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A gameweek just before the return of the UEFA Champions League offers teams a chance for a dress rehearsal ahead of the all-important knockout matches. This past weekend witnessed some fine encounters all over Europe with the season now in it's business end.
FC Barcelona faltered, while Manchester United also succumbed to a narrow loss. Real Madrid and Manchester City registered big wins, whereas Napoli continued their onslaught in the Italian Serie A. Many players gave standout performers to shine the brightest this past weekend.
In this segment, we will take a look at the European team of the week consisting of the best of the best from this weekend's football action:
Goalkeeper: Sergio Rico (Sevilla)
In a much-needed win for the Copa Del Rey finalists, Sergio Rico produced a scintillating display. The custodian not only made a string of fine stops throughout the game but also saved a first-half penalty from Girona's Aday.
Rico made 7 saves on the night including two unbelievable point-blank saves and was inarguably Sevilla's best player on the pitch. Sevilla were not looking at their fluid best and had to be bailed out a number of occasions by the talented shot-stopper.
Defence
Right back: Kyle Walker (Manchester City)
Match after match, Kyle Walker is proving to be an underappreciated cog in this highly functional Manchester City side. In the 5-1 win over Leicester City, Walker was again instrumental in using the right flank to his advantage and kept the impressive Ben Chilwell silent.
The full-back also had the most touches (126) and most passes completed (92) than any other City player.
Centre-back: Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus)
Fiorentina away has emerged as a sort of a bogey fixture for Juventus in recent years (winning just one of their last five trips). On Saturday, however, two second-half goals meant that the Bianconeri avoided any jitters from the past to trouble them in their bid for the top spot.
Giorgio Chiellini impressed the most for Juventus with his sweeping work and impeccable positioning helping the away side keep Fiorentina at bay, who had a staggering 61% possession.
With Chiellini at the forefront of it, Juventus managed their 15th clean sheet in the last 16 matches, a league goal last conceded in November.
Centre-back: Lucas Hernandez (Atletico Madrid)
Against Malaga, Atletico Madrid were not looking at their solid best. Antoine Griezmann scored in the first minute but after that, the visitors had to defend deep against a host of Malaga attacks. Lucas Hernandez impressed the most in their pursuit of all three points and in turn maintaining the pressure on FC Barcelona at the top.
Hernandez was particularly impressive with his passing and helped Atleti relieve some pressure from the back. He made as many as 16 clearances against Malaga and lost just one duel on the night, winning 10 along the way. The makeshift centre-back also won 8 aerial duels, the highest for any player on the field.
Left-back: Mario Rui (Napoli)
With Faouzi Ghoulam out for the season, Rui needed an impressive outing in a big game against Lazio and the left-back delivered with aplomb! Bombing down the left flank, Rui dominated the proceedings on his wing and formed a telepathic bond with Lorenzo Insigne.
Rui scored the third goal in Napoli's 4-1 win, achieving a nice return for his industrious display. He also had an 88% passing completion rate with 100 successful passes to his name. Rui also had the match highest 136 touches of the ball.
Midfield
Centre midfield: Dani Parejo (Valencia)
In a controversial derby against Levante, club captain Dani Parejo impressed for Valencia. He scored one from the penalty spot to make the score 3-1 and assisted the first from a corner, delivering a pinpoint cross to Santi Mina.
Though the game was marred by dubious referee calls, it was Parejo who shone in midfield with his passing and alertness. The midfielder had a 92% passing success rate and apart from his assist, made 3 key passes in 90 minutes.
Centre midfield: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
Kevin De Bruyne is dominating the headlines this season and rightfully so. The leading candidate for the PFA player of the year award was at it again on Saturday with Leicester City bearing the brunt of De Bruyne's destruction.
The Belgian provided three assists on the night with the first of which to Raheem Sterling being the best of the lot. With this hattrick, Kevin De Bruyne reached 14 assists in the season and became Europe's highest assist maker, eclipsing Neymar (11).
Left wing: Cengiz Under (AS Roma)
A new kid has emerged on the block in Serie A going by the name of Cengiz Under. The 20-year-old winger started on the right for Roma and wrecked havoc for the Giallorossi in the second half. The game was finely poised at 1-1 at halftime but due to Under's brilliance, Roma won 5-2 against Benevento.
Under scored two and assisted one. In his 81 minutes of action, the winger had 41 touches and created four chances for his teammates. He attempted three shots on goal, two of which found the back of the net. Cengiz Under might just be the first gem unearthed by Monchi at AS Roma.
Right wing: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
How good has this guy been this season?! Carrying on his dream run of form, Mohamed Salah started the game against Southampton brightly by providing an assist to Roberto Firmino in the first quarter of the game with the deftest of touches and the finest of layoffs.
Firmino then returned the favour near the half-time interval, with Salah duly converting his chance. It was his 29th goal of the season, one less than Liverpool's opponents had managed so far in the season. He also created a bit of history by becoming the joint highest (Robbie Fowler being the other) left foot goalscorer in the Premier League in a season (18 goals).
Forwards
Centre forward: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
Real Madrid needed a big win over Real Sociedad at the weekend to have the best possible prep for Wednesday's clash against PSG. Cristiano Ronaldo also needed a strong performance going into the first leg and the Portuguese talisman achieved just that at the Bernabeu.
Ronaldo scored a perfect hat-trick on the night and took his tally to seven goals in his last four league games. It was just the sort of performance that was desired by the Madrid faithful, with the club's biggest hope of toppling PSG in the Champions League getting some nice practice ahead of the midweek showdown.
Centre forward: Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)
After a subdued first half, Sergio Aguero unleashed four shots on target in the second half and astonishingly, all four of them found the back of the net. The Argentine netted his eighth Premier League hat-trick of his career and got back into the golden boot race with his feat against Leicester City.
Aguero is now two behind Harry Kane and just one behind Mohamed Salah. He also continued his dream goalscoring run at the Etihad, now netting 14 goals in his last 7 home games.
Bench: Martin Dubravka, James Collins, Alex Sandro, Moussa Dembele, Andre Schurrle, Neymar, Steve Mounie
