Team of the Week: Lionel Messi shines as Jeremy Doku continues incredible form

[p]Using Flashscore's state-of-the-art player ratings system, here is our Team of the Week:[/p][image alt="Flashscore's Team of the Week" id="b99937b3-1fa3-47fd-80cd-249c10e64ff2" credit-line="Flashscore / Josh Donaldson" guid="792dc5cc-736f-43ca-86d0-960d4d5bf73c" original-width="1250" original-height="1250" /][h2]Goalkeeper[/h2][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/paulo-victor/d4yXDrq7/"]Victor Paulo[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/alanyaspor/IcN8oPcJ/"]Alanyaspor[/a]) - 9.1[/b][/p][p]As the Super Lig season came to a climax in Turkey this season, it was a sad day for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/kayserispor/8pwUEwoc/"]Kayserispor[/a], who were relegated to the second tier following a 3-1 loss to Alanyaspor.[/p][p]Victor Paulo, in goal, was their main terror as the Brazilian veteran made eight of nine saves, preventing 2.22 goals through the xG metric. He was also pretty good with his feet, completing 60% of his passes.[/p][h2]Defence[/h2][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-cuyper-maxim/GGc6kPWT/"]Maxim De Cuyper[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brighton/2XrRecc3/"]Brighton[/a]) - 9.3[/b][/p][p]Over to the Premier League, where Brighton started fast against already relegated [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/wolves/j3Azpf5d/"]Wolves[/a] in a 3-0 win, scoring twice in the opening five minutes, and full-back Maxin De Cuyper was the architect.[/p][p]The Belgian put in two fabulous crosses to assist goals for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hinshelwood-jack/0IBtygvF/"]Jack Hinshelwood[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dunk-lewis/xEyAI7pm/"]Lewis Dunk[/a]. [/p][embed guid="a7d0d9b1-985a-4955-94ed-1f74647ead6a" url="https://x.com/OfficialBHAFC/status/2053372393414852804" social-type="twitter" /][p]The performance could be seen as a bit of a surprise, given he has been primarily a bench player for the Seagulls. Defensively, he was also solid, winning five out of six duels, whilst completing 94% of his passes. A high-performing end to the season will give his manager some pause for thought over the summer, given they could also be qualifying for Europe too. [/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/orban-willi/WQdSnUfq/"]Willi Orban[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/rb-leipzig/KbS1suSm/"]RB Leipzig[/a]) - 9.4[/b][/p][p]RB Leipzig picked up a huge win last weekend against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/st-pauli/ILyJuN3g/"]St Pauli[/a], which saw them qualify for the Champions League this season. [/p][p]Willi Orban has been a consistent performer for Die Roten Bullen since 2015, and added to his aura in the victory, scoring just his second goal of the season in an important spot. His header from a corner was incredibly accurate. Running away from goal, his flicked effort found the far corner of the goal, giving [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/vfb-stuttgart/nJQmYp1B/"]St Paul’s[/a] defence no chance.[/p][embed guid="e46f3172-74a7-4ede-a42d-fbb8d2bf6a2e" url="https://x.com/RBLeipzig_EN/status/2053748025986585031" social-type="twitter" /][p]His metronomic play saw him complete 140 passes, clear the ball eight times and winning 80% of his aerial duels.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/goutas-dimitrios/WWXEFAB3/"]Dimitros Goutas[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/genclerbirligi/GOPqBIRK/"]Genclerbirligi[/a]) - 9.2[/b][/p][p]Back to Turkey, where it was a great day for Dimitros Goutas. The Greek centre-back has not had it all his own way this season, in a relegation battle with Genclerbirligi, but he came to the fore in a vital 3-2 victory over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/kasimpasa/dOlaIG4l/"]Kasimpasa[/a] that improved their chances of staying up.[/p][p]In a fierce first half, Goutas netted in stoppage time to make it 2-2, allowing his side to take momentum in the second half and win the game. [/p][p]He was also colossal at the back, winning eight of his nine aerial duels.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mayulu-senny/za4zLeYc/"]Senny Mayulu[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psg/CjhkPw0k/"]PSG[/a]) - 9.1[/b][/p][p]Playing in an unnatural position at right back, Senny Mayulu put in a top display to see PSG put one hand on the Ligue 1 title.[/p][p]Normally a central midfielder, the young Frenchman looked at ease in defence, making four out of four successful tackles, whilst making six key passes as his side beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brest/Cr4VGaUl/"]Brest[/a] 1-0. [/p][image alt="Senny Mayulu vs Brest" id="2a8c4ef3-0a6b-4b26-9a38-eb45d04b477e" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform / Benoit Tessier / Reuters" guid="d503a024-4aae-4e8f-9015-644045ad1cc7" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][h2]Midfield[/h2][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fred/2kuP6src/"]Fred[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fenerbahce/MsbmracL/"]Fenerbahce[/a]) - 9.5[/b][/p][p]Another stop in Turkey, where Fred rolled back the years to produce one of his finest performances in a Fenerbahce shirt. Knowing they needed a win and to see [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/galatasaray/riaqqurF/"]Galatasaray[/a] drop points to keep their title chances alive, the Brazilian was at the heart of everything. [/p][p]He scored twice - one in each half - to secure a 3-0 win away at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/konyaspor/YazuCbCE/"]Konyaspor[/a]. His first was a composed finish into the corner when one-on-one, whilst the second was a tap-in after a flowing team move.[/p][p]The win did secure Champions League football next season for Fenerbahce, a crumb of comfort after losing the league to bitter rivals Galatasaray.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/medran-alvaro/zZ9sA7Ng/"]Alvaro Medran[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/al-ettifaq-fc/ncrXAWGn/"]Al Ettifaq[/a]) - 9.5[/b][/p][p]Al Ettifaq are still in the running for continental football next season, and they were given a boost at the weekend with a 5-0 drubbing of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/al-khaleej/UanWW9fq/"]Al Khaleej[/a] on Saturday.[/p][p]Spanish playmaker Alvaro Medran played his part to the fullest, grabbing three assists. His first was sublime, placing a 30-yard through ball into the path of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/al-ghannam-khalid/6ywwPpM4/"]Khalid Al Ghannam[/a] to unconvincingly slot home.[/p][p]He was clinical in the final third throughout, with 21 of his 25 passes in that area completed, alongside four out of six long passes. It was an all-round sensational display from the midfielder, who will want to fire his side further up the table before the season’s end.[/p][h2]Attack[/h2][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/doku-jeremy/lMHcYK4f/"]Jeremy Doku[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-city/Wtn9Stg0/"]Manchester City[/a]) - 9.5[/b][/p][p]Is there a more in-form player in the world right now than Jeremy Doku?[/p][p]In his last three games for Manchester City, the Belgian winger has an average rating of 9.43, and he added to that in City’s 3-0 win over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brentford/xYe7DwID/"]Brentford[/a] on Saturday. [/p][p]He scored a special goal from the left wing, curling the ball over a defender and into the top corner to make it 1-0 in the 60th minute.[/p][image alt="Jeremy Doku's heat map against Brentford" id="cc36d5ec-9355-44f2-acbc-0a37604012fe" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform / Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff" guid="8b0efe2e-2ff1-46e2-a0a5-35a9407448ea" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]He was a threat throughout the contest, completing eight of 12 successful dribbles, whilst having the most touches inside the box across both sides. City must be flawless until the end of the season if they are to win a trophy, and more performances like this from Doku will do them no harm.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/messi-lionel/vgOOdZbd/"]Lionel Messi[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/inter-miami/0AheRyBg/"]Inter Miami[/a]) - 9.8[/b][/p][p]Another week, another appearance in Team of the Week for Lionel Messi. There’s not much more we can add that shines a new light on the little maestro, but he was at his usual best, scoring one goal and getting two assists, as Inter Miami saw off [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/toronto-fc/zsdfgnmL/"]Toronto[/a] 4-2 in MLS.[/p][p]The three-goal contributions made it 12 goals from 11 games this season in the league, suggesting he is in great form ahead of the World Cup.[/p][embed guid="400923ff-e7d3-4178-b78e-b3850e31aee5" url="https://x.com/MLS/status/2053475149379187094" social-type="twitter" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/perisic-ivan/4AbKyVr9/"]Ivan Perisic[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psv/M9UEHJWi/"]PSV[/a]) - 9.2[/b][/p][p]Our first and last stop in the Netherlands this week, where the ageless Ivan Perisic showed his class once more as PSV beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/g-a-eagles/hG8POBb8/"]Go Ahead Eagles[/a] 4-1.[/p][p]The Croatian scored in the 19th minute, and 20 minutes before time to see him up to seven for the year, just two behind last season’s total.[/p][p]Now 37, he has one more year left of his current contract, and PSV will hope the renaissance continues.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/osimhen-victor/23YHG47R/"]Victor Osimhen[/a] (Galatasaray) - 9.1[/b][/p][p]Galatasaray wrapped up the Super Lig crown on the weekend, with their starman, Victor Osimhen, scoring a brace as his side beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/antalyaspor/GAtxDHF9/"]Antalyaspor[/a] 4-2.[/p][p]It’s not been his most prolific year in the league, with the Nigerian [i]only[/i] scoring 15 goals in 22 games, with injuries hampering him, but that won’t matter too much as the ultimate goal has been achieved.[/p][p]Both goals were simple enough, but his presence up front has been a weapon for Gala all year long.[/p]