Hello everyone, and welcome back to FUTcast. This time on a less eventful Monday.
But that does not mean we are here to waste time, with the latest TOTS player SBCs showcasing that EA is not pulling punches when it comes to the La Liga and Liga F follow-ups. If you are out of fodder, though, a new Cup is also here to give you a refill, as well as a few PlayStyles-focused evolutions.
Well, without further ado, let’s dive in.
Objectives Grind: Sterling Spotlight Cup
Available until late May, the new Sterling Spotlight Cup Group allows players to get a few handy rewards, going from two great fodder packs to TOTS HM Ricardo Horta, TOTS Breakthrough Abdessamad Ezzalzouli, a TOTS Player Pack, and a 3x PS+ evolution. Here’s an overview of all its rewards and how to get them:
500 SP (Play 10 Sterling Spotlight Cup matches)
10× 83+ Gold Rare Players Pack (Score a finesse shot goal in six separate Sterling Spotlight Cup matches)
Defensive Perfection and Attacking Excellence Evolutions (Win the Sterling Spotlight Cup Quarter-Finals)
20× 82+ Gold Rare Players Pack (Win the Sterling Spotlight Cup Semi-Finals)
Sterling Ascension Evolution + 15× 83+ Gold Rare Players Pack (Win the Sterling Spotlight Cup)
TOTS HM Ricardo Horta / TOTS Breakthrough Abdessamad Ezzalzouli / TOTS Player Pack (Group Completion Reward)
After your first match in the cup, you will also gain two Silver Packs via the Sterling Spotlight Cup Bonus Group.
SBC Spotlight
A torrent of Player SBCs has been released in the last three days, including two unmissable finds in TOTS HM Hansen and Hancko. Here’s an overview of all players:
TOTS Honourable Mentions Caroline Hansen (93 OVR / RW / ~230K) —Priority. Featuring stats and PlayStyles similar to her 1.3M+ TOTY version, Hansen is a card worth sacrificing your reserves for.
TOTS Honourable Mentions Gonçalo Guedes (93 OVR / LM / ~40K) —Must Do. Having three of the best offensive PlayStyles+ in his arsenal (Finesse+, Low Driven+, and Quick Step+), Guedes is an obvious choice for all working on a La Liga squad.
TOTS Honourable Mentions Vicky López (93 OVR / RM) —Worth it. Remember her 900K RTTF variant? Well, you can now get a similar version for less than ¼ of its price. Just don’t prioritize her over Hansen.
TOTS Honourable Mentions Dávid Hancko (92 OVR / CB / ~50K) —Prioritize. Honko is another cheap beast SBC and a player who can provide a meta defender for the bench.
Showdown Philipp Treu (90 OVR / RB / ~20K) —Skip. Even if inviting, Treu does not bring anything new to the table.
Showdown Lamare Bogarde (90 OVR / CDM / ~20K) —Fun. With Aston Villa’s form, Bogarde has all of the tools to get a good upgrade.
Moments Jorge Campos (92 OVR / GK / ~7K) —Surprise. Campos can be, at the very least, a good fodder investment.
Cheapest Solution For TOTS Honourable Mentions Caroline Hansen
FC Barcelona (Min. Rating: 87 / Must feature one player from FC Barcelona and one TOTW or TOTS representative): 3x 88, 4x 87, and 4x 84-rated players
Liga F (Min. Rating: 88 / Must feature one player from Liga F and one TOTW or TOTS representative): 1x 90, 2x 89, 2x 88, and 6x 86-rated players
Top Form (Min. Rating: 89 / Must feature one TOTW or TOTS representative): 2x 87, 3x 88, 4x 89, and 2x 90-rated players
89-Rated Squad (Min. Rating: 89): 2x 87, 3x 88, 4x 89, and 2x 90-rated players
90-Rated Squad (Min. Rating: 90): 3x 88, 3x 89, 2x 90, and 3x 91-rated players
90-Rated Squad (Min. Rating: 90 / Must feature one TOTW or TOTS representative): 3x 88, 3x 89, 2x 90, and 3x 91-rated players
Market Watch
Current Status: Recovering
Although a little more stable than it was on Friday, the market continues to fluctuate between extremes. High-rated fodder gets a little respite, with 88 OVR cards being in high demand (+12%).
Strategy: 85-rated finds can give you a good return (+25%). If you are afraid of going negative, now might be the best time to sell those 88+ cards.
Evolutions
A total of three non-cosmetic or Objective-related evolutions have debuted since we last spoke, with the second step on the Career Path chain being the highlight.
Five Star Phenom (Free)
The first out of this week’s two non-OVR increasing evo’s. Offers a 4-star upgrade to both Weak Foot and Skill Moves.
Requirements: 89-rated or under. World Tour Silver Superstars cannot be used.
Verdict: Must do. Perfect for pretty much all cards under its umbrella, no one can say no to getting that beloved 5/5 combo for free.
Elite Link-Up (Free)
A handy evolution, offering +9 boosts to Short Pass and Vision (max 94). Can be repeated four times.
Requirements: 89-rated or under. World Tour Silver Superstars cannot be used.
Verdict: Fun. A harmless evolution capable of giving you a more than welcome passing boost. Can be a phenomenal fit for low-passing STs like Cristiano Ronaldo, or for pretty much all CDMs, CMs, and CAMs.
TOTS Career Path II (Free)
Available in three variations (CAM, RM, and LM), the evolution allows you to give an extra edge to your Career Path pick via a +1 OVR, massive boosts to various stats, and new PlayStyles (Finesse Shot+, Rpid, Pinged Pass, and Technical for LM/RM, and Incisive Pass+, Tiki Taka, First Touch, and Finesse Shot for CAM). You will also gain two ++ roles depending on your choice.
Requirements: Must have completed TOTS Career Path - Starter. Cannot have more than six positions, 10 PlayStyles, and three PlayStyles+.
Verdict: Although I believe the evolution to be a great investment, there’s not much we can say here. After all, from the second you started the chain, there was no going back.
Quick Hits
OBJ: Even if less forgiving, the Sterling Spotlight Cup Group can still net you great rewards.
SBCs: Caroline Hansen and Dávid Hancko are the highlights.
Market: The market has shown improvement. Now might be the time to sell.
Well, that’s all for today. See you all on Wednesday, and good luck.
Franklin Borges