Top 10 Teams to Manage in FIFA 18
It’s that time of year again when millions of computer gamers across the globe get into a frenzy with the latest release from the FIFA series.
FIFA 18 is set to be the most impressive version of the game so far. Here, we take a look at the 10 teams you should definitely consider managing in a career mode this year.
Rangers FC
It has been a long road to recovery after their liquidation back in 2012 for Rangers FC. The Ibrox club are finally edging closer to the heights they were at before disaster struck though.
The Blues finished 3rd in the SPL last season and will be looking to improve on that performance this season. The club also has a number of young and exciting prospects for you to use such as Josh Windass, Alfredo Morelos, and Jordan Rossiter.
Now is the time to take control of Rangers and try to shift the balance of power in the Old Firm rivalry with Celtic.
AS Monaco
Well, what a summer of change it has been for Monaco. The 2016/17 season was a superb campaign for the French club.
Under the management of Leonardo Jardim, the club won the Ligue 1 title, reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, and lost in the final of the Coupe de la Ligue.
This summer saw an exodus of players including Bernardo Silva, Kylian Mbappe, Tiemoue Bakayoko, and Benjamin Mendy.
Jardim brought in a number of players to freshen up the squad but it is still a team that needs some serious reconstruction work to maintain the levels set last season. You don’t have to keep hold of Falcao either…
Minnesota United
One of the newest franchises in the US-based MLS are also arguably the toughest challenge to take on in career mode in this year’s FIFA. The club is devoid of any familiar household names and are participating in a league full of them.
Sportsbooks had them listed as long outsiders at the start of the season. Their odds of winning the MLS Cup are now listed at +99900 as the club lies 9th in the Western Conference as the regular season draws to a close.
Can you turn them into the biggest soccer power in the US?
Karlsruher SC
For the first time ever, the 3. Liga will be included in FIFA. That means a whole new level of German soccer is opened up for players to get to grips with.
One team that stands out in this tier is former Bundesliga super power Karlsruher SC. The club suffered relegation from the second tier last season but have everything in place to begin a resurgence up the German football pyramid.
The challenge is to win the club its first German top flight title since 1909.
Everton
Many pundits felt that Ronald Koeman had done some good business in the transfer market over the summer.
Yes, the club did sell top scorer Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United for £70 million but the money was used to strengthen the squad as a whole with incoming signings including goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, centre back Michael Keane, creative midfielders Davy Klaasen and Gylfi Sigurdsson, and club legend Wayne Rooney.
Unfortunately, it has not been a great start to the season for the Toffees who sit at the wrong end of the table at this early stage.
Can you tweak the squad and break into that elite top four?
Amiens
French soccer is hardly seen as a paradise for FIFA players but it can be a potentially very enjoyable career mode.
Amiens are a Ligue 1 club that have just secured promotion from Ligue 2. The club is one of the oldest in French soccer at 116 years old but with a stadium capacity of just 12,097 they are one of the smallest clubs to ever play in the French top flight.
The challenge here is simple survival in the debut season. After that, anything is possible. A few familiar names such as Gael Kakuta, Moussa Konate, and Lacina Traore might ease you in this game.
Forest Green Rovers
In a FIFA first, newly promoted Forest Green Rovers were selected by EA to have their players’ faces captured for the game.
EA made the decision to make Rovers the first club outside of Europe’s top divisions to experience this privilege to celebrate their arrival to the Football League for the first time in their 128 year history.
If you are looking for a Road To Glory game then this is the one for you.
To give you some perspective, the club is based in the Gloucestershire town of Nailsworth that has a population of just 5,800.
Benevento
Italian soccer has long been labelled with the ‘boring’ tag. Teams are better known for playing to defend rather than attack. It is a reputation that has dogged Serie A for decades.
So why not add some spice to proceedings and attempt to lead a footballing revolution in Italy’s top flight? What better club than this season’s Serie A underdogs?
Benevento finished 5th in Serie B last season but won promotion via the play-offs. Players need to rely on a large number of loan players from rival Serie A teams but once that first tricky season is out of the way there is the potential start with a clean slate.
Real Betis
Remember when La Liga side Real Betis shattered the world transfer record back in 1997 by signing Brazilian midfielder Denilson for £22 million? No? Well, you’re probably too young.
Believe it or not, there was a time not too long ago when Los Verdiblancos were one of the biggest rivals to the power duo of Barcelona and Real Madrid.
The club won the Copa del Rey back in 2005 and finished as high as 2nd place in the 2000/01 season. It has been a troublesome time ever since but the club is perfectly poised to re-ignite their glory days.
Captain Joaquin, Swansea centre back Jordi Amat on loan, and Arsenal forward Joel Campbell on loan are the familiar names.
Brighton
The Premier League is a cruel mistress at the best of times. Any team that gets promoted from the Championship faces a tall order to avoid relegation from the top flight in their first season up.
Brighton are this season’s underdogs. Many are tipping players to try a Huddersfield game but, believe it or not, the Seagulls will likely be a more enjoyable game purely because of the inclusion of the Amex Stadium in the game this year.
Will you be able to keep them up? Can you steer them to greater things? You will soon be able to find out.
