Written by Umberto Pelà (08.01.2023)
MIDFIELD MAESTRO
Sofyan Amrabat, today, needs no introduction. His heroic performances in a historic Morocco World Cup run granted him a lot of mediatic attention. Even French president Emmanuel Macron personally complimented Amrabat after France’s win over Morocco in the semi-final saying he was “the best midfielder of the tournament”. Whilst Macron’s claim may be up for debate, I personally believe that his performances in the past 365 days have cemented him as one of the most underrated players in Serie A – and now, perhaps, worldwide.
Before jumping to the analysis, it might be worth taking a step back to before the World Cup even started. Amrabat certainly needed an introduction. Born on the 21st of August, 1996, Amrabat is now 26 and plays for Italian side Fiorentina. Throughout his career, Amrabat developed as a player in the Netherlands and Belgium as part of his ascent which brought him to where he plays today. Whilst he has never particularly stood out domestically, Amrabat’s growth is one of constant improvement. Today, he is a crucial player for club and country. He is the central pillar in a Fiorentina midfield alongside Italian midfielder Rolando Mandragora. While Fiorentina’s performances haven’t been particularly appealing, it is important to recognize the players who stand out on these teams – and Sofyan Amrabat is one of them.
Above all, it is Amrabat’s passing which has made him stand out and explains why he is the perfect midfielder for Vincenzo Italiano’s side. In order to adopt an offensive, high-press and direct style of football, Italiano needs holding midfielders who will get the ball to the offensive line quickly and frequently. Amrabat excels in just that, having produced a notable 77 passes into the final third this season. With 13 appearances, that is an impressive average of 5.9 passes into the final third per game. Getting the ball in threatening areas allows offensive, dangerous players like Riccardo Saponara, Christian Kouamé, Jonathan Ikone and Arthur Cabral to unleash their creative instincts. Further, his 77 passes into the final third rank him as 4th in the rankings for this category, which is rather amusing if we consider his position as a holding midfielder in Fiorentina’s 4-2-3-1. Amrabat also produces a remarkable amount of progressive passes. Progressive passes – “ones that move the ball 10 yards (30 feet) closer to the goal than it’s been recently, or any completed pass into the opponent’s penalty area” – are a testimony to a players’ ability to be direct. With 64 progressive passes this season, he ranks 6th in the league for this category. These are crucial to keep in mind because they show Amrabat’s innate ability to find his creative players repeatedly.
By now, you may have gauged that Amrabat serves a pivotal role in Fiorentina’s buildup phase. Italiano has handed him Fiorentina’s reins in midfield, wanting him to get on the ball as often as possible. Amrabat’s excellence shines through here as he attempts almost 67 passes per game and has a pass completion of 90.3%. To understand the greatness of these numbers, it is worth mentioning that this percentage puts him in the top 5% of midfielders worldwide. For comparison, Toni Kroos – arguably one of the best passers worldwide – has a pass completion percentage of 91.4%, only 1.1% more than Amrabat.
Furthermore, Amrabat also serves as a defensive moat in front of Fiorentina’s back line. Whilst this has been displayed most clearly at the 2022 World Cup with Morocco, where the African side conceded only 1 goal up until the semi-finals against France, Amrabat has shown his defensive qualities day-in-day-out with Fiorentina too. Firstly, he sits in the top 90th percentile with 1.7 blocks per 90 compared to other midfielders in the world. Similarly, Amrabat also produces 1.21 interceptions per 90 and 6.5 recoveries per 90. These defensive actions are crucial in allowing Fiorentina to adopt a more offensive, high-pressing game style – which is exactly what manager Vincenzo Italiano desires. For comparison, arguably the best defensive midfielders in the world, Casemiro, produces 7.6 recoveries per 90, which isn’t far off Amrabat’s 6.5 recoveries per 90. This may also be the right time to mention that these comparisons aren’t to say that Amrabat sits on the same level as these players, but rather serve as analysis tools.
Whilst the statistics do partially show Amrabat’s value, it is the eye test that really shows his greatness. With most of the 2022/2023 season still to play, Amrabat will undoubtedly play a crucial role in Fiorentina’s charge towards a spot in European football as they sit in 10th at the time of writing. His performances at the World Cup have earned him some well-deserved respect and attention – something which may sound even better to Sporting Director Daniele Pradè in the case that Fiorentina may choose to cash in on him. Now 26, Amrabat is still young and arguably entering his prime years, which I’d personally love to see him spend at a top Italian club that has even greater ambitions.
References
https://fbref.com/en/players/5a2cb25d/Sofyan-Amrabat
https://fbref.com/en/players/4d224fe8/Casemiro
https://fbref.com/en/players/5a2cb25d/Sofyan-Amrabat