A regular feature on our website is the Talent Radar Team of the Week with the best young players compiled into an XI from across Europe’s top seven leagues. You can read this for all details on Talent Radar, who is eligible under it and what else we publish within this feature.
[Eligibility: As of 1st June 2016 – 21 years old and below for outfield players // 22 years old and below for goalkeepers]
Plenty of games this week with four of the leagues covered in this feature playing midweek games. It’s from there that a large bulk of these picks are made. However, there were plenty of big games this weekend, specifically in the Premier League. And as has become customary for Talent Radar this season, the Team of the Week had plenty of options and plenty of players who had to miss out.
Defence: Yoan Cardinale makes his first Team of the Week appearance this season, after putting on a fantastic performance in Nice’s comfortable 4-0 win over AS Monaco. His seven saves followed by a decent clean sheet against Nancy on the weekend that sees his side on top of the Ligue 1 table, were enough to hold off performances from the likes of Gigi Donnarumma and Yoan Cardinale.
The central defensive pairing has a South American flavour to it with both Emanuel Mammana and Davinson Sanchez enjoying 5-1 wins over the past week for their sides. The former made an incredible ten successful tackles as Lyon beat Montpellier in midweek. Sanchez had a more comfortable game defensively as Ajax beat PEC Zwolle. He got his team level with poachers strike from a corner, and gave his side the lead minutes later from another Hakim Ziyech delivery.
Emanuel Mammana winning one of his ten successful tackles against Montpellier | Jeff Pachoud / AFP /Getty Images
Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin makes it at right back after participating in Arsenal’s memorable demolition of rivals Chelsea. An assist for the side’s second goal and a jaw dropping track back & tackle on Pedro highlighted his impressive performance. Inter’s 19-year-old debut starter, Senna Miangue, completes the back line as he impressed in Inter’s rather disappointing draw with Bologna.
Midfield: Mahmoud Dahoud ran the show in Borussia Monchengladbach’s 2-0 win over Ingolstadt. He created a number of chances, recovered possession on multiple occasions and assisted his side’s second goal to secure a place in this week’s team. Corentin Tolisso makes his second successive appearance on the back of Lyon’s aforementioned 5-1 win. He captained his side while leading by example with two goals to continue his impressive start of the season.
Popular with Talent Radar, having been named in our 10 Young Stars of 2015 feature and our 100 to Watch in 2016, Pione Sisto has made his first mark on us this season. An assist in mid-week and a goal on the weekend show why we think so highly of the Danish youngster. One man who isn’t a surprise on a Talent Radar feature is Ousmane Dembele. He features on the left flank, continuing his form in Dortmund’s two weeks of demolition; Freiburg the latest victims.
Andre Silva celebrating scoring against Boavista | Francisco Leong / AFP / Getty Images
Attack: The XI is complete with two young brace heroes. Andre Silva stuck twice in Porto’s 3-1 win over Boavista as the youngster looks to manage expectations this season. 18-year-old Kasper Dolberg had different expectations to uphold, with a fantastic start to the season followed up with another two strikes against PEC Zwolle. That’s four goals in six Eredivisie appearances this season for the Dane.
Talent Radar Team of the Week // Performance Rankings
