Barcelona’s sensational eight-goal win over Osasuna proved the biggest margin of victory in Europe’s top five leagues this week. A hat-trick from Edinson Cavani in Napoli’s destruction of Milan allows him to join Lionel Messi up front in the WhoScored Europe All Star XI, while Nani takes his place for his performance in Man United’s home triumph over Chelsea in the Premier League’s glamour match of the weekend. Elsewhere, Valenciennes’ first win of the season sees two of their players make an appearance, with the Bundesliga the only division not to supply any of our eleven top-rated players for the gameweek gone by. Here’s a look at some of the key figures:
Luciano Fabián Monzón, Nice. WhoScored rating 9.65
The left-back grabbed two goals as his side chalked up their first win of the season with a 3-0 home victory over Ajaccio. Monzón’s penalty duties saw him score Nice’s first two goals in the vital victory and he managed a total of 3 shots, with the 2 on target both finding the net.
The visitors were reduced to 10 men after 45 minutes – which led to Monzón’s first penalty - and Nice dominated the proceedings, with 64% possession. With 85 touches, Monzón was second behind playmaker Camel Meriem (86) and made 58 passes with an 86% accuracy. He delivered 4 crosses from out wide, adding weight to his side’s attacks from deep and also played 8 long balls.
Defensively, he was solid, too- 3 tackles and 2 interceptions was the best stats from the home back-four and with such a vital role at both ends of the pitch, Monzón was awarded man of the match by WhoScored.
Renaud Cohade, Valenciennes. WhoScored rating 9.78
The midfielder was crucial to his side’s first victory of the season. Cohade put in a man of the match performance as Valenciennes stopped a run of one draw and four losses in their opening five games with an emphatic 4-0 home win over Dijon.
Playing in the double pivot in Valenciennes’ 4-2-3-1, Cohade was a stand-out both in attack and defensively. He made 7 tackles and 4 interceptions –the most for each category- as he broke up the visitor’s attacks time and again, and also made 1 clearance in addition to winning 33% of aerial duels.
In possession, he was involved more than any player on the pitch- 79 touches and 54 passes, with a 91% accuracy, highlight just how key a part he played when his side had the ball. Cohade also managed 2 shots at goal –both on target- and found the net once in the victory. He also made 2 key passes, picking up 1 assist, driving his team on to a crucial victory that took them off the bottom of the Ligue 1 table.
Cesc Fabregas, Barcelona. WhoScored rating 10.
The former Arsenal player has taken no time at all to fit seamlessly into the Barcelona set-up. Barcelona had an incredible 82% possession against Osasuna and Fabregas was at the heart of so much of their play- he had 122 touches, second to Thiago (124) though he made the most passes, with 107.
His precise distribution is summed up by a brilliant 91% pass accuracy, though he showed plenty of variety- 2 crosses, 8 long balls and 5 through balls led to 4 key passes from the new boy. As a result, Fabregas picked up 3 assists in the 8-0 win and also showed his goal threat, with 2 shots –both on target- also bringing him a goal. It’s a little unlucky on Cesc that, despite being involved in four of his side’s goals and receiving a WhoScored perfect 10, he still didn’t pick up the man of the match award.
Lionel Messi, Barcelona. WhoScored rating 10.
Messi – who else?- was the one who grabbed the man of the match gong for Barca. A devastating attacking display saw him score 3 goals to pick up the plaudits at Cesc’s expense. Messi had 8 of Barcelona’s 17 shots at goal, with 6 on target bringing his hat-trick- he also hit the woodwork twice as he tore Osasuna apart.
Messi had 106 touches, making 81 passes in the rout. He mixed up his distribution plenty, with 6 long balls and 6 through balls- and with 4 key passes, he also picked up 2 assists, to have a hand in five of his side’s goals. He also made 5 successful dribbles- joint-top with Thiago- and was dispossessed just once in the win that saw Barca leapfrog Real Madrid into third after Levante’s shock 1-0 win over Jose Mourinho’s side.
Edinson Cavani, Napoli. WhoScored rating 10.
A brilliant hat-trick from the Uruguayan shot Napoli to the top of Serie A with two wins from two games. AC Milan took the lead early on but in a display of devastating counter-attacking football, the champions were swept aside by their clinical hosts.
With Milan having 63% possession, Cavani didn’t see too much of the ball- he managed just 36 touches, a tally better than only two of his team mates. In terms of distribution, he made a mere 18 passes with a 72% accuracy, though he did play his part creatively, with 2 key passes.
Cavani also showed a willingness to work for the team with 2 tackles, but it was in front of goal that he excelled; he fired off 5 of his side’s 11 shots, and with 4 on target, bagged the aforementioned hat-trick to condemn Milan to just one point from two games, the same tally as rivals Inter. A man of the match award came his way from WhoScored, with Cavani now joint-top scorer in Serie A along with Parma’s Sebastian Giovinco on 3 goals.
