Top 5 players of the week from across Europe

After 2 international fixtures, club football once again returned to the fore and there were some really intriguing clashes across Europe. With the new edition of the Champions League just around the corner, players are all geared up to participate in the annual megaevent.However, this past week, there were a few who caught the eye with their exquisite displays in their respective domestic leagues. In this slideshow, we compile the 5 best players of the week.

#5 Shinji Kagawa

After 2 unsuccessful seasons at Manchester United, Shinji Kagawa returned to Germany for his second spell at Borussia Dortmund and made sure he returned with a bang as he was on the scoresheet in his side’s 3-1 win over Freiburg.

The Japenese international was involved in the opening game as he bypassed the Freiburg defense with a through ball to Grosskreutz who cut the ball across goal for Ramos to stab home the first of the night. Following a neat passing move, Ramos crossed from the right and after Henrikh Mkhitaryan dummied the ball, Kagawa accurately buried the ball in the bottom corner from just inside the area to extend the lead.

The crowd went berserk on seeing their returning hero score who would have been very happy to have made a successful return to the Bundesliga.

#4 Mauro Icardi

Argentina international Mauro Icardi registered a hat-trick in Inter Milan’s 7-0 annihilation of a toothless Sassuolo at San Siro.

Icardi put the hosts 1-0 up just 4 minutes after the kick-off, when Mateo Kovacic’s effort deflected into the path of Icardi, who then coolly slotted home his first of the night. The Nerazzuri were 2-0 ahead when the 21-year old picked the ball outside the penalty area and slotted home a superb curling effort into the bottom right corner and completed his hat-trick in the 53rd minute when he ran onto Kovacic’s throughball and smashed a left-footed shot.

With this hat-trick, Mauro Icardi now leads the goal-scoring charts with 3 goals in 2 games, a feat matched by Jeremy Menez of A.C Milan.

#3 Neymar Jr

If there’s one player who played for the least amount of time compared to the other 3 on this list, yet had a significant role in his team’s win, then that has to be Neymar Jr. The Brazilian started on the bench for Barcelona’s home game against Athletic Bilbao last week and saw his side gasping to find a breakthrough. Eventually, he was brought on for Munir, 23 minutes from time and turned the tables soon after as he bagged a brace and secured all 3 points for the hosts.

Neymar collected a brilliant cross from Messi and hammered the ball into the net, putting Barca in the lead and sealed the tie 5 minutes later when he was found unmarked by his Argentine strike partner and executed a precise shot into the net.

#2 Angel Di Maria

After a mediocre start to life in England, the most expensive player of the Premier League, Angel Di Maria, showcased his brilliance during his home debut against QPR as he scored his first goal for the Red Devils and also assisted one in their 4-0 win.

The Argentine opened his goal-scoring account for Manchester United in the 23rd minute when he struck a free-kick from 35 yards, which swung over the box and landed inside of the far post, bouncing awkwardly before it went in. Later in the first-half, the former Benefica man ran nearly 50 yards to feed Rooney, who then set-up another new signing, Herrera, who made it 2-0 with a clinical finish.

Di Maria later chalked-off a memorable evening when Mata latched-on to his shot cum cross and rounded off the scoring.

#1 Diego Costa

Without a shadow of doubt, Diego Costa has been different class since the beginning of the season, with his consistently sublime performances for Chelsea.

After lamenting the lack of a striker with “killer instinct” last season, manager Jose Mourinho seems to have found that talisman in Costa. The Brazil-born Spanish international has scored in all the 4 opening games for Chelsea and now leads the goal-scoring charts with 7.

In his latest appearance for the Blues, the maverick striker bagged a hat-trick at home against Swansea City. The first of the three goals came from a header from Fabregas’ corner, as he was left unmarked inside the box. He got his second of the day when a brilliant one-two between Hazard and Fabregas penetrated the Swans’ defence and the latter set-up Costa, who neatly converted it with a left footed effort. The former Atletico striker later completed his first hat-trick for Chelsea 23 minutes from time, when he directed Ramires’ low drive home.

Diego Costa has been running rampant for Chelsea so far, and was definitely the best player of the week.