Europa League Team of the Round: Antony leads Betis triple-up, Costa stars for Porto

[p]Using our [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/news/track-football-performances-in-real-time-flashscore-launches-live-player-ratings/tGhsS9aL/"]internal ratings system[/a][/b] and considering players who featured for at least 60 minutes across both legs, here's who makes the latest Team of the Round.[/p][image alt="Team of the Round" id="fa099eb0-7462-48d5-afd4-a5922b62da51" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="8dbd9586-179c-427a-9438-64ab92093aeb" original-width="1080" original-height="1350" /][h2]Goalkeeper[/h2][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/diogo-costa/hC31Ab0c/"]Diogo Costa[/a] (Porto) 8.2[/b][/p][p]Costa was imperious between the sticks for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fc-porto/S2NmScGp/"]Porto[/a], as the Portuguese giants [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/fc-porto-S2NmScGp/stuttgart-nJQmYp1B/?mid=j9r96JPM"]proved too strong for Stuttgart[/a] to convincingly seal their place in the quarter-finals.[/p][p]The 26-year-old shot-stopper made an impressive 12 saves across the two legs, keeping his third clean sheet of the tournament in the process.[/p][embed guid="333ecf07-b84d-4f6f-b8f3-2961ccc1c5e4" url="https://x.com/FCPorto/status/2034766365152907537" social-type="twitter" /][h2]Defence[/h2][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/el-ouahdi-zakaria/OpbqnKI9/"]Zakaria El Ouahdi[/a] (Genk) 8.6[/b][/p][p]Despite winning the first leg on home soil, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/genk/r3jWUIiN/"]Genk[/a] were ultimately outclassed in Germany, as they fell to a disappointing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/freiburg-fiEQZ7C7/genk-r3jWUIiN/?mid=UyFv5R5F"]5-2 aggregate defeat[/a] against Bundesliga side Freiburg.[/p][p]Right-back El Ouahdi was the match-winner for De Smurfen in Belgium with a clinical volley, but a costly yellow card meant he was forced to sit out the return leg.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bartra-marc/8K4WA9Gh/"]Marc Bartra[/a] (Real Betis) 7.9[/b][/p][p]Bartra was influential in defence for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/betis/vJbTeCGP/"]Real Betis[/a] as the LaLiga outfit overturned a first-leg deficit to overwhelm Panathinaikos in a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/betis-vJbTeCGP/panathinaikos-SENMmweG/?mid=4E7ls3dB"]4-1 aggregate triumph[/a].[/p][p]The experienced Spaniard made nine clearances during the second leg in Andalusia, while also contributing a further four interceptions and an impressive pass success rate of 90%.[/p][embed guid="15c8f6c9-8cb2-4d17-b199-4660753f8a36" url="https://x.com/RealBetis_en/status/2034772270170669186" social-type="twitter" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ghilardi-daniele/rsXIkA0l/"]Daniele Ghilardi[/a] (Roma) 7.6[/b][/p][p]Considered one of the favourites for the trophy, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/as-roma/zVqqL0ma/"]Roma[/a] were surprisingly sent packing in the last-16 stage after a dramatic [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/as-roma-zVqqL0ma/bologna-0M9xNN8N/?mid=828yhKAT"]5-4 aggregate defeat[/a] to fellow Italian side Bologna.[/p][p]Centre-back Ghilardi was a standout performer for the Giallorossi in a closely fought first leg, with the Italian winning seven ground duels and making five key clearances.[/p][h2]Midfield[/h2][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/antony/dIe4SZEK/"]Antony[/a] (Real Betis) 7.9[/b][/p][p]Antony continues to produce the goods for Betis this season, as the Brazilian played a leading role in his side's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/betis-vJbTeCGP/panathinaikos-SENMmweG/?mid=4E7ls3dB"]second-leg thrashing[/a] of Panathinaikos.[/p][p]The former Manchester United man won eight ground duels, completed all three of his dribbles, and got his name on the scoresheet with a neat close-range finish.[/p][image alt="Antony's recent stats" id="394f01ee-80fa-41c6-8af3-a61f33073375" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="b845fd19-b26c-4638-8155-efef0cdd0065" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pellegrini-lorenzo/8GVcLWJk/"]Lorenzo Pellegrini[/a] (Roma) 8.2[/b][/p][p]Despite starting both legs against Bologna on the bench, Pellegrini couldn't have contributed more for Gian Piero Gasperini's side, with a couple of excellent substitute appearances.[/p][p]The midfielder netted an important equaliser for Roma in Emilia-Romagna, before scoring and assisting in the Giallorossi's agonising [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/as-roma-zVqqL0ma/bologna-0M9xNN8N/?mid=828yhKAT"]second-leg defeat[/a].[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mcatee-james/zwOgsDSc/"]James McAtee[/a] (Nottingham Forest) 7.9[/b][/p][p]McAtee was handed a rare start for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/nottingham/UsushcZr/"]Nottingham Forest[/a] in their [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/midtjylland-8GZDmdbB/nottingham-UsushcZr/?mid=AVtgA1Qc"]second leg against FC Midtjylland[/a], and the 23-year-old certainly took his opportunity.[/p][p]Not only did he provide an assist for Ryan Yates' goal, but he also won five ground duels and completed 83% of his passes in the final third.[/p][embed guid="a27368ef-3e15-40cb-9cc0-43eda65b467d" url="https://x.com/NFFC/status/2034746957692912081" social-type="twitter" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ez-abde/YRiVcQ3T/"]Abde Ezzalzouli[/a] (Real Betis) 7.9[/b][/p][p]The third Betis player to make our team is winger Ezzalzouli, who turned on the style in his side's emphatic [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/betis-vJbTeCGP/panathinaikos-SENMmweG/?mid=4E7ls3dB"]4-0 victory[/a] over Panathinaikos.[/p][p]The Moroccan was a constant threat for Manuel Pellegrini's men, completing four successful dribbles as well as unselfishly setting up Antony for Betis' fourth goal.[/p][image alt="Ezzalzouli's stats vs Panathinaikos in the second leg" id="58727da2-2c41-4320-acbc-b42c8b16a90d" credit-line="JOSE LUIS CONTRERAS / NURPHOTO VIA AFP / Opta by StatsPerform" guid="8e1c6f37-33ad-4468-b8c0-bc7e6e2d0fa4" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][h2]Attack[/h2][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/karetsas-konstantinos/EBMZbxBK/"]Konstantinos Karetsas[/a] (Genk) 7.8[/b][/p][p]While Genk were [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/freiburg-fiEQZ7C7/genk-r3jWUIiN/?mid=UyFv5R5F"]comfortably beaten by Freiburg[/a] over two legs, Greek teenager Karetsas provided a silver lining for the Belgians with a couple of eye-catching displays.[/p][p]The 18-year-old was particularly impressive in the second leg, laying on a neat pass for Matte Smets' goal - his fourth assist of the tournament.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/horta-ricardo/C6VHJ9JM/"]Ricardo Horta[/a] (Braga) 7.9[/b][/p][p]Faced with a two-goal deficit after the first leg in Budapest, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/braga/dpUer7ht/"]Braga[/a] mounted a superb comeback on home soil to overcome Hungarian side Ferencvaros [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/braga-dpUer7ht/ferencvaros-pKS9M7R7/?mid=SlxmayId"]4-2 on aggregate[/a].[/p][p]Horta spearheaded the Archbishops' revival with two goals in the second leg, including a brilliant curled finish from the edge of the box.[/p][embed guid="3fea0d2d-07b7-4909-8820-300a24b68d7b" url="https://x.com/EuropaLeague/status/2034684154399330333" social-type="twitter" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bernardeschi-federico/Ghmdi8ej/"]Federico Bernardeschi[/a] (Bologna) 7.8[/b][/p][p]Former Juventus star Bernardeschi rolled back the years for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bologna/0M9xNN8N/"]Bologna[/a] in their [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/as-roma-zVqqL0ma/bologna-0M9xNN8N/?mid=828yhKAT"]thrilling last-16 tie[/a] against Roma, with the forward scoring crucial goals in both legs.[/p][p]He also won 11 ground duels across the two matches, as well as making three tackles and completing six dribbles.[/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/soccer/europe/europa-league/"]Follow the Europa League with Flashscore here![/a][/h2]