Coruna. Over in Germany, both Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen notched 4-1 victories and in Italy’s Serie A Lazio smashed in five against Chievo Verona. France’s Ligue 1 was given a breath of fresh air as Lyon picked up a late, late victory over front runners PSG, cutting the Parisians lead at the top of the table to eight points.

In all the results from the weekend’s action there was some superb individual performances, and we here at RealSport attempt to predict which players could be rewarded with a spot in the FIFA 18 Team of the Week. Those selected for the TOTW will be given a special in form card with a stats boost on Ultimate Team. The cards will be released at 6pm GMT on Wednesday, January 24 and can be found in packs from the store and bought individually on the FUT transfer market. 

Iago Herrerin (OVR 76 – SIF 83)

Athletic Bilbao and Getafe played out a fascinating 2-2 draw at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez, but Athletic have goalkeeper Iago Herrerin to thank for sharing the points. With the scores at 2-1 in the Bilbao side’s favour, the ‘keeper saved Jorge Molina’s penalty, with Getafe eventually finding an equaliser through Angel with 15 minutes to play.

Herrerin’s save could reward him with a second in form card of the season, and we expect a rare rating of 83 for the 29-year-old. His normal 76 rating will cost you just 400 coins on both PS4 and Xbox One, with his in form 81 card priced at around 13,000 coins on both consoles.

Matthias Ginter (OVR 78 – SIF 85)

It’s been a superb season thus for Borussia Monchengladbach’s Matthias Ginter, and he could be in line for his third TOTW appearance of the season. The centre back and Thorgan Hazard both scored and assisted one another during the 2-0 victory over Augsburg, which puts them level on points with the Champions League places.

Ginter’s starring role should give him a healthy increase of seven overall points to 85 this week. His normal 78 card will cost around 400 coins on both consoles, with his 82 in form card priced at 28,000 coins on PS4 and slightly higher at 32,000 on Xbox One. The centre-back’s 84 super in form will set you back 30,000 coins on PS4 and 33,000 on Xbox One.

Nacho Fernandez (OVR 81 – SIF 86)

With Real Madrid demolishing Deportivo La Coruna 7-1, few would have expected centre back Nacho Fernandez to be Los Blancos’ main source of goals. Nacho first side footed home Marcelo’s pull back to tie the scores at 1-1 and then provided a neat turn and finish at the back post to complete the scoring late on.

The Spaniard’s brace gives him a fantastic chance of making the Team of the Week, and we are predicting a rise to 86 for the defender. His normal 81 card costs around 950 coins on both consoles, with his previous in form 83 rating priced at around 38,000 on both consoles.

Nacho Monreal (OVR 80 – IF 85)

Nacho’s namesake and countryman Nacho Monreal also had a fantastic weekend, grabbing a goal and two assists in Arsenal’s quick fire rout over Crystal Palace. The left back headed in to put the Gunners ahead, then pulled one back for Alex Iwobi and finally knocked one back into the danger area for Laurent Koscielny to bundle in. The three goals went in within seven minutes of one another, with just 13 minutes played. 

Monreal’s man of the match performance in the 4-1 win will undoubtedly give him a TOTW place, with an 85 rating the least he deserves. His normal 80 gold card will set you back around 800 coins on both consoles.

Simone Verdi (OVR 78 – IF 84)

Bologna’s Simone Verdi was one of the assist kings of the week, with the right winger setting up all three goals in the 3-0 victory over Benevento. The comfortable victory pushes Bologna towards mid-table, and with 11 points now separating them from the relegation places, they should not be looking to break into the top half.

Verdi’s stunning creative performance should give him a large in form boost, with an 84 rating on the cards for the Italian. His normal 78 score will cost 500 coins on PS4 and 550 on Xbox One.

Gaston Ramirez (OVR 78 – IF 84)

Verdi’s return of the three assists was matched by Sampdoria’s Gaston Ramirez. The former Southampton attacking midfielder starred in the 3-1 win over Fiorentina, as Sampdoria look to close the seven point gap between themselves at the top five. 

Ramirez has a 78 rating on Ultimate Team, which could rise to a score of around the 84 mark if he is selected for the Team of the Week. That normal gold rating is priced at 650 coins on PS4 and 800 on Xbox One. 

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (OVR 80 – SIF 85)

One of the star performers in Serie A this season has been Lazio’s Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, with the Serb netting his eighth and ninth goals of the season in the 5-1 win over Chievo Verona. The central midfielder’s brace has helped give Lazio hope of chasing down the second place Juventus, who are seven points ahead of the Rome-based club.

The 22-year-old Milinkovic-Savic should earn a large attributes increase to 85 on Ultimate Team this week due to his previous TOTW appearance this season. His normal 80 gold card costs 850 coins on PS4 and 1,000 on Xbox One, with his 83 in form priced at 35,000 coins on PS4 and 29,000 on Xbox One. 

Thomas Muller (OVR 86 – IF 88)

It’s been a tricky season for Thomas Muller has he has struggled for regular starts, but he certainly took his chance as Bayern Munich faced Werder Bremen. Playing in a slightly deeper attacking midfield role, the German international scored twice and set up another to keep Bayern’s 16-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga.

Muller’s 86 overall rating will creep up to 88 for the TOTW, with his normal card priced at a reasonable 18,000 coins on PS4 and 18,750 on Xbox One.

Lionel Messi (OVR 93 – SIF 96)

With Luis Suarez unavailable for the Team of the Week this time around due to last week’s appearance, that opens the door for Lionel Messi. The little Argentine scored twice and assisted a third in the 5-0 thrashing over Real Betis, giving Barca an 11 point lead in La Liga.

Messi’s 93 rating should nudge up to 96 this this week, and that normal card will cost 745,000 coins on PS4 and 720,000 on Xbox One. His 94 centre forward rating is priced at a massive 1.7 million coins on both consoles, with a 94 Hero card setting you back 1.4 million on PS3 and 1.5 million on Xbox One. It doesn’t stop there, with the Argentine’s 95 striker card costing 1.8 million on PS4 and 1.9 million on Xbox One. Messi’s 98 Team of the Year rating costs a huge 3.8 million coins on PS4 and 3.7 million on Xbox One.

Sergio Aguero (OVR 89 – SIF 92)

Another Argentinean, Sergio Aguero bagged a perfect hat-trick for Manchester City against Newcastle at the weekend, but there is some debate over whether he did get a touch on Kevin De Bruyne’s cross. The striker’s seventh Premier League treble puts him tied sixth on the all-time standings, and few would bet against the marksman not adding more to that tally.

Aguero’s performance makes him a shoe-in for the TOTW, with his 89 rating likely to rise to 92. His normal gold card will cost just over 300,000 coins on PS4 and 275,000 on Xbox One, with a 90 rated in form priced at 865,000 on PS4 and 890,000 on Xbox One. His 91 rated black card will set you back surprisingly less with 810,000 on PS4 and 800,000 on Xbox One. 

Fabio Quagliarella (OVR 78 – SIF 84)

Our second Sampdoria player in the side, with Fabio Quagliarella the beneficiary of those three Gaston Ramirez assists. The 34-year-old Quagliarella has netted an impressive 15 goals this in Serie A this season, averaging a goal or assist in every appearance.

The evergreen striker will rise from 78 to around 84 this week, with his normal card costing just 750 coins on PS4 and 900 on Xbox One. His 82 in form is priced at around 16,000 coins on both consoles. 

RealSport’s TOTW 19 prediction

 

Who do you think will make the Team of the Week? Let us know in the comments below.

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