Sancho, Donnarumma and Mbappe feature in best U21 XI across Europe
As the season draws to a close across Europe’s top five leagues, we run through the final best rated XI of the campaign of those aged 21 and under from the weekend’s action, with additional information about their Football INDEX share prices.
Goalkeeper: Gianluigi Donnarumma (AC Milan) – 8.04 rating
Football INDEX share price – £0.43
AC Milan have an outside chance of finishing in the top four heading into the final weekend of the season after a 2-0 win at home to Frosinone on Sunday. Despite what appears a routine victory for the Italian giants, Gennaro Gattuso’s side needed Gianluigi Donnarumma to save a penalty when the scoreline was still goalless to keep the relegated side at bay.
Left-back: Rogerio (Sassuolo) – 7.90 rating
Football INDEX share price – N/A
While AC Milan still have a decent chance of finishing in the top four, Roma are unlikely to have Champions League football next season after Sassuolo severely dented their hopes on Saturday night. Sassuolo, who had nothing to play for, held Roma to a 0-0 draw on home soil. Left-back Rogerio was a standout performer for Sassuolo, completing nine tackles and interceptions combined and four clearances.
Centre-back: Gabriel (Lille) – 8.33 rating
Football INDEX share price – N/A
Lille have had nothing at stake for a few games now after already securing second place in the league but the French side have not taken their foot off the gas, extending their unbeaten streak to eight matches with a 5-0 win over Angers on Saturday. Gabriel made six tackles and interceptions combined and seven clearances to help Lille limit Angers to just three shots on target all game.
Centre-back: Alessandro Bastoni (Parma) – 7.61 rating
Football INDEX share price – £0.43
Parma ended their nine-game winless run with a 1-0 victory over Fiorentina at the weekend, to leave the Viola in danger of being relegated on the final day of the season. Alessandro Bastoni has been a fringe player for Parma this season but picked up the WhoScored Man of the Match award in their narrow victory on Sunday. The 20-year-old made five tackles and interceptions and eight clearances to help Parma keep a clean sheet.
Right-back: Wesley Fofana (Saint-Etienne) – 7.59 rating
Football INDEX share price – N/A
Wesley Fofana made his first-team debut for Saint-Etienne at the weekend, replacing an injured Pierre-Yves Polomat in the 20th-minute of their 3-0 win over Nice. The 18-year-old came on at right-back and was thoroughly impressive given the circumstances. Despite coming on midway through the first half, Fofana made more tackles than any other player involved (six), as well as completing two interceptions and six clearances. The teenager will no doubt hope to make his full debut in Saint-Etienne’s final game of the season.
Left wing: Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain) – 8.92 rating
Football INDEX share price - £5.37
Kylian Mbappe took his tally for the league campaign to 32 after netting a brace in Paris Saint-Germain’s 4-0 win over Dijon at the weekend. In doing so, Mbappe is the first U21 player to score more than 30 goals in a single campaign in one of Europe’s top five leagues since Ronaldo hit 34 goals with Barcelona in 1997. The 20-year-old had eight shots in total against Dijon and also completed three dribbles.
Central midfield: Elvis Rexhbecaj (Wolfsburg) – 8.50 rating
Football INDEX share price - £0.39
Wolfsburg finished the 2018/19 Bundesliga season in style, thumping Augsburg 8-1 on Saturday. Elvis Rexhbecaj took the most of his opportunity to start by scoring and assisting in the victory. In the fact, the 21-year-old played a direct hand in as many goals against Augsburg as his other 23 league appearances combined this season (two). Rexhbecaj, who garnered his best WhoScored rating of the season against Augsburg, made five tackles and interceptions combined and registered two key passes in total.
Central midfield: Ludovic Blas (Guingamp) – 7.89 rating
Football INDEX share price – £0.43
Despite being rock bottom of Ligue 1, Guingamp have creditably only lost four of their last 13 league matches. They held Nimes to a 2-2 draw in their final home game of the season, though will be disappointed to have thrown away a 2-0 lead at half-time. Ludovic Blas, who may well have suitors this summer, set up both goals, to take his count for assists for the season to six. The 21-year-old also boasted an impressive pass success rate of 90%, as well as winning two tackles and as many aerial duels.
Right wing: Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund) – 8.29 rating
Football INDEX share price – £5.38
Jadon Sancho finished the 2018/19 Bundesliga season with a WhoScored Man of the Match performance in Borussia Dortmund’s 2-0 win away to Gladbach, though it wasn’t enough to prevent Bayern Munich from winning the league. Sancho scored his 12th league goal of the campaign in the victory, while also completing six dribbles and registering one key pass.
Striker: Jonathan Ikone (Lille) – 8.47 rating
Football INDEX share price – £0.86
Jonathan Ikone has been asked to play a number of positions for Lille this season and at the weekend he started just his third league game up front. It paid dividends as the 21-year-old scored and assisted in Lille’s 5-0 thrashing of Angers. Ikone, who has now played a direct hand in 11 league goals this term, managed four shots against Angers in total, while also completing three dribbles and one key pass. Ikone was fouled three times and also won two tackles and interceptions combined.
Striker: Jean-Philippe Mateta (Mainz) – 8.21 rating
Football INDEX share price – £0.68
Jean-Philippe Mateta ended the 2018/19 Bundesliga campaign in remarkable form, playing a direct hand in eight goals in his final seven league appearances. Mateta scored in Mainz’s 4-2 win over Hoffenheim on Saturday and finished it as the WhoScored Man of the Match. The 21-year-old hit the target with four of his seven attempts, won four aerial duels and also completed two dribbles.
