European MVP
by Stefano Faccendini, 12 May 2008
Opta’s tentacles spread all over European football and they have been probing all of the top leagues across the continent. Every week Opta pick out the three best players from England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain to find the Most Valuable Player.
1) David Villa (S – Valencia) v Levante 5-1 (A)
Copa del Rey aside, it has been a very difficult season for Valencia fans and yesterday’s derby against already relegated Levante could have represented the umpteenth disappointment. Valencia had never won at the home of their city rivals in the top flight but the match was virtually over at half-time. David Villa proved why he is one of the hottest properties in the forthcoming transfer market. His five shots all hit the target and three of them flew past the opposition keeper. He also supplied an assist for the young Mata to score and with one game to go Villa has now netted 16 league goals.
2) Afonso Alves (S – Middlesbrough) v Manchester City 8-1 (H)
Afonso Alves doubled in 90 minutes his English goal tally for the season. The Brazilian forward had netted three goals since he joined in January from Dutch side Heerenveen but, with the help of a Manchester City defence seemingly already on holiday, he grabbed his first Premier League hat-trick firing just four shots towards the visitors’ goal.
3) Lukas Podolski (S – Bayern Munich) v Duisburg 3-2 (A)
When Bayern signed him as one of the best German prospects in 2006, Lukas Podolski could have not expected two years later to spend most of the games warming the bench. Obviously the arrival of great players such as Frank Ribery, Luca Toni and Miroslav Klose, increased the level of competition in the squad but seven starts for the young German international seems a low total. On Saturday Podolski tried to make the most of a rare opportunity he was given and played the whole game attempting seven shots, firing four on target, and scoring two goals, creating one chance and completing 75% of his passes. A message to new coach Jurgen Klinssman has been sent.