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PREVIEW: Gameplay of Matchday 9 will define KO Stage qualifiers

AS Monaco and AS Roma are qualified for advancement, and will be joined by four additional teams in the June 5th competition


As clubs enter Matchday 9 of eFootball.Pro IQONIQ, streaming live on Saturday, May 8th, AS Monaco and AS Roma have already secured their advancement to the Knockout Stage, and Celtic FC and Galatasaray SK are out of the running. Arsenal FC, FC Schalke 04, Juventus, FC Barcelona, Manchester United FC, and FC Bayern München will battle for the remaining four positions, which will be determined by the conclusion of the last matchday of the Regular Season. The results will also lock in the winners the individual awards for top goal scorer, top assists provider, and best defensive player of the 2020-21 season. With clubs closely positioned on the league table and competitive individual gameplay, the ninth matchday is the most highly anticipated of the season. 


Juventus vs. Manchester United FC

Both clubs still have the opportunity to qualify for the Knockout Stage, but haven’t secured an advancing position. With ETTORITO97 in 2nd for assists provided, he has the potential to win an individual award for the season if he manages to break into the first place position. The teams are separated by two positions and three points on the league table, as Juventus is ranked 5th with 25 points and Manchester United FC is 7th with 22.


Juventus and Manchester United FC both have identical lineups to the 2019-20 season, where they faced each other in Matchday 4 and Juventus managed to take all six points from the English squad. Apart from Italian club captain ETTORITO97’s impressive rank in assists, he is 3rd in defense. He is also the fifth highest CO-OP point earner in the league so far. His teammate LoScandalo leads the league in shots taken, and is ranked 3rd for goals scored with 14 overall. IL DISTRUTTORE44 is also within the top ten players for goals scored, as well as for key passes. Manchester United FC captain E_C_Oneill is positioned as the player with the 5th highest number of key passes, and is 7th in dribbles. Kams10_ is ranked within the top ten players for shots taken, in 8th place with 29. 


Galatasaray SK vs. FC Barcelona

Galatasaray SK is officially out of the running for Knockout Stage qualification, however FC Barcelona still has a chance depending on the day’s outcome. Also, if Mucahit21 manages to maintain his position at the top of the defense table, he will win the top defensive player award during his debut season in the league.  The clubs are separated by three positions and eight points on the league table, with FC Barcelona in 6th place with 23 points and Galatasaray SK in 9th with 15.


This fixture will be the first time any of the Turkish and Blaugrana club representatives have faced each other in eFootball.Pro IQONIQ. Mucahit21’s 1st place ranking in proactive defense has contributed to his top position on the defense table. His teammate StavAttack is 1st in defensive positioning and is within the top five defensive players. FC Barcelona rookie ALEXR has landed himself within the top ten players for goals scored, defensive gameplay, and proactive defense. His teammates have also stood out amongst their competitors with ALEX GRD and THE PALMA both placing within the top ten assists providers in the league, and the team captain also sitting in 3rd for passes intercepted. 





AS Roma vs. FC Schalke 04

AS Roma is one of two teams that have already qualified for the Knockout Stage, and FC Schalke 04 still has the opportunity to qualify on Matchday 9. With RoksaCzv22 in 2nd place for defensive gameplay, and KEPA in 2nd for goals scored, they have the chance to win the individual awards of the season if they can surpass the current 1st place players. The teams are entering the day separated by two positions and two points, with AS Roma in 2nd place with 27 points and FC Schalke 04 in 4th with 25.


Only MeroMen and EL_Matador have faced S-Venom in eFootball.Pro IQONIQ before, in the fifth matchday of the 2019-20 season where only one goal was scored throughout the two games, and it was achieved by S-Venom. His teammate and team captain RoksaCzv22 has landed himself in 2nd place on the defense table, and 3rd for assists provided. Fellow Serbain player KEPA catapulted himself up the goal scorers table in the previous matchday, now sitting in 2nd place with 16 goals, after 7 were scored in just the eighth matchday alone. He is also ranked within the top 10 players for assists provided. German captain MeroMen and EL_Matador are in 5th and 6th respectively for passes intercepted, and EL_Matador is also 8th in assists provided so far throughout the season. Urma, Schalke’s new addition this season, is ranked 6th in defensive gameplay and shots on target. 



AS Monaco vs. FC Bayern München 

AS Monaco has already guaranteed their advancement to the Knockout Stage, while this is reigning eFootball.Pro Cup champions FC Bayern München’s last chance to achieve favorable results, while also depending on the outcome of other fixtures, to avoid concluding the competition outside of the top six. Kilzyou and Lotfi have the potential to win the individual player awards for top goal scorer and top assists provider if they manage to defend their current first place rankings. The clubs are entering the match separated by seven positions and eight points on the league table, with AS Monaco in 1st with 28 points and FC Bayern München in 8th with 20. 


These Monegasque and German club lineups remain unchanged from the previous season’s competition. Kilzyou is entering the ninth matchday as the top goal scorer in the league, being the only player to score over 20 so far. He is also ranked 4th overall in CO-OP points. Lotfi has earned the spot of top assists provider going into Matchday 9, and is also within the top 10 goal scorers. Their teammate Usmakabyle is the league leader in key passes and passes intercepted, and is within the top five places for passes, dribbles, and passes made. FC Bayern München captain JOSE is within the top five players for defensive positioning and defensive gameplay, and MESTRE occupies a similar position for shots and assists. MESTRE is also the 2nd highest CO-OP earner in the league. Their teammate Alex Alguacil has worked his way into the top five players for passes, shots, and shots on target. 


Arsenal FC vs. Celtic FC

Celtic FC will not be able to qualify for the Knockout Stage on Matchday 9, however Arsenal FC still has the possibility to advance depending on the day’s gameplay. They are entering the match separated by seven positions and eleven points on the league table, with Arsenal FC in 3rd place with 25 points and Celtic FC in 10th with 14. 


This fixture will feature former teammates going head-to-head, with Jorcha facing his fellow Celtic FC players from the 2019-20 season, INDOMINATOR and INDOAJAWA. The Arsenal FC captain leads the league in passes, passes made, and dribbles. He also tops the CO-OP points list going into Matchday 9, earning more than all other eFootball.Pro IQONIQ players. His brother, INDOJAWA, has made the second highest number of passes, and their teammate barboza is ranked within the top five players for dribbles, passes, and passes made. Scottish club captain Jorcha has earned his way into the top 10 positions for key passes, goals scored, defensive gameplay, proactive defense, passes made, and defensive positioning. 

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