Izuchukwu OkosiSeveral high profile games were played across European leagues last weekend.
Players have journeyed to different parts of the world to represent their countries in the last international window for the year 2023.
Prime Business Africa’s Izuchukwu Okosi presents the team of XI players from the top five leagues that impressed for their clubs.
We have gone with a 3-4-3 formation for the latest installment of the Team of the Week.
Goalkeeper: Phillip Kohn
AS Monaco goalkeeper Kõhn was in great form for AS Monaco in the Principality club’s scoreless draw against Le Havre. He was declared Man of the Match after 90 minutes as he pulled some impressive saves.
Right back: Mikkel Desler
Highlight of the Danish right back Mikkel Desler’s incredible defensive display was the goal line clearance as away side Toulouse drew 1-1 against Lille atctje Decathlon Arena.
Desler made three tackles, two interceptions and five clearances in the game. He committed just one foul throughout the game.
Central Defender: Jonathan Tah
The massively built central defender makes the cut in our team in a three-man back line.
The Germany international scored one of the four goals in the 73rd minute as Bayer Leverkusen – the club of Nigeria duo Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella – thrashed Union Berlin 4-0 in the German Bundesliga on Saturday.
Left back: Federico Dimarco
Italian international DiMarco scored a screamer, a contender for the Serie A goal of the season in Inter Milan’s 2-0 home win against Frosinone.
Håkan Cahanoglu scored the other goal for the Nerazurri five minutes later from the penalty spot.
Defensive Midfielder: Alex Grimaldo
Spanish midfielder Alex Grimaldo is the second Bayer Leverkusen player that makes the team.
The Spaniard was the Man of the Match in the 4-0 win over Union Berlin. He scored one of the goals and assisted one also in the statement win. He made two key passes and one clearance in the game.
Central Midfielder: Kristian Thorstvedt
Sassulo were held to a 2-2 draw by Salernitana Friday night in the Serie A and Thorstvedt proved to be the home side’s best player in the lineup.
Thorstvedt scored high goals for his team in the exciting four-goal rush.
Central Midfielder: Viktor Tsyankov
Ukraine international Tsyankov assisted Artem Dorbyk’s goal just before the half time break as high flying and surprise La Liga leaders Girona defeated Rayo Vallecano 2-1 in an away fixture.
Attacking Midfielder: Oleksandr Zinchenko
Arsenal’s Zinchenko arrived N17 as a left back but his versatility in playing as a central midfielder is known by all.
The Ukrainian scored a goal for the ages inside the opposition box in Arsenal’s 3-1 home win against Burnley on Saturday evening.
Attacker: Pablo Sarabia
Portugal international Sarabia came off the substitute bench and scored a worldie of a goal in the added time after 90 minutes as Wolverhampton Wanderers came from a goal down to beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1.
Saravoa received a crisp ball from Matheus Cunha. He cushioned the ball with a lovely control with his right leg. The ball then sat nicely in front of his left foot without touching the ground.
Sarabia then let fly a left-footed strike that saw the ball nestle at the roof of the net.
Attacker: Rodrygo Silva Goes
The Brazilian forward scored twice and assisted twice in Real Madrid’s 5-1 romp against Valencia at the Santiago Mestalla.
He has now scored thrice in 13 La Liga games this season.
Atacker: Kylian Mbappe
Completing our lineup is France superstar of Cameroon descent, Kylian Mbappe.
The 2018 World Cup winner scored a hattrick in PSG’s 3-0 away win against Reims.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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