Player Focus: 4 Key Battles Ahead of the Weekend's Euro Qualifiers

The culmination of the domestic season meant a return for international football. The Copa America began in the wee hours of Friday morning, with Chile securing a 2-0 win over Ecuador in their bid to secure glory this summer. Across the Atlantic, meanwhile, European qualifiers start again as teams strive to secure a place at Euro 2016. 

There are a number of mouth-watering fixtures on the continent on offer over the weekend and we at WhoScored have taken the opportunity to look at four key battles that are set to take place. 

Gareth Bale vs Eden Hazard 

The world’s most expensive player does battle with one of football’s most exciting talents at the Millenium Stadium on Friday night as Gareth Bale and Eden Hazard strive to help Wales and Belgium, respectively, to victory. Chris Coleman’s side secured an impressive 0-0 draw with Marc Wilmots’ team last year and a similarly resolute performance will go a long way to boosting their chances of attaining a Euro 2016 berth. 

Victory for Wales would see them leapfrog Belgum to the summit of Group B and it’s Bale who will be the man tasked with guiding the hosts to victory. The 25-year-old endured his fair share of critics last season as he struggled to match the heights of his debut campaign with Real Madrid, but 13 goals and 9 assists contributed to a WhoScored rating of 7.66, enough to feature in La Liga's team of the season.  

However, Bale’s season was bettered by that of Hazard, who was central to Chelsea’s title win. The sprightly Belgian was the Premier League’s best-rated player (7.96) and completed more successful dribbles (181) in Europe’s top 5 leagues last season than any other player. Travelling to Cardiff won’t be easy for Belgium - the Dragons have lost only 1 of their last 6 games on home turf. In Hazard, though, Wilmots has at his disposal one of the finest attacking talents in Europe. 

Conversely, Coleman can rely on Bale, who, despite an indifferent campaign at the Bernabeu, can turn a game in Wales’ favour in the blink of an eye. The performance of either Bale or Hazard could determine the outcome in this Group B topper, with much of the focus from supporters expected to be on the attacking duo. 

Ivan Rakitic vs Andrea Pirlo 

A possible repeat of the midfield battle of this season’s Champions League final, Ivan Rakitic and Andrea Pirlo look set to go head-to-head when Croatia welcome Italy to the Stadion Poljud on Friday night. Rakitic has already got the better of his veteran adversary once this season and Niko Kovac will be hoping for a similar display from the Barcelona star on Friday night. 

Rakitic helped Barcelona to the treble in his debut campaign at Camp Nou, netting the opener in the 3-1 win over Juventus in Berlin earlier this month. 4 key passes and 2 tackles contributed to an impressive WhoScored rating (7.65) in the final and it’s fair to say he was the one who dominated the fixture from the middle of the park. This is further highlighted in Pirlo’s poor rating (6.43) in the match. 

The experienced midfielder relies on his vast range of passing to hurt the opposition, but this facet of his game was limited in the Champions League final as his pass success rate (78%) suggests. Continuously pressured when on the ball, Rakitic and his Croatia teammates must adopt a similar approach in order to prevent Pirlo from stamping his influence on the fixture. 

Croatia currently top Group H having taken 13 points of a possible 15, though Italy sit just 2 points behind Friday’s opponents. A positive result for the Azzurri would see them overtake the Vatreni, though they need to stifle Rakitic for that happen. If the Barcelona star performs to the standards expected of him, however, Croatia's chances of winning in Split will certainly increase. 

James McCarthy vs James McArthur 

Former Hamilton and Wigan Athletic teammates are set to do battle at the Aviva Stadium this weekend as Ireland and Scotland meet in a crucial encounter in Group D. James McCarthy is likely to start for Martin O’Neill’s side, with James McArthur starring for Gordon Strachan’s team. 

Injury restricted McCarthy’s influence in a disappointing Everton side last season, but he impressed when called on alongside the vastly experienced Gareth Barry at the heart of the Toffees midfield. A WhoScored rating of 7.09 was one of the best of all Everton players last term, with his average of 2.4 tackles and 1.6 interceptions per league match accentuating his ability to consistently break up play in the middle of the park. O’Neill needs the 24-year-old to exhibit this side of his game to a high level at the weekend to help Ireland kickstart their European qualification campaign. 

That, though, will be easier said than done with McArthur marshaling the midfield for Scotland. The 27-year-old really came into his own under Alan Pardew, so much so that his WhoScored rating (7.17) was bettered only by captain Mile Jedinak (7.55) of all Crystal Palace players in the 2014/15 Premier League campaign. 2.9 tackles and 2.1 interceptions per game were better than McCarthy's figures as the pairing look set to be at loggerheads with one another in the battle for midfield supremacy. 

With three qualification spots up for grabs, and in a group containing Poland and Germany, this fixture could be one of the most important in Group D. Ireland and Scotland are both keen to secure the spoils, with McCarthy and McArthur set to play vital roles for their respective teams. 

Samir Handanovic vs Joe Hart 

England, along with Slovakia, are one of only two teams to boast a 100% start to European qualification, with the Three Lions winning each of their opening five games. Roy Hodgson’s side have shipped just one goal in that run and they are hoping to maintain their fine form so far when they travel to Slovenia. Joe Hart is one of the first names on the England teamsheet and he is certain to retain his starting berth in Ljubljana. 

The Manchester City shotstopper kept more clean sheets (14) than any other goalkeeper in the Premier League last season. Furthermore, only three goalkeepers to make at least 15 top-flight appearances in England last term gained a better save success rate than Hart (72.5%). Given his impressive showings for the national team, the 28-year-old is a solid last line of defence to call on for England and with the options Srecko Katanec can utilise in attack, Hart must be at his best to deny the Slovenia offensive. 

At the other end of the pitch, Samir Handanovic is expected to keep goal for the home side as Slovenia hope to leapfrog Switzerland in the Group E standings. The Inter shotstopper has been strongly linked with a move to Manchester United, though his save success rate (65%) last season left a lot to be desired. Nevertheless, the 30-year-old is a solid performer between the sticks having averaged marginally more saves per game (2.5) than Hart (2.4) last season. 

A tally of 11 clean sheets is also not to be scoffed at, though it goes without saying Handanovic needs to be at his shotstopping best to deny the England offensive. Only Poland (16) have netted more goals in qualifying than England (15) at the time of writing, with Hodgson’s team capable of putting any team to the sword on their day. The Inter star is likely to be the busier of the two ‘keepers on Sunday and if Slovenia do indeed secure a positive result, chances are Handanovic will have played a starring role.

Who do you think will stand out in the upcoming European Championship qualifiers? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below