European Team of the Week | 17-19 March

GK: Steve Mandanda (Stade Rennais)

Stade Rennais upset the apple cart in Paris on Sunday evening after a 2-0 win against PSG in the French capital, with much of the credit being owed to veteran international shot-stopper Steve Mandanda who added eight saves in a clean-sheet performance to temporarily halt the champions.

Steve Mandanda turns 38 next week, but he just recorded 8 saves (7 from inside the box) to lead Rennes to a 2-0 win against Paris Saint-Germain.

That’s 3 wins and 3 clean sheets in his last 4 games against PSG for Mandanda. pic.twitter.com/7xhbmkSnh0

— Zach Lowy (@ZachLowy) March 20, 2023

RB: Filip Kostić (Juventus)

Though a left-sided player, some liberties were taken to include Serbian star Filip Kostić in the team after his fantastic performance at the weekend against Inter Milan, which included the only goal of the match in a man-of-the-match performance for The Old Lady.

Filip Kostic from the left wing = cheat code 🔥pic.twitter.com/PDSrYzhkQ0

— Italian Football TV (@IFTVofficial) March 20, 2023

CB: Bram Nuytinck (Sampdoria)

Veteran Dutch defender Bram Nuytinck helped give Sampdoria fans a moment to smile in a season that could end in relegation for the Genoese outfit after a 3-1 win over Verona, with adding an assist as well as a goal-line clearance in the heart of the back three.

Sampdoria have one of the most passionate fanbases in Serie A and it showed during their win over Verona 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ttO1Jdb8wx

— Get Italian Football News (@_GIFN) March 19, 2023

CB: Erhan Mašović (VfL Bochum)

For the second week in a row, Serbian center-back Erhan Mašović features in the team of the week on the back of another goalscoring performance while helping Ruhr valley outfit VfL Bochum secure a vital 1-0 upset win over RB Leipzig Bundesliga win to help their chances of survival in 2022-23.

Er meint sicherlich die Torschützenliste der @Bundesliga_DE! Nur noch 11, Erhan!🤩 #meinVfL #BOCRBL 1:0 pic.twitter.com/uWSUpGuwq2

— VfL Bochum 1848 (@VfLBochum1848eV) March 18, 2023

LB: Raphaël Guerreiro (Borussia Dortmund)

Portuguese international left-back Raphaël Guerreiro is one of three Dortmund players to feature in the team of the week after their 6-1 drubbing of Köln at the weekend, with the former Lorient player’s attacking qualities rising to the surface on the back of 1 goal and a brace of assists.

15′ ⚽️
17′ 🅰️
31′ 🅰️

What a first half from Raphael Guerreiro!#BVBKOE pic.twitter.com/pUZVYLE43X

— DW Sports (@dw_sports) March 18, 2023

CM: Gabri Veiga (Celta de Vigo)

Young Spanish sensation Gabri Veiga continues to have all of Europe talking this season on the back of his fantastic breakout performances for Celta Vigo, with the midfielder once again getting on the scoresheet at the weekend in a 3-1 win over Espanyol to help the club climb into the top half.

Spanish gem Gabri Veiga scores again for Celta Vigo today, 9 goals in La Liga for the 2002-born offensive midfielder ✨🇪🇸 #LaLiga

Premier League top clubs and also Real Madrid have sent their scouts to follow Veiga mutiple times.

Release clause: €40m. pic.twitter.com/TcPpycziH6

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 19, 2023

CM: Frenkie De Jong (Barcelona)

Frenkie de Jong vs Real Madrid: 🌟🇳🇱

• 94% passing accuracy
• 100% long balls completed
• 100% dribbles completed
• 8/9 ground duels won
• 5 key passes
• 0 times dribbled past pic.twitter.com/6daPXE109y

— 𝐀𝐅𝐂 𝐀𝐉𝐀𝐗 💎 (@TheEuropeanLad) March 19, 2023

RW: Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund)

German international and Borussia Dortmund star Marco Reus wrote his name into the history books at the weekend during their 6-1 win over Köln with a brace in front of goal, while officially becoming the club’s all-time leading scorer and becoming a true hero for his boyhood club in the process.

160 – Marco Reus scored his 160th professional goal for Borussia Dortmund, overtaking Michael Zorc to become BVB’s sole record goal scorer in professional football. Record. #BVBKOE pic.twitter.com/rIx4GCCjol

— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) March 18, 2023

LW: Alexis Sánchez (Olympique de Marseille)

Chilean star Alexis Sánchez has enjoyed his best season in front of goal since bagging 24 league goals for Arsenal in 2016-17 after hitting his 11th and 12th goals of the current campaign for French giants Marseille in their win over Will Still’s Reims outfit while closing the gap to PSG to seven points.

🇨🇱🎯 Alexis Sánchez (34) was on form yesterday with a brace against Reims! pic.twitter.com/eQ4yJvskse

— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) March 20, 2023

CF: Sébastien Haller (Borussia Dortmund)

The brilliant comeback story of Sébastien Haller continued over the weekend in the wake of successfully battling against serious illness, with the Ivorian striker bagging a brace against Köln to give him three goals since his return while becoming a vital piece in the club’s title push.

Sebastien Haller on scoring a brace: “Yes, it feels great of course. Like you know, as a striker, I want to score goals and be important for the team so we need some standards. We need some games to know where to put the limits.” pic.twitter.com/79wu6q1LlY

— ari (@aritrabvb1909) March 20, 2023

CF: Manolo Gabbiadini (Sampdoria)

Now in his second stint with Sampdoria at the ripe old age of 31, Manolo Gabbiadini came up with a fantastic performance in front of goal over the weekend to give the club a vital three-point haul, contributing a brace to Samp’s third win of the 2022-23 season.

Touch. Composure. Finish.

Manolo Gabbiadini let it fly 🚀 pic.twitter.com/t0LkNridDo

— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) March 19, 2023