Manchester City starlet Phil Foden makes U21 Team of the Week across Europe
Here we run through the best rated XI from the weekend’s action in Europe’s top five leagues of those aged 21 and under, with additional information about their Football INDEX share prices.
Goalkeeper: Florian Muller (Mainz) - 7.05 rating
Football INDEX share price - £0.29
Mainz are now mathematically safe after winning for the second time in three league matches at the weekend. The German side beat Fortuna Duesseldorf 3-1 on home soil, with goalkeeper Florian Muller playing a key part in the win. The 21-year-old made five saves and successfully claimed one cross to help his side over the line.
Left-back: Adria Pedrosa (Espanyol) - 7.54 rating
Football INDEX share price - N/A
Espanyol left-back Adria Pedrosa retains his place in the best U21 XI for the second week running after another positive display in Spain. Espanyol are on course for a top half finish after extending their unbeaten streak to four games at the weekend with a 2-2 draw with Leganes. Not only did Pedrosa excel at the back, completing four tackles and interceptions combined and five clearances, but the 20-year-old was also a threat going forward, attempting one shot; registering two key passes and completing three dribbles.
Centre-back: Ibrahima Konate (RB Leipzig) - 7.52 rating
Football INDEX share price - £0.72
Ibrahima Konate has been a mainstay in our best U21 XIs this season and the RB Leipzig teenager returns to the fold this time around after a two-week absence. Leipzig pulled off a 2-1 win away to Gladbach at the weekend and Konate turned in another positive display. The 19-year-old won five aerial duels and completed eight clearances to alleviate danger on his team’s goal. Not only that, but Konate also completed three dribbles and provided one key pass.
Centre-back: Kevin Danso (Augsburg) - 8.00 rating
Football INDEX share price - £0.28
Augsburg have taken huge strides towards securing their top-flight status for another season after recording successive league victories. However, Saturday’s victory was all the more important as they thumped Stuttgart, who occupy the relegation play-off spot, 6-0. Not only will they take huge confidence from that result but it will also serve as a huge blow to their relegation rivals. As well as keeping a clean sheet, Kevin Danso won four aerial duels, hit the target with his only shot of the game and made five clearances.
Right-back: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) - 7.76 rating
Football INDEX share price - £2.08
Trent Alexander-Arnold has now registered an assist in four of his last five appearances for Liverpool in all competitions after setting up Georginino Wijnaldum for the opening goal in their 2-0 win at Cardiff on Sunday. Alexander-Arnold’s clever corner was blasted past a helpless Neil Etheridge to ease the pressure on Jurgen Klopp’s title chasers. Not only that, but Alexander-Arnold created another four goalscoring opportunities and completed two tackles and interceptions combined.
Central midfield: Mehdi Leris (Chievo) - 7.88 rating
Football INDEX share price - N/A
Chievo, who are already relegated, pulled off arguably the result of the weekend across Europe’s top five leagues after beating Lazio 2-1 away from home on Saturday. Lazio finished the game with nine men and handed Chievo just their second league win of the season and first on the road. Chievo midfielder Mehdi Leris finished as the WhoScored Man of the Match after an eye-catching display from midfield. The 20-year-old tested the Lazio goalkeeper with both of his attempts on goal and also registered two key passes. Not only that, but the Frenchman won three aerial duels, completed four dribbles and made three tackles.
Central midfield: Houssem Aouar (Lyon) - 8.12 rating
Football INDEX share price - £1.55
After going off the boil in recent months, Houssem Aouar rediscovered his best form in Lyon’s 2-1 win at home to Angers on Friday night. The 20-year-old set up both goals, registering as many assists as his previous 19 league games combined. Aouar also completed four tackles and interceptions combined and set up one further goalscoring opportunity.
Central midfield: Phil Foden (Manchester City) - 7.99 rating
Football INDEX share price - £3.38
Phil Foden made the most of an unexpected start against Tottenham on Saturday to score the match winner. The 18-year-old was on hand to convert City’s only goal of the game on just his second ever Premier League start. The City starlet had three attempts on goal in total and weighed in with four tackles and interceptions combined. Foden also completed three dribbles and the teen will hope to get further opportunities from now until the end of the season.
Forward: Marco Richter (Augsburg) - 10.0 rating
Football INDEX share price - £0.53
Marco Richter retains his place in the best U21 XI for the second week running and has gone one further this time around, securing his first ever perfect WhoScored 10 rating. Richter played a direct hand in three of the six goals Augsburg scored against Stuttgart. Richter scored twice from six attempts and forced Stuttgart’s goalkeeper into a further three saves, while creating four key passes in total, including his assist for Philipp Max in the first half. The 21-year-old has scored or assisted eight league goals this season and five of them have come in Augsburg’s last two matches.
Forward: Jean-Philippe Mateta (Mainz) - 8.63 rating
Football INDEX share price - £0.67
Jean-Philippe Mateta scored twice in Mainz’s 3-1 victory over Fortuna Duesseldorf to propel his side to safety in the Bundesliga. Mateta scored from both of his shots on target and had another three attempts, while registering two key passes and winning three aerial duels. The 21-year-old has now scored 12 league goals this season and five have come in his last three league appearances.
Forward: Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain) - 9.64 rating
Football INDEX share price - £5.27
Kylain Mbappe kicked off Paris Saint-Germain’s title celebrations with a hat-trick against former club Moncao. Mbappe is also the first player to score 30 league goals in a season in Europe’s top five leagues before turning 21 since the Brazilian Ronaldo managed the feat for Barcelona in the 1996/97 campaign. Only Lionel Messi (33) has scored more goals than Mbappe in Europe’s top five leagues this season and the golden boot race will go down to the wire.