Team of the Week: Thuram & Galeno impress as Fujimoto hits treble on opening weekend
Below is our first Team of the Week for the new season:
Goalkeeper
Okan Kocuk (Samsunspor) 8.4
Kocuk was pivotal to Samsunspor's away victory over Gaziantep at the weekend, making eight saves throughout the contest to help preserve his side's early lead.
It was Samsunspor's first clean sheet away from home in the Super Lig since their return to the Turkish top flight in 2023/24.
Defence
Alexander Bah (Benfica) 8.5
Benfica registered their first win of the season on Saturday evening, and crucial to the 3-0 success over Casa Pia was the superb all-round performance of Alexander Bah.
The Danish international created several openings for his side from right-back, while also winning four aerial duels and making four successful tackles during the 90'.
Bafode Diakite (Lille) 8.2
Diakhite was influential at both ends of the pitch for Lille during their hard-fought win against Reims, rifling home a timely opener in first-half stoppage time.
The French centre-back was equally efficient in defence as Les Dogues held firm during the second period, winning two aerial duels and completing 98% of his passes.
Uros Radakovic (Sivasspor) 9
Making just his second appearance for Sivasspor, centre-back Radakovic produced a match-winning display in his side's gruelling away victory over Kayserispor.
Not only did the Serb find the net with two well-taken goals inside the box, but he also provided a strong presence at the back as Sivasspor held firm despite being reduced to 10 men for the final quarter-hour.
Midfield
Kanya Fujimoto (Gil Vicente) 9.1
Gil Vicente's Japanese midfielder was in irresistible form on Friday night, scoring a sublime hat-trick to see off the spirited challenge of AVS.
Fujimoto fired his side in front shortly before half-time with a curled effort into the far corner and the 25-year-old added two further goals in the second half to complete a memorable treble.
Josip Mitrovic (Sittard) 8.4
Sittard continued their impressive start to the Eredivisie season with a routine 3-0 win over Almere City, as new signing Mitrovic scored his first goal for the club.
The talented Croatian reacted fastest inside the box to confidently convert his side's third and put the seal on another excellent showing.
Alex Scott (Bournemouth) 8.3
Still only 20 years old, Scott is widely tipped to be a future England international, and the Bournemouth midfielder started the new season with an accomplished display against Nottingham Forest.
Trailing to Chris Wood's early opener, the Cherries fought their way back into the match to salvage a deserved point, with Scott winning a remarkable 13 duels in the heart of their midfield.
Galeno (Porto) 8.6
Galeno continued his brilliant early-season form for Porto with a third successive goalscoring appearance, helping the Dragons to another routine victory.
The Brazilian swept home his side's second from the spot, effectively sealing the three points before half-time against newly-promoted Santa Clara.
Attack
Marcus Thuram (Inter) 8.7
Fresh from an impressive debut campaign with the Nerazzurri, Thuram carried his form straight into the new campaign against Genoa on Saturday night.
Inter may have uncharacteristically dropped points late on, but the two-goal display of Thuram was an ominous sign for the rest of Serie A.
Igor Paixao (Feyenoord) 8.9
Feyenoord were at their free-flowing best in Sunday's 5-1 drubbing of PEC Zwolle, with Paixao opening the scoring for Brian Priske's men inside four minutes.
The Brazilian's powerful header set the tone for the visitors and it was the influential Paixao who assisted Calvin Stengs for Feyenoord's second goal to all but secure the three points.
Daniel Mosquera (Verona) 9
Introduced into the action with his side holding a slender advantage over Antonio Conte's Napoli, Mosquera had an immediate impact, scoring twice in the final 15 minutes to seal a famous triumph for Verona.
The substitute's first goal was a clinical finish into the bottom corner after being sent through on goal by Ondrej Duda, while his second in stoppage time was a poacher's strike in the six-yard box.