RATINGS REFRESH - BUNDESLIGA & LIGUE 1

Bundesliga:

Next up with our predictions we head over to Germany and the Bundesliga. While we see some solid upgrades across the board, the list below showing potential downgrades is definitely even more suprising! 

Hummels +1 Upgrade

With 19 games played in the Bundesliga and just 14 goals conceded by Bayern, it will probably come as no surprise to see them atop the table, 16 points clear of second place. Now while a great team will usually have prolific goals scorers, it is also critical that they are built from the back with a solid defensive line. Hummels is the man who leads this line and with the success both he and Bayern have enjoyed this season, a +1 boost seems only logical. 

Werner +1 Upgrade

This 21-year-old German striker started to make a name for himself last year after helping Leipzig shoot up the Bundesliga table and qualify for Champions League football. Moving into the current year and it seems like this youngster is still a long way off his full potential, with 10 goals and 3 assists from just 16 appearances so far. After receiving his huge upgrade this year of an 82-rated card, it looks likely that just 6 months later EA could be boosting it once more, moving Werner up to that special 83 rating. 

Naldo +2 Upgrade

While Bayern seem to have run away with the league again this year, just one-point separates 2nd and 7th place in the Bundesliga. Thanks to consistently solid displays from the likes of Naldo at the back, Schalke sit in third place and in serious contention for a Champions League spot. It's clear just how solid he has been as a center back, but when we also look at the 4 goals, 2 assists and multiple motm awards he has picked up, anybody can understand why a +2 upgrade could be on the cards. 

Goretzka +1 Upgrade 

Hype surrounding this German youngster has been off the charts for the past couple of years, and this winter transfer window, where he has secured himself a summer move to Bayern, has only added to the hype! With 4 goals from just 9 starts this season, Goretzka shows that he can not only dominate the midfield, but also find the back of the net when the opportunity is present. A +1 boost is all we are expect now, but watch out for this guy in FIFA 19! 

Kimmich +3 Upgrade

Over the past few years, this 22-year-old German right back has simply gone from strength to strength. Every single area of his game seems to be filled with talent, determination and success, whether defensively or going forward. Kimmich has not only been solid defensively, but has also provided numerous assists this season and even found the back of the net a fair few times. With 3 special cards already released this year, a +3 upgrade seems absolutely correct here. 

Coman +3 Upgrade 

With the likes of Ribery and Robben available for those winger positions and at the young age of just 21, it was always going to be difficult for this Frenchman to break into Bayern's starting eleven. However, despite the mountain ahead of him, this seems to be exactly what Coman has achieved, starting 9 games and coming on as a substitute in another 8. While he may have only scored twice this season, his presence and contribution go a lot deeper than goals, and therefore a +3 upgrade is fully deserved. 

Bailey +5 Upgrade

The final mention from the Bundesliga sees us talking about the Jamaican left midfielder from Bayer Leverkusen. With 7 goals, 5 assists and 3 man of the match awards already this season, Bailey has shown just how valuable he is to this Bundesliga team. While we have talked about many rating boosts from 1-3 points, this guy gets a huge increase from 76 all the way up to 81 and its hard to argue against it. 
 

Upgrades

Downgrades

Ligue 1:

For our second league today, we head over to France and the Ligue 1. Some huge names are once again on the list to receive an upgrade, however the number of players likely to be upgraded, who have a special card so far, really seems to be lacking! 

Cavani +1 Upgrade

Since Ibrahimović moved on from PSG the other year, Cavani has finally been given his chance to lead the line and show exactly what he is capable of. With an attacking trio of himself, Neymar and Mbappe, it is no surprise that PSG are flying this season, but when we look at Cavani's contribution of 3 assists and 20 goals, we see just how important this man really is. 

Fabinho +1 Upgrade

Monaco currently sit fourth in Ligue 1, 10 points behind the leaders but just 2 points behind second place Lyon. While their attacking stats have been solid, their defensive ones are equally impressive having conceded the second least amount of goals in the league. Fabinho plays a large part in both areas, holding down the midfield while creating opportunities going forward too. A boost of +1 seems very fitting on this occasion. 

Marquinhos +1 Upgrade

We move back to league leaders PSG once more here, but this time we look at their defensive setup. While Thiago Silva could potentially be getting a downgrade, the younger Brazilian center back could be moving the other way. PSG have been sensational going forward, but we cannot disregard just how important their back line have been too. Marquinhos has been at the heart of this and a +1 upgrade may very well be on the cards. 

Mbappe +1 Upgrade 

After a mega money move in the summer, 19-year-old Mbappe joined PSG with the entire world wondering just what this youngster was capable of. Proving all doubters wrong and showing that he was worth every penny, Mbappe has already bagged himself 9 goals in the league this season and has another 8 assists to his name. A +1 boost right now seems correct, but can you imagine what this guy could be capable of in a few years' time? 

Thauvin +1 Upgrade

Marseille currently sit third in the table with just a mere point separating them from second place Lyon. Thauvin has been critical to their success so far, assisting 8 goals and scoring a further 10 himself. This is one of those players that you simply expect to receive an upgrade, and moving up from 82 to 83 seems extremely fitting. 

Fekir +2 Upgrade

With the goal scoring stats provided by this 24-year-old Frenchman, it would surprise many people that he is not actually, a striker. From a central attacking midfield role, he has already found the back of the net 16 times and assisted another 5 in Ligue 1 alone, propelling Lyon into second place within the league. A +2 upgrade is the very least this man deservers, and if his season continues in this manner we could be seeing a fantastic base card in FIFA 19.

Upgrades

Downgrades