Team of the Week: Pedro Derails Inter’s Championship Hopes While Bernardeschi Shines in MLS

As European leagues near their conclusion, players are seizing their final chances to shine and attract attention for potential transfers. Meanwhile, some leagues are just starting their journeys! So, which players have caught the eye in recent matches around the globe?

Goalkeeper

Walter (Mirassol) 8.4

This weekend, the spotlight was on Brazilian veteran goalkeeper Walter, 37, who recently joined Mirassol. He made a remarkable impression in a match against Internacional.

In a tightly contested 1-1 draw, Walter made a stunning 10 saves, ensuring his team remained competitive despite Internacional’s impressive Expected Goals tally of 2.28.

Defence

Sorba Thomas (Nantes) 8.5

This season has been largely underwhelming for Nantes, who finished in 13th position in Ligue 1. However, they managed to conclude their campaign on a positive note with a dominant 3-0 victory against relegated Montpellier.

Welshman Sorba Thomas excelled in his wing-back role, earning a top rating of 8.5, thanks to four key passes and 10 crosses in a standout performance.

Yerry Mina (Cagliari) 8.7

Cagliari secured their Serie A status on Sunday with a 3-0 triumph over Venezia. Central to this important win was Colombian defender Yerry Mina, who opened the scoring for the Sardinians.

Mina also demonstrated his defensive prowess, winning all eight of his ground duels, alongside three clearances and three interceptions.

Nuno Mendes (PSG) 8.6

Nuno Mendes has been a vital player for Paris Saint-Germain this season and continued his strong contributions at left-back during the team’s comeback to defeat Auxerre 3-1.

The flying Portuguese was instrumental, providing an assist for Marquinhos’ goal, delivering seven crosses, and boasting an impressive passing accuracy of 92%.

Midfield

Pedro (Lazio) 9.1

While we typically avoid including substitutes in our Team of the Week, Brazilian winger Pedro’s performance was simply too impressive to overlook. He was brought on just after half-time with Lazio trailing title hopefuls Inter 1-0.

Inter were aiming for a win to climb to the top of the table, but Pedro had other ideas, netting two vital equalisers in a dramatic 2-2 draw. This result could prove crucial for Lazio’s European ambitions.

Brian Gutierrez (Chicago Fire) 9.8

In the latest round of MLS action, Chicago Fire’s Brian Gutierrez shined, scoring two goals and providing an assist as his team triumphed 4-1 over Charlotte FC in North Carolina.

The 21-year-old USA international has now contributed five goals this season, having featured in just nine matches.

Neil El Aynaoui (Lens) 8.8

Lens capped off their Ligue 1 season with an impressive 4-0 victory over the high-flying Monaco, even though they missed out on European qualification, finishing in eighth place.

The standout performer in this match was Moroccan midfielder Neil El Aynaoui, who scored twice in the dominant display. He may have only scored eight goals in the league this season, but four of those have come in the last five matches—certainly ending on a high note!

Josh King (Toulouse) 9.1

Sticking with Ligue 1, Toulouse also wrapped up their campaign on a positive note, edging out St. Etienne 3-2 and condemning Les Verts to relegation.

The game’s top rating of 9.1 was awarded to Norwegian winger Josh King, who played a pivotal role with a goal and an assist, bringing his season total to nine (six goals and three assists).

Forwards

Federico Bernardeschi (Toronto FC) 9.6

EURO 2020 champion Federico Bernardeschi made headlines yet again following his move to MLS a couple of seasons ago, and he appears to be enjoying life at Toronto FC.

Over the weekend, he was instrumental in Toronto’s 6-1 demolition of Canadian rivals CF Montreal, scoring twice and assisting on two other goals. It’s hard to believe he’s just 31 years old!

Yanis Begraoui (Estoril) 9.4

Estoril concluded their Liga Portugal campaign with a resounding 4-0 victory over Estrela, with all four goals coming within the first 23 minutes. Striker Yanis Begraoui made headlines by scoring a hat-trick in just 17 minutes!

The French-born Moroccan youth international certainly left a lasting impression, pushing his league tally to 11 in the process.

Altin Zeqiri (Rizespor) 10

What a way to cap off our Team of the Week with a perfect 10 performance! In the Turkish Super Lig, Kosovan international Altin Zeqiri provided just that.

Coming on as a half-time substitute with Rizespor tied 2-2 against Goztepe, Zeqiri turned the game around, scoring twice and assisting once in a thrilling 6-3 victory. With two matches left in the season, he has ample opportunity to continue making a mark.