Team of the Week: Vazquez stars in El Clasico, Olise torments West Ham
Here is our latest Team of the Week:
Goalkeeper
Arijanet Muric (Burnley) 8.9
After a poor run of form, Arijanet Muric repaid manager Vincent Kompany's faith in him in Burnley's crucial win over relegation rivals Sheffield United.
The Kosovo international made 10 saves in his side's 4-1 victory, with eight of them stopping efforts taken from inside his box. He was also excellent in commanding his area, claiming nine crosses.
Defence
Alexander Bah (Benfica) 9.3
Alexander Bah helped keep Benfica's slim hopes of defending their league title alive by starring in their 3-1 win away to 10th-placed surprise package Farense.
The Dane set up his side's first two goals of the night with two driven crosses from the right and was impressive at the other end of the pitch too, making seven clearances and three successful tackles.
Ozan Kabak (Hoffenheim) 8.6
His side may have conceded four goals, but Hoffenheim centre-back Ozan Kabak was nevertheless excellent in their 4-3 win over Borussia Monchengladbach.
As well as scoring with a stunning strike from the edge of the box, he also made two key passes, three clearances, two interceptions and won 10 of the 12 duels that he engaged in.
Denis Vavro (FC Copenhagen) 8.7
Over in Denmark, experienced centre-back Denis Vavro was the key man for FC Copenhagen in their 2-0 win at home to Silkeborg, one that kept them in with a chance of becoming champions.
Just before the break, he scored his second goal of the league campaign and did so in style, curling the ball into the far corner from the left edge of the box. He played a big part in protecting the clean sheet after that, making four clearances, three interceptions and two tackles.
Antonino Gallo (Lecce) 9.1
Italian left-back Antonino Gallo produced his best performance of the season in Lecce's impressive 3-0 drubbing of Sassuolo, one that surely all but secured safety for them.
He set up his side's second goal with a lovely cross, but it's defensively that he really stood out, with the 24-year-old making eight clearances and four tackles, dominating most duels he was in.
Midfield
Michael Olise (Crystal Palace) 8.9
After missing the majority of the first four months of 2024 through injury, Michael Olise reminded everyone just what a huge talent he is in Crystal Palace's emphatic win over West Ham.
The Frenchman not only got a goal and an assist, taking his tally of goal contributions he's bagged across the 14 league games he's played in this season to 11, but he won seven duels too in what was a complete performance.
Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich) 8.8
Leon Gortezka has seemed a new man in the last few months and that continued to be the case at the weekend as he followed up his excellent performances against Arsenal with another man against Union Berlin.
The German ran the show in midfield, making two key passes, completing all of his three dribbles and winning seven out of 11 duels as well as four tackles. His efforts earned him a richly deserved goal and assist, the latter of which - a perfect lofted through ball - was particularly impressive.
Alexandru Maxim (Gaziantep) 9.2
Gaziantep moved out of the relegation zone in Turkey at the weekend thanks in large part to the efforts of 33-year-old midfielder Alexandru Maxim.
After opening the scoring in the sixth minute with a clever free-kick from out wide that went straight in, he then set up his side's second goal with an inch-perfect corner. He continued to impress after that, making six key passes in total.
Attack
Many would have looked at Real Madrid's starting XI for El Clasico and identified Lucas Vazquez as a weak link, but the Spaniard turned out to be their standout performer as they claimed a win that took them within touching distance of the title.
Playing as a marauding right-back, he made it 2-2 with an excellent volleyed finish at the back post and then set up the last-gasp winner from Jude Bellingham with a lethal ball across the box that was just begging to be turned in.
Iago Aspas (Celta Vigo) 9.2
Iago Aspas is continuing to prove that age is just a number, with the 36-year-old being Celta Vigo's star man in their 4-1 thrashing of Las Palmas that took them a step closer to safety.
He was simply unstoppable on the right, scoring two of his side's goals and assisting the other two, showing excellent pace, vision, finishing and two-footedness in the process.
Robin Hack (B. Monchengladbach) 9
He may have been on the losing team, but Robin Hack did at least leave the weekend with something of a personal win after getting a perfect hat-trick against Hoffenheim.
The first of his goals was a cool left-footed finish, the second was a header and the third was a right-footed cross-cum-shot that has to go down as one of the goals of the weekend if he meant it.