Every week we pick 22 of the best performing players in Europe’s top five leagues and, with your help, narrow it down to the best XI.
Using polls on our Instagram stories, we pit players in each position against each other and let you decide who deserves to make the cut.
Here’s what our latest European Team of the Week looks like:
GK: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)
Made some brilliant saves among his seven that led to a clean sheet against Wolves. Two stops that stood out in particular came against Daniel Podence and then Leander Dendoncker.
RB: Silas Wamangituka (Stuttgart)
Scored twice in a stunning 5-1 win at Borussia Dortmund that cost Lucien Favre his job. He converted the opener from the spot before popping up in the box for his seventh goal of the season. Also intercepted well and played in Tanguy Coulibaly for the the fourth.
CB: Angelo Ogbonna (West Ham)
Leeds United provided a stern test and Ogbonna came through with flying colours. He was a rock at the back, registering a game-high nine clearances and even towered over everyone to execute a thumping header for the winner.
CB: Jules Kounde (Sevilla)
Ever so composed on the ball, Kounde’s 109 passes against Getafe was the most by any player. His distribution was key to their build-up play and he even managed to make a vital clearance off the line.
LB: Theo Hernandez (AC Milan)
Had a great run in the first half that resulted in a cutback for a goal that was ruled offside. With Milan going 2-0 down in the second half, he halved the deficit by heading home from a corner. The left-back then salvaged a draw in injury time with a late strike to maintain the league leaders’ unbeaten streak.
Our unbeaten run continues... #MilanParma #SempreMilan pic.twitter.com/gVDbha04mL
— AC Milan (@acmilan) December 13, 2020
CM: James Maddison (Leicester City)
Fully fit now and looked sharp against Brighton, linking up with Jamie Vardy to good effect. He scored twice with his second being an absolute scorcher, shifting it onto his left foot and curling it into the top corner.
CM: Eduardo Camavinga (Rennes)
Continues to grow in stature at Rennes. He dominated the midfield and dictated play with his passing during a 1-0 win at Nice. His defensive contribution was immense with a game-high seven tackles.
CM: Nicolo Barella (Inter)
Showed great work ethic throughout the game and sparked a comeback as Inter beat Cagliari 3-1. He scored with a stunning volley and also provided an assist with unerring precision.
FW: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Barcelona only managed a 1-0 win over Levante but Messi’s efforts perhaps deserved more. He bombarded the opposition with 12 shots and was a constant threat, making three key passes. Every attacking move seemed to go through him and it was fitting that he scored the only goal in the encounter.
Lionel Messi has directly contributed to 9️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ goals for Barcelona 🤯
— Sport360° (@Sport360) December 14, 2020
746 Games 📋
642 Goals ⚽️
258 Assists 🅰️
🐐 pic.twitter.com/qVKiawhhjo
FW: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)
Saw a great header thwarted at the back post on a difficult outing. However, he wouldn’t be denied on his 100th appearance for Juventus and went on to bag a brace with two expertly-taken penalties.
FW: Hirving Lozano (Napoli)
Huge impact off the bench as he inspired a comeback victory for Napoli. He headed in Dries Mertens’ cross for the equaliser and even hit the post with an early shot that took the defence by surprise. He eventually got down the flank and supplied a fine cross for the winner.
