Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane and GOAL’s European Team of the 2023-24 Season so far
The turn of the year is approaching, meaning this is the perfect time to look back at the first half of the European season, which has featured several surprise packages lighting up the continent’s ‘Big Five’ leagues.
Xabi Alonso’s wonderfully entertaining Bayer Leverkusen side lead the way in Germany, Aston Villa have emerged as a force to be reckoned with in the Premier League under Unai Emery, while over in Spain Girona are evoking memories of the Leicester City fairy tale thanks to Michel’s magnificent management.
Elsewhere, Paris Saint-Germain are on track to win Ligue 1 again, but not performing particularly impressively. Serie A table-toppers Inter have been far more impressive, with Simone Inzaghi’s men going from strength to strength after reaching last season’s Champions League final, although the revelation of the 2023-24 European Cup has arguably been Borussia Dortmund, who slayed the ‘Group of Death’.But who have been the individual stars of the season so far? Taking games in all club competitions into account, GOAL selects its dream team below, which is bound to provoke the usual level of heated debate, so be sure to post your own line-ups in the comments section at the foot of the page..
GK: Yann Sommer (Inter)
The 35-year-old Swiss looked like a serious downgrade on Andre Onana, whose impressive range of passing had played a pivotal role in Inter’s run to the final of last season’s Champions League final before being sold to Manchester United during the summer.
However, Onana has been a disaster at Old Trafford, while Sommer has been a sensation at San Siro, a free transfer from Bayern Munich who is already looking like another Beppe Marotta masterstroke having already racked up a seriously impressive 15 clean sheets in all competitions – more than any other goalkeeper so far this season.
DF: William Saliba (Arsenal)
Would Arsenal have won the Premier League last season had the Frenchman not suffered a back injury in March? Sadly, we’ll never know. What is clear, though, is that an Arsenal backline that capitulated without Saliba during the title run-in is looking like a formidable unit once again.
As well as being an excellent defender who rarely commits rash fouls or gets caught out of position, the 22-year-old is also an outstanding distributor of the ball who also poses a serious threat when he ventures forward for set-pieces.
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DF: Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund)
The veteran centre-back hasn’t been flawless this season – an early red card in a big Bundesliga clash with RB Leipzig effectively cost his side the game – but we can forgive Hummels one big blemish in light of a series of immaculate performances at the heart of the Dortmund defence.
Indeed, the 35-year-old is arguably playing as well as ever, as illustrated by the pivotal part he played in BVB topping the Champions League’s ‘Group of Death’, with his performance in a crucial win in Milan particularly impressive. It will, thus, come as no surprise to learn that he ranks second for interceptions (45) across Europe’s ‘Big Five’ leagues, and third among defenders for tackles won (40).
DF: Francesco Acerbi (Inter)
The Italian says that cancer gave him a second chance at life and he’s taken it with open arms. Six months after keeping Erling Haaland quiet in the Champions League final, Acerbi is still showcasing his fantastic man-marking skills on a weekly basis for Inter.
The 35-year-old has emerged as the most important and reliable member of the best backline in Europe right now. Table-topping Inter have conceded just seven goals in 17 Serie A outings this season, while Acerbi has been directly involved in 12 clean sheets in all competitions – more than any other outfield player in the ‘Big Five’ leagues.
RWB: Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen)
In October, Bayer Leverkusen convinced the wing-back to sign a contract extension until 2028, but holding on to Frimpong is only going to get more and more difficult, given the thrilling nature of his performances and his rapid rate of growth since joining from Celtic.
The 23-year-old was linked with the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal and Barcelona during the summer and his list of suitors has only lengthened since then. Frimpong has proven a fantastic attacking outlet down Leverkusen’s right-hand side, having racked up seven goals and nine assists in 22 appearances this season.
CM: Declan Rice (Arsenal)
The feeling always was that while Rice wasn’t worth £105 million ($132m) in general terms, he was to Arsenal – and so it’s proved. The England international has proved an excellent addition to Mikel Arteta’s midfield, winning the ball back regularly and using it effectively.
Rice, who can also play at the back, has developed a very useful habit of popping up with big goals, with the 24-year-old netting late winners against both Manchester United and Luton Town that have not only endeared him to his new club’s fans, but also left the Gunners perfectly placed to reach the halfway point of the Premier League season top of the table.
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