OneFootball
Lewis Ambrose·9 October 2023
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Lewis Ambrose·9 October 2023
There were some big performances and some big results to take us into the international break.
Here’s our team of the weekend from Europe’s top five leagues.
Two penalties faced, two penalties saved. How could it be anyone but Manuel Riemann after a stunning performance earned VfL Bochum a surprise point at RB Leipzig on Saturday?
Hakimi shone with a goal and assist against Rennes and looks like he’s getting back to his best under Luis Enrique.
After all the talk that it may have been William Saliba’s injury that cost Arsenal the title last season, there was plenty of pressure on the Frenchman up against Erling Haaland on Sunday. He delivered a masterclass against the Norwegian like it was no big deal at all.
Solid as you like under immense pressure at the back, Bernardo was Bochum’s standout defender on the ground in the air and on the ball as they kept the likes of Loïs Openda and Xavi Simons unusually quiet.
Jakobs marked his second Ligue 1 start of the season with a goal and an assist as Monaco beat Reims to stay top of Ligue 1.
Two goals — one an absolutely outrageous effort — from Kingsley Coman saw Bayern ease past SC Freiburg. There has been talk about Mathys Tel coming for his place but Coman won’t give it up easily.
For all the attention on Jude Bellingham, what about those setting the platform for him to perform? Valverde was exceptional for Real Madrid against Osasuna on Saturday and created two goals to cap a fine performance.
But that doesn’t mean Bellingham doesn’t also get his flowers. A superb brace continued his incredible start to the season. There is surely no more in-form player in world football? Well, maybe one, playing up front in our XI …
A brace against Barcelona and a Spain call-up, Zaragoza has plenty to smile about right now. His first goal was struck well but his second, turning inside then out before beating Ter Stegen with the outside of his foot, was a pure delight. The 22-year-old is one to watch.
It wasn’t to be for Newcastle on Sunday but that had nothing to do with Isak. There’s so much more to his game than just goals but his efforts at West Ham were true poacher territory, never a bad thing for a striker to possess.
The man who probably can rival Bellingham for the award of the world’s most in-form player. Guirassy is cool and collected in front of goal like nobody else right now, as shown when he bagged his third of the weekend and 13th of the Bundesliga season to set a new record for the most prolific start to a top flight campaign in Germany.