Stefanos Tzimas was supposed to be one of the pieces of the puzzle to compensate for the departure of Can Uzun. At the weekend, he became the match winner in his first Franconian derby. What does he have in FC 25?
It was clear to everyone who supports 1. FC Nürnberg that Can Uzun would be impossible to replace after his outstanding second division season in 2023/24. So, a replacement was needed for the club’s offensive life insurance, which sporting director Olaf Rebbe found, among others, at his former club PAOK Thessaloniki. With the loan of the highly talented Stefanos Tzimas, the club pulled off a real transfer coup that could also pay off in FC 25.
Where the virtual Tzimas convinces
A total rating of 67 points makes Tzimas the second-highest rated striker in the Clubber squad after Janni Serra (69 GES). This makes the young Greek a real alternative for the starting eleven, especially since he has a different profile to his competitor or potential teammate. While Serra, at over 1.90 meters, is very physical and is the classic playmaker, Tzimas, at 1.86 meters, is much more lively and has more speed.
The difference is particularly evident in the values for mobility and acceleration. While Tzimas gets an acceleration rating of 78, Serra gets a 68. The former Kiel player collects 55 points for mobility, while the Derby double-packer collects 67. However, the 18-year-old’s greatest strength is his jumping power (81), which, together with his heading precision of 71 points, makes him dangerous in the air. His offensive positioning (71) is on a par with his finishing (69).
Passing game drops
For EA SPORTS, Tzimas is a “attacking midfielder” with his attributes, i.e. a versatile attacker who is usually on the opposing defensive line and is equally good at building up play and making deep runs. The Greece international therefore feels most comfortable in this role in FC 25 and moves best off the ball.
However, you should not include Tzimas in combinations too much at first. While his stats can be improved in career mode, his short passes (61) and especially his long passes (51) and vision (49) are initially poor. In general, passing is the PAOK loanee’s biggest weakness, in addition to his less relevant defensive skills. Particular caution is advised with the slightly weaker left foot (3 stars).
Potential not yet at Uzun level
Of course, it’s not just the passing skills of the Nuremberg derby hero that can improve. His overall rating also looks set to jump. Developer EA SPORTS currently estimates his potential at 77 points. This means he can’t quite match the 80-point score that Uzun achieved on his debut in FIFA 23.
However, this rating doesn’t necessarily have to be the end of the story due to his dynamic potential. If the youngster plays regularly and performs well, there’s the possibility of a few extra points – including in the Nuremberg jersey. While a long-term commitment of Tzimas is utopian in real life due to a purchase option of ten million euros, the virtual value of the Greek is around two million euros. A quite manageable sum – especially if the virtual FCN is knocking on the top flight door.