Serie A goalkeeper earns astonishing perfect 10 rating in U21 team of the week
Here we run through the best rated XI from the weekend’s action across Europe’s top five leagues of those aged 21 and under, with additional information about their Football INDEX share prices.
Goalkeeper: Bartlomiej Dragowski (Empoli) – 10. Rating
Football INDEX share price - £0.18
Bartlomiej Dragowski is unlikely to ever have a performance again like he did against Atalanta on Monday night. The Empoli shot-stopper made 17 saves – a record in a match in Europe’s top five leagues this season – to earn Empoli a vital point in their bid to beat the drop. The 21-year-old is only the second goalkeeper to earn a perfect WhoScored 10 rating in a Serie A match since we started receiving OPTA data for the 2009/10 campaign.
Left-back: Adria Pedrosa (Espanyol) – 7.82 rating
Football INDEX share price – N/A
Adria Pedrosa helped Espanyol to a 2-1 win at home to Alaves at the weekend, netting his first leg goal for the club on just his third start. The 20-year-old left-back opened the scoring in the 19th-minute and finished as the WhoScored Man of the Match. Pedrosa also made three tackles and as many clearances to help his side over the line to three points.
Centre-back: Merih Demiral (Sassuolo) – 7.96 rating
Football INDEX share price – N/A
Merih Demiral has proved an astute piece of business by Serie A side Sassuolo after signing the young centre-back from Turkish side Alanyaspor in January. The 21-year-old netted his first goals for the club a few weeks ago and turned in a Man of the Match display in their 0-0 draw with Parma on Sunday. Demiral won seven aerial duels; completed five tackles and interceptions combined and made four clearances to help Sassuolo keep a clean sheet.
Centre-back: Juan Foyth (Tottenham) – 8.31 rating
Football INDEX share price - £0.47
Juan Foyth made the most of a rare start in Tottenham’s 4-0 thumping of Huddersfield on Saturday, turning in his best league display of the season. The 21-year-old won six aerial duels, a personal best in a league game this season, and also made two tackles and as many clearances. Not only that, but Foyth was influential in possession, creating one goalscoring chance and completing two dribbles.
Right-back: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) – 7.77 rating
Football INDEX share price - £1.81
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s run of registering an assist in two straight matches came to an end in Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Chelsea but the England international was still a stand-out performer for Jurgen Klopp’s side. Alexander-Arnold made five tackles and interceptions combined and completed three clearances to help Liverpool keep a clean sheet. Not only that, but the Liverpool right-back had two shots, completed as many dribbles and registered one key pass.
Central midfield: Christian Rivera (SD Huesca) – 7.48 rating
Football INDEX share price - £0.37
21-year-old midfielder Christian Rivera caught the eye in SD Huesca’s 0-0 draw with Barcelona at the weekend, albeit against a reserve side put out by the La Liga leaders. Nevertheless, Rivera picked a good opponent to collect one of your highest WhoScored ratings of the season against. The Spaniard made seven tackles against Barcelona, at least two more than in any other league match this season.
Central midfield: Ibrahim Sangare (Toulouse) – 7.94 rating
Football INDEX share price - £0.65
Toulouse slipped to a 2-1 defeat to Montpellier at the weekend but Ibrahim Sangare did his reputation no harm. The 21-year-old won two aerial duels and completed six tackles and interceptions combined. Not only that, but the Toulouse starlet completed six dribbles – a personal record in a Ligue 1 match this season.
Central midfield: Jonathan Ikone (Lille) – 7.82 rating
Football INDEX share price - £0.58
Jonathan Ikone came back to haunt former club Paris Saint-Germain after playing an instrumental role in Lille’s shock 5-1 win over the Ligue 1 leaders. PSG only needed to avoid defeat to claim another league title but collapsed to their worst league defeat since 2000. Ikone registered two assists in the win, as many as his previous 15 league outings combined.
Left wing: Marco Richter (Augsburg) – 8.71 rating
Football INDEX share price - £0.38
Marco Richter makes his first appearance in our U21 best rated XI in Europe’s top five leagues after helping Augsburg ease their relegation concerns with a shock 3-1 win away to Frankfurt. The 21-year-old hadn’t scored a league goal in 19 league appearances this season prior to facing Frankfurt but netted twice in Sunday’s victory.
Striker: Moise Kean (Juventus) – 7.27 rating
Football INDEX share price - £2.89
Juventus failed to wrap up the Serie A title this season but it was at least another positive outing for young striker Moise Kean, who made the most of another chance to impress. Kean scored Juventus’ only goal of the game in a 2-1 defeat to SPAL, which means he has now scored in each of his last six appearances for club and country.
Right wing: David Brooks (Bournemouth) – 8.85 rating
Football INDEX share price - £1.54
David Brooks played a key role in Bournemouth’s destruction of Brighton on Saturday and his performance was good enough to keep Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho out of our best rated U21 XI. Brooks scored once in the rout and also provided an assist, as Bournemouth eased their relegation concerns. The Wales international registered four key passes in total.
