PSG duo shines in European TOTW as French champions maintain 13-point Ligue 1 lead | OneFootball

Reflecting on the European season of 2024/25, the weekend of March 1-2 was filled with drama and intrigue.

The race for the title in Serie A and La Liga is heating up. Just three points separate the first three-placed teams.

In contrast, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain enjoy more comfortable positions in their respective leagues. Vincent Kompany’s side leads the Bundesliga by eight points over defending champions Bayer Leverkusen, while Luis Enrique’s men’s title defence is all but secured. With ten matches remaining, PSG boast a remarkable 13-point lead in Ligue 1.

They’ve benefited significantly from an attacking pair, Désiré Doué and Ousmane Dembélé. Doué, a teenage sensation, is turning heads with his performances, while Dembélé is finally starting to fulfill his potential as a leader. Both are featured in our European Team of the Weekend following their most recent standout display.

Bologna, climbing the Serie A table, also have two players included, with the rest coming from seven different clubs across Europe’s other major leagues.

We used our Squawka Score to select the eleven players based on their statistical leadership in metrics relevant to their positions.

GK: Brice Samba (Rennes)

Rennes had a straightforward outing, securing a 4-0 victory against Ligue 1’s bottom side, Montpellier. Brice Samba achieved his 10th clean sheet of the season, with the first seven occurring in just 14 appearances for Lens before he registered three in nine games with Rennes, where he joined during the winter transfer window.

Formerly of Nottingham Forest, Samba now leads the shutout rankings in the French top division. In the match against Montpellier, he was forced to make no fewer than five saves, all of which were inside the penalty box. He proved his worth by achieving a goal prevention score of 1.01.

RB: Yan Couto (Borussia Dortmund)

Borussia Dortmund’s campaign has been rather unusual this season. They comfortably qualified for the Champions League round of 16 while currently sitting in 10th place in the Bundesliga standings. It appears BVB is undergoing another transitional phase. A key player in this process, at least temporarily, is 22-year-old Brazilian full-back Yan Couto, who joined the team on loan from Manchester City.

During Dortmund’s victory over St. Pauli, Couto showcased his talents, demonstrating to Pep Guardiola and his staff that he could potentially be part of City’s own rebuilding efforts, although Rico Lewis currently occupies the right-back position firmly. In that match, Couto created one significant chance and made three interceptions to regain possession. He won two tackles, made seven clearances, and won the ball five times in the defensive third.

CB: Jhon Lucumí (Bologna)

Bologna achieved their best Serie A finish in over a decade last season, securing ninth place, and there is a strong possibility they can improve on that this year. Currently, Bologna sits in sixth place, just three points away from the Champions League spots. Although they may not possess the strongest defence in the Italian league and conceded a goal in their victory over Cagliari, centre-back Jhon Lucumí delivered an impressive performance. He recorded one interception inside the box, maintained an outstanding ball retention rate of 94.17%, won 80% of his ground duels, and regained possession six times in the defensive third.

CB: Sead Kolasinac (Atalanta)

A familiar name for longtime Bundesliga and Premier League watchers, Sead Kolasinac is no longer the flying left-back he once was. He now plays an integral role in Atalanta’s back three. However, his trademark aggressive style remains intact, as he gets stuck in during matches.

In their goalless draw against Venezia, which keeps Atalanta in third place, three points behind leaders Inter Milan after 27 rounds, Kolasinac demonstrated his defensive skills with no fewer than seven clearances and three tackles.

He also showcased his capabilities going forward, making nine passes into the final third and creating one significant chance. He won possession eight times in the middle third, indicating that under Gian Piero Gasperini’s management, he is encouraged to move into midfield as often as possible.

LB: Aarón Martín (Genoa)

Genoa is having another unremarkable season, currently sitting comfortably in mid-table. It seems unlikely that they will be relegated from Serie A, nor do they appear poised to secure a place in European competition for next season. With only one win in their last five games, their campaign has been disappointing overall.

However, there are some bright spots, such as left-back Aarón Martín. He played a crucial role in their 1-1 draw at home against Empoli, as Patrick Vieira’s side came back from a goal down. Martín not only created the equaliser but also made two interceptions that helped regain possession. He also recorded five clearances and won possession in the defensive third on six occasions.

CM: Nadiem Amiri (Mainz 05)

A quick glance at the Bundesliga table reveals a former Jurgen Klopp-led team in the Champions League spots: it’s not Borussia Dortmund, but rather Mainz 05, putting Bo Henriksen in contention for Manager of the Season. A key player contributing to this success is Nadiem Amiri, who has emerged as a commendable central midfielder.

In their match against RB Leipzig, Amiri displayed his best form, scoring a goal in Mainz’s 2-1 victory and creating their other goal as well. His performance included three successful passes into the penalty area, and he completed two take-ons from the midfield, demonstrating his ability to transition from deep and connect with Mainz’s attackers.

Additionally, Amiri completed ten passes into the final third, made seven entries into the penalty area, and won nine duels. It was a complete midfield performance.

AM: Isco (Real Betis)

Real Madrid is facing a challenging moment as they desperately seek to defend their La Liga title. They couldn’t have faced Real Betis at a worse time, with Manuel Pellegrini’s team, including on-loan Manchester United winger Antony, finding their form. Los Blancos initially took the lead at Estadio Benito Villamarín, but the match took a turn when Isco, who had a tumultuous time at Real Madrid in the past, played a crucial role in Betis’ comeback. He assisted Joao Cardoso for the equaliser and later scored the winning goal from the penalty spot. Throughout the match, Isco completed three successful crosses, created six total chances (one of which was classified as a ‘big chance’), and made 28 passes into the final third.

AM: Désiré Doué (Paris Saint-Germain)

For a club that has often faced criticism for the belief that spending is the only path to success, it is important to recognise that Paris Saint-Germain is one of Europe’s top clubs in terms of talent development. A prime example is Désiré Doué, a promising player in whom the French champions have invested significantly. At just 19 years old, Doué is impressing everyone under the bright lights of Paris, with his performance against Lille highlighting his potential. In that match, he played as one of PSG’s number 10s, scoring a goal and creating another. Doué also showcased his determination with eight ball recoveries and a successful tackle.

RW: Riccardo Orsolini (Bologna)

A low-key candidate for this season’s Serie A MVP is Bologna winger Riccardo Orsolini. However, his chances may be hindered by the fact that he missed eight of the club’s opening 27 matches, including five due to a hamstring injury. Orsolini was nearly unstoppable during a six-game stretch from October to November 2024, where he scored five goals and provided two assists before missing a match due to injury. He returned to form in Bologna’s 2-1 victory over Cagliari, scoring both goals. He also achieved a 100% success rate for take-ons and crossed the ball accurately every time.

CF: Hugo Ekitiké (Eintracht Frankfurt)

In the race for this season’s Bundesliga golden shoe, it’s Harry Kane’s to lose. He currently leads the scoring chart, with five players trailing between him and Hugo Ekitiké, although Omar Marmoush has now moved to Manchester City, which has seen Ekitiké take on more responsibility since leaving Frankfurt. Despite the added pressure, he has shown no signs of being overwhelmed. Ekitiké ended a two-game scoring drought during a 4-1 loss to Bayer Leverkusen, marking his sixth goal in his last eight Bundesliga appearances. In that match, he proved his effectiveness by recording nine touches in the opposition’s box and completing three layoff passes, showcasing his ability to involve his teammates in the game.

LW: Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain)

Eyebrows were raised when PSG head coach Luis Enrique stated that the Ligue 1 champions would perform better without Kylian Mbappé in their lineup after the French star finally completed his long-protracted move to Real Madrid last summer. With their lead atop the French championship a seemingly insurmountable 15 points, the Spanish tactician seems to be having the last laugh.

One reason for his optimism may stem from witnessing Ousmane Dembélé finally begin to fulfill his potential by taking charge of the attack. Without Mbappé around, Dembélé has become PSG’s main man. Though injuries limited his contributions in previous seasons, the 27-year-old winger has only missed two league matches this season, and one of those was as an unused substitute.

He played 63 minutes against Lille, which was enough for him to make an impact, scoring a goal and providing an assist. Dembélé also averaged 14.29 touches in the opposition box per 90 minutes, while completing 8.57 crosses per 90 and 24.29 passes into the final third per 90.