The goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili (Valencia); defenders Robin Le Normand (Real Sociedad), Rodrigo Becao (Udinese) and Chris Smalling (Rome); midfielders Ivan Perisic (Inter), David Silva (Real Sociedad) and Son Heung Min (Tottenham); and attackers Julian Brandt (Borussia Dortmund), Darwin Núñez (Benfica), Luuk de Jong (Barcelona) and Ciro Immobile (Lazio), form the eleven most outstanding of the last day of the European Leagues for their impact on the wins or draws of their teams.
GOALKEEPER (1)
Giorgi Mamardashvili (GEO/Valencia): His performance in Monday’s draw between Valencia and Rayo Vallecano at the Vallecas stadium grabs almost all the headlines. There were several saving stops for his team, two of them to Isi, one with 0-1 in his favor and another with 1-1. The Georgian goalkeeper, only 21 years old, consolidates himself in José Bordalás’ starting eleven when the final of the Copa del Rey against Real Betis approaches.
DEFENSES (3)
Rodrigo Becao (BRA/Udinese): The Brazilian central defender, 26 years old and 1.90 meters tall, emerged in the 94th minute to give Udinese the second win in a row, located in the quiet area of the classification. His goal undid the 1-1 against Venezia. He also scored in the previous match against Cagliari. They are his two goals of the current campaign.
Chris Smalling (ENG/Rome): The English defender He signed the comeback for José Mourinho’s Roma to consolidate himself in the European positions. It is fifth, five points behind the Champions League places marked by Juventus. His goal, 2-1 against Salernitana, came in the 85th minute to extend the streak without losing in the league as a whole until eleven games, the last three with victory.
Robin LeNormand (FRA/Real Sociedad): Since November 2019, the French central defender had not scored a goal in LaLiga Santander, until this Sunday, when he contributed the winning goal for Real Sociedad in Elche with a header from a corner kick near half-time (1-2). The San Sebastian team insists on the Champions League, with Le Normand as the only outfield player in the entire League who has played it all: 2,790 minutes. “It’s always good to help the team with a goal. I expected it and it has arrived,” he said.
MIDFIELDS (3)
Son Heung-min (KOR/Tottenham): Six goals in the last three games, in addition to an assist, speak for themselves of the current level of the attacker and his team, Tottenham, which has won four in a row and has won six of its last seven games in the ‘Premier’. This day he thrashed Aston Villa 0-4. He scored the first, third and fourth. It is already in places in the Champions League, three points ahead of Arsenal.
David Silva (ESP/Real Sociedad): “It is a luxury to be able to have him with us, for what he gives us not only in competition, but on a day-to-day basis. It’s a pleasure to have this type of players. He is 36 years old and it is as if he were 26. Illusion and strength are not lacking. We hope that next year we can continue to count on him”, highlighted Imanol Alguacil, the Canarian midfielder for Real Sociedad, whose display of football was incontestable for Elche. In addition, he scored both goals with two fantastic passes into the area with his left foot.
Ivan Perišić (CRO/Inter): Inter is once again relying on itself to be the Serie A champion. Now they are second, two points behind Milan, but with one game in hand, after beating Hellas Verona 2-0 with two assists from the Croatian wingerwho recovered the ball, drove, ran and crossed to the other side for Barella to make it 1-0 in the 22nd minute and who combed the ball from a corner to make it 2-0 to Dzeko in the 30th minute.
FORWARDS (4)
Julian Brandt (ALE/Borussia Dortmund): He was not in the starting eleven, he came on in the 6th minute in place of Reyna and became the figure of Borussia Dortmund’s 0-2 victory on their visit to Stuttgart. The 0-1 was scored by Haaland’s pass on a counterattack, in the 11th minute; 0-2, with a right foot from outside the area, in minute 79. His team is far behind Bayern Munich, the leader: nine points behind with only fifteen left to play.
Darwin Nunez (URU/Benfica): His three goals traced the 0-1 of Belenenses (3-1) and led the reunion with the victory of Benfica, with no chance of competing for anything other than the qualifying podium. The title is impossible, 15 points behind Porto’s lead. He has participated in the last five goals for his team in the League, in which he has scored 24 goals in as many games this season.
Luuk de Jong (NED/Barcelona): His irruption again was decisive. On his return to league competition after overcoming covid-19, the Dutch striker emerged to give the victory and hold Barcelona in second place. His third goal in his last 24 minutes of play in LaLiga. In addition, a great goal, with a perfect header to the center of Jordi Alba in 92. “I would not say that he is a secondary actor,” warned Xavi Hernández, his coach, who praised him after the 2-3 win against Levante.
Cyrus Immobile (ITA/Latium): His three goals overflowed and sentenced Genoa in a 4-1 victory over Lazio, sixth in the table. One more demonstration of the scoring power of the 32-year-old striker, who has added 80 goals in the last three seasons of Serie A, including the current one, in which he has scored 24 goals in 27 duels. He only stayed without beating the opposite goal in eight of them. In the other 19 he contributed a goal for his team.