European Team of the Week | 17-20 February

GK: Kasper Schmeichel (Olympique Gymnaste Club Nice)

Danish international number one Kasper Schmeichel kept Nice’s hopes of pushing for the European places alive amid an undefeated run on France’s south coast after securing a clean sheet during a 0-0 draw against high-flying Stade de Reims, featuring a penalty save against Ligue 1 top-scorer Folarin Balogun.

After a tough start in Nice, Kasper Schmeichel has really turned things around.

Big penalty save vs. Ligue 1 topscorer Folarin Bologun.#Ligue1 #OGCNicehttps://t.co/PDL0SxMrh5

— Danish Scout (@DanishScout_) February 18, 2023

RB: Junior Messias (Associazione Calcio Milan)

Serie A and global giants AC Milan owe a great debt of gratitude to veteran right-back Junior Messias after a complete performance by the Brazilian, including the match’s only goal, kept Milan sitting 4th in the table after their narrow 1-0 win over an in-form mid-table Monza.

Junior Messias stings the keepers palms and Milan are ahead. 💥 pic.twitter.com/N6dpZLgnun

— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) February 18, 2023

CB: Chris Smalling (Associazione Sportiva Roma)

José Mourinho’s AS Roma remains on the hunt for Champions League football next season with a vital 1-0 win in the capital over Verona, with former Manchester United center-back Chris Smalling the best of the lot after a defensive masterclass in the heart of the defense, showing why there is a growing queue for his services come the summer.

🚨 Roma are confident they can keep hold of former Manchester United and England centre-back Chris Smalling amid interest from Serie A rivals Juventus.

[Source: Tuttomercatoweb] pic.twitter.com/9CQNVNmER5

— Transfer HQ (@Transfer__HQ) February 17, 2023

CB: Boubakar Kouyaté (Montpellier Hérault Sport Club)

A vital 1-0 win at the weekend for Montpellier, in a match that saw the away side and home opponent ESTAC Troyes each have a man sent off, offered additional breathing room ahead of the Ligue 1 dropzone for the Occitanian side, with Malian center-back Boubakar Kouyaté putting in a fantastic shift in the heart of the defense to help guarantee three points.

🎙️Réaction de Boubakar #Kouyaté après la victoire (0-1) à Troyes #ESTACMHSC 🔶🔷

« Cette victoire fait vraiment du bien, c’est une victoire méritée, on a tout donné, on était bien en place »#MHSC #TeamMHSC https://t.co/UEtrFWsMxa

— MHSC OnAir (@MHSC_OnAir) February 20, 2023

LB: Alphonso Davies (Fußball-Club Bayern München)

Despite Bayern Munich tasting defeat for the second time this season when they came away with nothing after a 3-2 loss against Borussia Mönchengladbach at Borussia Park, the Bavarian giants were very much in it throughout thanks to two assists and a superb all-around effort from Canadian starlet Alphonso Davies.

Alphonso Davies now has a goal and three assists in his last five appearances. Coincidentally, or perhaps not, those are the five games he’s played since Joao Cancelo’s arrival at Bayern.#FCBayern #canMNTpic.twitter.com/7AYpCzc5aG

— Farhan Devji (@farhandevji) February 18, 2023

CM: Rodrigo Riquelme (Girona Futbol Club)

Catalan outfit Girona produced one of the biggest results anywhere across the continent’s top leagues this weekend during their 6-2 thrashing of Almería on Friday night in front of home support at Estadi Montilivi, with young midfielder Rodrigo Riquelme offering a goal and an assist to help the club to a massive three points.

🗣️ “He works with a psychologist & takes financial courses to manage his investments, so clearly has his head screwed on.”

🆕🎙️ | One to Watch: Rodrigo Riquelme – @kquaile90 breaks down the Girona forward & a potential return to Atléti.

🔴 ⚪️ Full pod -> https://t.co/GOJiHAg0aA pic.twitter.com/J1hCdcDdPc

— Get Spanish Football News (@GSpanishFN) February 16, 2023

CM: Dani Rodríguez (Real Club Deportivo Mallorca)

🐯 ¡Un ‘Tigre’ anda suelto!

🌟🔝 ¡𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐃𝐀𝐙𝐎 de Dani Rodríguez con el @RCD_Mallorca en el #RCDMallorcaVillarreal! #LaLigaSantander pic.twitter.com/VXCA5riLkk

— LALIGA (@LaLiga) February 18, 2023

RW: Jonas Hofmann (Borussia Verein für Leibesübungen 1900 e.V. Mönchengladbach)

Versatile German international midfielder Jonas Hofmann continued his influential performances for domestic giant Borussia Mönchengladbach at the weekend with a goal and two assists during Gladbach’s massive 3-2 home win over Bayern Munich to help throw the Bundesliga title race wide open.

Jonas #Hofmann hat laut Wyscout-Daten in den Top-5-Ligen den dritthöchsten “expected assists”-Wert (7.61). Damit befindert er sich hinter de Bruyne, Trippier und vor Neymar, Messi, Griezmann, Martinelli und Co.#DieFohlen pic.twitter.com/xfbjQIos7t

— FootballXplained.de (@FootballXpl) February 20, 2023

LW: Kylian Mbappé (Paris Saint-Germain)

French superstar Kylian Mbappé has been restored to his lofty perch atop the Ligue 1 scoring chart during PSG’s electric 4-3 win over LOSC Lille in Paris. Lionel Messi’s match-winning freekick in stoppage time sealed all three points, but PSG would not have been presented with that chance without Mbappé’s equalizer and overall brace on the night.

Kylian Mbappé has become the youngest footballer in Europe’s top 5 leagues to score 150 goals since Jimmy Greaves accomplished the feat in 1962. #PSG pic.twitter.com/gVTEFZfHOz

— Football Talk (@FootballTalkHQ) February 20, 2023

CF: Ciro Immobile (Società Sportiva Lazio)

He may have failed during his spell outside of Italy with Borussia Dortmund and Sevilla, but veteran Italian striker Ciro Immobile continues to impress in Serie A year after year. Another two goals at the weekend for Lazio in their win over Salernitana pushed the Romans to fifth in the table and his personal record is now one goal away from his seventh consecutive season of double-digit goals and placing him 8th among the league’s all-time goalscorers.

Ciro Immobile is now the 8th highest scorer in Serie A history ⚽🇮🇹

7. Baggio: 205
8. Immobile: 191
9. Hamrin: 190
10. Del Piero: 188 pic.twitter.com/TLh28bWdXM

— Italian Football TV (@IFTVofficial) February 19, 2023

CF: Habib Diallo (Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace)

Alsatian side RC Strasbourg will head into the week in a jubilant mood after a 2-1 win against SCO Angers sees the club climb out of the relegation zone that’s to a brace by Senegalese international striker who bagged his ninth and tenth league goals of the campaign during their 2-1 home win at Stade de la Meinau.

Habib #Diallo is featured in @FotMob‘s #TOTW for the @Ligue1_ENG after his great performance ⚽️⚽️ last Saturday! https://t.co/ZVg97ihAKV

— Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace English (@RCSA_English) February 20, 2023

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