Europa League Team of the Round: Yeremy Pino stars for Palace as Union players impress

Goalkeeper

Florian Wiegele (Viktoria Plzen) 9.1

The start of the new European season didn’t go as planned for Viktoria Plzen, who were beaten at home by Royale Union SG. Even so, the defeat could have been much heavier if not for Wiegele’s outstanding performance.

The goalkeeper was by far the standout player for the Czech side, finishing the match with 10 saves and numbers that highlight his display: 2.79 goals prevented and an xGOT of 5.79. A top-class performance on a night to forget for the team as a whole.

Defenders

Loic Bade (Bayer Leverkusen) 8.6

A high-level performance from the French centre-back, who was crucial in helping Bayer Leverkusen keep a clean sheet at home against Celje (2-0). Bade dominated his duels, winning nine out of 14, and also made 10 ball recoveries.

The defender also stood out for his quality in building from the back: he completed 97 of 101 attempted passes, for a 96% success rate, and was accurate with all 13 passes he played into the final third.

Tobias Guddal (Sparta Prague) 9.2

The centre-back, signed from Tromso, had a European debut for Sparta Prague to remember. Guddal scored twice in the Czech side’s win away at Ararat-Armenia, unexpectedly taking centre stage in attack as well.

Defensively, he also made his mark, with three interceptions, five clearances, and four ball recoveries, capping off a hugely impactful display at both ends of the pitch.

Massire Sylla (Royale Union SG) 9.0

The Senegalese centre-back was flawless at the heart of Royale Union SG’s defence and also made his mark in attack, providing the assist for the opening goal in the win over Viktoria Plzen.

Defensively, he delivered a display of great consistency, with 14 clearances, 11 ball recoveries, and two blocks - numbers that reflect the security and influence he brought throughout the match.

Midfielders

Aleix Garcia (Bayer Leverkusen) 8.9

Chosen by Flashscore as Man of the Match in Bayer Leverkusen’s win over Celje, the Spanish midfielder stood out especially for his creativity.

He made four key passes, created two big chances, and was directly involved in the second goal with an assist. In the final third, he completed 23 of 31 attempted passes and delivered four accurate crosses, in a performance that had a major influence on Leverkusen’s attacking play.

Junior Olaitan (Besiktas) 8.9

A commanding win for Besiktas at home against Marseille (4-1), with Junior Olaitan in the spotlight. The Beninese midfielder provided two assists, for the first and fourth goals for the Turkish side, playing a decisive role in building the victory.

Olaitan also stood out physically, winning all three aerial duels he contested, in a very complete performance.

Enzo Le Fee (Sunderland) 8.7

Sunderland returned to European competition after 50 years and marked the occasion with a win at home against AZ Alkmaar (1-0), with Enzo Le Fee making the difference. The French midfielder won and converted the penalty that secured victory for the English side.

Le Fee also impressed with his influence in the final third, making four key passes and eight touches in the opposition box, as well as winning 12 of the 18 duels he contested.

Besfort Zeneli (Royale Union SG) 8.5

The Swedish midfielder was another standout in Royale Union SG’s win away at Viktoria Plzen. Zeneli assisted the goal that sealed the result in the Czech Republic, created two more big chances, and impressed with his quality on the ball.

He finished the match with a 96% pass completion rate and completed nine out of 10 passes attempted into the final third, numbers that reflect his influence in the Belgian side’s attacking build-up.

Bamidele Yusuf (Ferencvaros) 8.5

Ferencvaros kicked off their European campaign in style, with a surprising away win at Celtic, and Dele Yusuf was the star of the match.

The forward provided two assists and scored a goal, numbers that show the huge impact he had on the Hungarian side’s victory and fully justify his place in Flashscore’s Team of the Round.

Forwards

Relebohile Mofokeng (Royale Union SG) 9.0

The South African also shone in Plzen, helping Royale Union SG to a comfortable win. Mofokeng scored one of the Belgian side’s goals, with one of his three shots on target during his 63 minutes on the pitch, and was a constant threat in the final third.

In addition to his goal, he made four key passes and completed three of five attempted passes into the box, underlining his importance in the team’s attacking play.

Yeremy Pino (Crystal Palace) 9.3

A convincing win for Crystal Palace at home against Lech Poznan (4-0), in a match where Yeremy Pino delivered, according to Flashscore, the best individual performance of the first matchday of the Europa League league phase.

The number 10 for the Eagles scored a goal, won a penalty, created a big chance, and completed four out of five dribbles attempted, in a display of huge influence on the English side’s attack.