BeSoccer brings you a review of the eleven players who have excelled in this past matchday of European football. An exhaustive review of eleven players who make up a squad that, day after day, will change depending on the performance of the different teams in the five big European leagues: Bundesliga, La Liga, Ligue 1, Premier League and Serie A.
Europe's team of the week
Goalkeeper Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid); defenders Patrick Mainka (Heidenheim), Federico Gatti (Juventus) and Marcos Senesi (Bournemouth); wing-backs James McAtee (Sheffield United) and Miguel Gutierrez (Girona); midfielders Dina Ebimbe (Eintracht Frankfurt), John McGinn (Aston Villa) and Heung-Min Son (Tottenham Hotspur); and forwards Luis Muriel (Atalanta) and Alexandre Lacazette (Olympique Lyon) make up the best starting XI of the European top five leagues' last matchday for their impact, performances, goals and assists.
GOALKEEPER (1):
- Jan Oblak (SLO/Atletico Madrid): The Slovakian goalkeeper helped his team to their 19th win at the Metropolitano stadium after preventing Almeria from scoring the equaliser in the second half. Simeone's men moved into third place in the table after the 2-1 win over the Andalusian side.
DEFDENDERS (3):
- Marco Senesi (ARG/AFC Bournemouth): His header sealed his side's 3-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford. The Cherries are now unbeaten in five games, having won four and drawn one. Andoni Iraola's side have managed to bounce back from poor results at the start of the season. They are already ten points clear of the relegation zone.
- Patrick Mainka (GER/Heidenheim): The 29-year-old is Heidenheim's captain after several years playing in the academies of Borussia Dortmund, Arminia Bielefeld and Werder Bremen. He played a crucial role in his team's 3-2 comeback win over Darmstadt in the Bundesliga, scoring two headers from two corner-kicks to give his side all three points.
- Federico Gatti (ITA/Juventus): Gatti was again decisive for Juventus in his side's 1-0 Serie A win over Napoli. The 25-year-old headed home to give 'Vecchia Signora' the win. The Italian international has scored three goals this campaign. Juve are in second place, two points behind leaders Inter Milan.
MIDFIELDERS (5):
- James McAtee (ENG/Sheffield United): The midfielder on loan at Sheffield United from Manchester City netted a wonderstrike in his side's 1-0 win over Brentford in the Premier League. It was the Blades' second win in 16 league games. His superb curling effort from the corner of the box to the far post, sealed the victory.
- Dina Ebimbe (FRA-CMR/Eintracht Frankfurt): That's seven goals and two assists for the 23-year-old midfielder in the current campaign for Eintracht Frankfurt, who thrashed Bayern Munich 5-1. The French midfielder extended the lead in the 21st minute after Marmoush had opened the scoring and then secured his brace in the second half.
- John McGinn (SCO/Aston Villa): His winning goal kept Aston Villa's winning streak going as they claimed their 15th consecutive Premier League home win... And it came against Arsenal, who were pegged back from top spot by the Scotland midfielder's seventh-minute opener. He has now scored six goals this term for Unai Emery's side, who are third, two points behind Liverpool at the top.
- Heung-Min Son (KOR/Tottenham): Four defeats and a draw in a run of five games without a win triggered doubts for Tottenham, who bounced back with a 4-1 crushing win over Newcastle with the South Korean star in the spotlight. He set up the first two goals, from Udogie and Richarlison, and put the icing on the cake by scoring his 10th goal of the season though a late penalty.
- Miguel Gutierrez (SPA/Girona): Girona are La Liga leaders again. Their victory against Barcelona (2-4) was a proof of the good moment in which Michel's team finds itself. The Catalan side's second goal was scored by Miguel Gutierrez, who restored his side's lead through a great individual move that ended with an effort into the top corner.
FORWARDS (2)
- Luis Muriel (COL/Atalanta): In the 95th minute, he broke Atalanta's four-game winless streak, three of them defeats, with a masterful back-heel finish in the 95th minute as Atalanta beat Milan 3-2.
- Alexandre Lacazette (FRA/Lyon): A bottom-of-the-table Olympique Lyonnais side won three games later against Toulouse thanks to three goals from the 32-year-old striker, who made it 1-0 in the 25th minute, 2-0 in the 29th and 3-0 in the 80th.