European team of the week: Dembele, Neymar and Zapata sparkle
With the gameweek across Europe’s top five leagues coming to a close yesterday, we run through the team of the week from a run of fixtures that began with Bayern beating Hoffenheim on Friday to Eibar’s big win over Espanyol last night.
Goalkeeper: Michael Esser (HANNOVER 0-1 Werder Bremen) - 9.43
He may have ended up on the losing side at the weekend but Hannover’s Michael Esser ensured that the scoreline wasn’t an accurate reflection of the game against Werder Bremen. Milot Rashica’s first half match-winner was one of 13 shots on target for the visitors, with the hosts’ keeper producing a league high of 12 saves in a single game to spare his side’s blushes.
Right-back: Daniel Caligiuri (SCHALKE 2-1 Woflsburg) - 9.15
After a disappointing first half of the season, Schalke will hope that Sunday’s victory against high-flying Wolfsburg is a sign of things to come. The hosts took the lead through an early penalty from the versatile Caligiuri, who went onto score the winning goal in the second half having fired off more shots than any other player on the pitch from right-back (five), creating a further three chances, completing three dribbles and producing two tackles in an excellent display.
Centre-back: Gianluca Mancini (Frosinone 0-5 ATALANTA) - 9.27
Taking the mantle of goalscoring centre-back from predecessor Mattia Caldara, 22-year-old Mancini took no time to return to the scoresheet following Serie A’s winter break. His goal in the 5-0 trouncing of Frosinone was his fifth of the season from 13 starts, and the youngster was superb besides too, completing three dribbles from the back, producing four tackles and completing 90.3 per cent of his passes.
Centre-back: Fabian Schar (NEWCASTLE 3-0 Cardiff) - 9.08
In and out of the Newcastle side this season despite some impressive displays, Schar’s performance against Cardiff was his greatest claim for a regular starting berth yet. Deployed on the right of a back three, the Switzerland international opened the scoring with his first goal for the club, slotting home with his weaker left foot after a fine solo run before adding a more fortuitous second after the break. Solid defensively too, winning four aerial duels, two tackles and producing five clearances, the 27-year-old surely deserves a prolonged run in the side.
Left-back: Aaron Martin (Stuttgart 2-3 MAINZ) - 9.47
Seen as something of a coup when they picked up the 21-year-old from Espanyol in the summer, Martin has proven to be exactly that for Mainz. The full-back made three tackles, two interceptions and seven clearances in the weekend win at Stuttgart, but it was his attacking influence that proved to be telling, registering an assist from one of five key passes and completing a superb seven dribbles.
Right midfield: Ousmane Dembele (BARCELONA 3-1 Leganes) - 9.39
Before sustaining an ankle injury that is set to keep him sidelined for the next few weeks, Dembele was in sparkling form against Leganes. The youngster scored the opening goal of the game and his eighth in the league this season, though it was his dribbling that once again stood out. A monumental 13 successful dribbles in a single game is the most in La Liga this season, and even more astonishing when you consider he was forced off in the 69th minute.
Central midfield: Neymar (PSG 9-0 Guingamp) - 10
The first of three perfect ten ratings in the best XI this week, Neymar continues to impress deployed in an advanced midfield position behind the front two. The Brazilian opened the scoring in an absolute rout against bottom club Guingamp with a superbly taken goal and added his 13th of the Ligue 1 season after the break, attempting nine shots in total as well as registering his sixth assist of the campaign and completing a remarkable 11 dribbles.
Central midfield: Sebastian Cristoforo (GETAFE 4-0 Alaves) - 9.30
Having scored just 21 goals in 19 matches beforehand, and coming up against a side that had conceded just 19 all season over that time, Getafe’s 4-0 win over Alaves wasn’t one many would have predicted. Nor too was the influential player in said win, with Cristoforo starting for just the third time in La Liga but playing a pivotal role with and without the ball. The Uruguayan registered two assists and completed three dribbles, while producing five tackles and three interceptions to break up play in the middle ground.
Left midfield: Luis Muriel (FIORENTINA 3-3 Sampdoria) - 8.99
Having been restricted to just one league start all season at Sevilla, Muriel certainly made up for lost time in his first in a Fiorentina shirt, scoring twice in a six-goal thriller against Samp. The Viola were leading 2-1 when the Colombian was withdrawn on 77 minutes, with the 27-year-old starting from the left and attempting three shots in that time, while completing five of six dribble attempts and creating a chance for Federico Cheese.
Centre forward: Edinson Cavani (PSG 9-0 Guingamp) - 10
Joining Neymar in the team of the week, Cavani had a direct hand in five of PSG’s nine goal haul to edge out strike partner and fellow hat-trick hero Kylian Mbappe. The Uruguayan’s treble came from just four attempts in total, while he assisted the Frenchman twice from three key passes to take his Ligue 1 tallies to 14 and four respectively.
Centre forward: Duvan Zapata (Frosinone 0-5 ATALANTA) - 10
Completing this week’s XI, Zapata has picked up where he left off after the winter break, extending his scoring streak to eight matches in all competitions with his best showing yet. The Colombian took his league tally for the season to 14 with a four-goal haul against lowly Frosinone, hitting the target with five of nine shots in total. Elsewhere the 27-year-old created a chance, completed a dribble and won three aerial duels to earn the third perfect ten rating in our top rated lineup.
