Team of the Week: Haaland’s Hat-Trick Powers Dominant City; Saibari Guides PSV to Glory

As is customary, we’ve applied our internal rating system to curate a best XI based on all the weekend’s action.

Presenting our latest Team of the Week:

Goalkeeper

David de Gea (Fiorentina) 8.7

Fiorentina distanced themselves from the Serie A relegation battle with a gritty 1-0 victory away at struggling Verona.

Key to this success was De Gea’s exceptional performance, making eight crucial saves to secure a clean sheet.

Defence

Eduardo Quaresma (Sporting CP) 9.1

Quaresma was instrumental at both ends of the pitch as Sporting overcame Santa Clara in an enthralling encounter.

He won six aerial duels, made three clearances, and assisted Rafael Nel’s equaliser in stoppage time.

Osaze Urhoghide (FC Dallas) 9.2

Urhoghide was pivotal in both defence and attack, contributing to FC Dallas’ emphatic 4-0 win against DC United. He scored their third goal with a towering header and excelled defensively, winning seven aerial duels and making three interceptions.

Alejandro Grimaldo (Leverkusen) 9.1

Grimaldo has established himself as a prolific goal-scoring full-back, netting his seventh and eighth Bundesliga goals in a thrilling 6-3 victory against Wolfsburg. His crucial penalty equaliser and later goal helped shift momentum in Leverkusen’s favour.

Midfield

Sadio Mane (Al Nassr) 9.6

Al Nassr, top contenders in the Saudi Pro League, edged closer to the title after a thrilling 5-2 win against bottom-placed Al Najma. 

Mane shone for Jorge Jesus’ side, scoring twice and winning nine duels during the match.

Ramiz Zerrouki (Twente) 9.2

Zerrouki was the standout performer for FC Twente, leading his team to a significant victory over Ajax in Amsterdam, aiding their Champions League aspirations.

He struck first in the 18th minute to quiet the home crowd, while also displaying creativity with 16 passes into the attacking third and a key assist.

Ismael Saibari (PSV) 9.8

In a thrilling 4-3 win against Utrecht, Saibari’s incredible showing played a key role in PSV securing their third consecutive Eredivisie title and 27th overall.

He scored a brace and provided two further significant chances, successfully completing 77% of his passes in the attacking third.

Denis Bouanga (Los Angeles FC) 9.6

Bouanga put on a dazzling display, scoring a rapid-fire hat-trick in just eight minutes during LAFC’s 6-0 rout of Orlando City, with all his goals being set up by Son Heung-min.

His lethal finishing ensures his place as a key threat down the left flank, demonstrating his accuracy with three shots on target resulting in three goals.

Attack

Son Heung-min (Los Angeles FC) 9.3

The South Korean star joined Bouanga on the Team of the Week with a remarkable four assists in the first half against Orlando City in the MLS.

He provided the assists for all three of Bouanga’s strikes, excelled in four ground duels, and successfully completed all three of his dribbles.

Erling Haaland (Manchester City) 9.2

After a period of struggles, Haaland appears to be back in form, scoring two goals in Manchester City’s impressive 4-0 FA Cup quarter-final victory over Liverpool.

His penalty started the scoring, while his second goal—a header from a cross by Antoine Semenyo—exhibited his clinical finishing ability, thrilling City fans.

Estevao (Chelsea) 9.1

Estevao reminded everyone of his value with an excellent performance as Chelsea comfortably defeated Port Vale 7-0 in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

The dynamic winger was integral to Chelsea’s success, contributing an assist for the fifth goal before netting one himself in the 82nd minute to cap off the scoring.