Here we round up the European team of the month from Europe’s top five leagues along with their Football INDEX share price.
Goalkeeper: Bobby Allain (Dijon) - 7.96 rating
Football INDEX share price: N/A
Bobby Allain’s performances progressively improved as the month wore on, culminating in a man of the match display in Dijon’s 2-0 win over Monaco at the end of January. The 27-year-old made an impressive 15 saves across his three appearances in January as Allain helped the Ligue 1 side to four points from a possible nine last month.
Right-back: Santiago Arias (Atletico Madrid) - 8.07 rating
Football INDEX share price: £1.03
Santiago Arias has made a first team spot with Atletico Madrid his own now and with a WhoScored rating of 8.07, Diego Simeone’s faith in the Colombian is being repaid and then some. The right-back netted his first league goal for the club in a 3-0 win over Huesca, with his performance in the victory landing Arias the man of the match award.
Centre-back: Marcelo (Lyon) - 7.72 rating
Football INDEX share price: £1.26
Featuring at the heart of the defence is Lyon centre-back Marcelo. The French side earned eight of a possible 12 points in January to maintain their push for a top-two finish in France’s top tier, with the defender doing enough to earn a 7.72 rating as he ranked high for interceptions (10) and aerial duels won (24) in Ligue 1 in January.
Centre-back: Jan Bednarek (Southampton) - 7.95 rating
Football INDEX share price: £0.98
Partnering Marcelo at the back, it’s no coincidence that Southampton’s form has improved since Jan Bednarek became a first team regular in the side. The Pole landed a WhoScored rating of 7.95 in January as Saints went through the month unbeaten. Bednarek has won the WhoScored man of the match award in his last three league outings, as he made the second most interceptions (13) and second most clearances (34) in the Premier League in January.
Left-back: Danny Rose (Tottenham) - 7.72 rating
Football INDEX share price: £1.30
Tottenham may have been knocked out of the Carabao and FA Cup in January, but they maintained their good Premier League form, as they won three of four matches. Danny Rose started their three wins, those coming against Cardiff City, Fulham and Watford, providing the assist for Fernando Llorente’s winner in the latter as he returned a WhoScored rating of 7.72 in January.
Right midfield: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) - 8.26 rating
Football INDEX share price: £16.04
It was another month to remember for Lionel Messi, who again excelled for Barcelona in their pursuit for La Liga glory. The Argentine scored in each of his four league outings in January, picking up the man of the match award in wins over Getafe and Girona, as he landed a fine WhoScored rating of 8.26.
Central midfield: Julian Draxler (PSG) - 8.51 rating
Football INDEX share price: £2.84
Julian Draxler is the first of three PSG players to make the cut in the best European XI of January. He registered two assists for the Parisian powerhouse as PSG maintained their unstoppable title quest with comfortable wins over Amiens, Guingamp and Rennes, during which he made 12 tackles and interceptions combined, 10 successful dribbles and six key passes to return a WhoScored rating of 8.51.
Central midfield: Thomas Partey (Atletico Madrid) - 8.07 rating
Football INDEX share price: £1.42
Featuring alongside Draxler is Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey, who made more interceptions (16) than any other player in La Liga in January. Man of the match performances against Sevilla and Getafe contributed to a WhoScored rating of 8.07 as the 25-year-old also chipped in with an additional 17 tackles.
Left midfield: Allan Saint-Maximin (Nice) - 7.69 rating
Football INDEX share price: £2.25
Rounding off the midfield is Nice winger Allan Saint-Maximin, who returned a WhoScored rating of 7.69 in January. The young Frenchman scored in three of his four league outings, totalling three goals last month, and completed the second most dribbles (20) in Ligue 1 in January.
Striker: Kylian Mbappe (PSG) - 8.88 rating
Football INDEX share price: £17.16
Kylian Mbappe was again sensational for PSG as they romped to maximum points in January. The youngster scored five goals and registered two assists last month, picking up the WhoScored man of the match award in their 4-1 win over Rennes. His five goals came from 13 shots and two assists from nine key passes as the 20-year-old again thrived on the PSG frontline.
Striker: Edinson Cavani (PSG) - 8.88 rating
Football INDEX share price: £2.92
Joining Mbappe on the frontline is PSG teammate Edinson Cavani. The Uruguayan hotshot had a direct hand in nine goals for the French giants in January, scoring more goals (6) and registering more assists (3) than any other player in Ligue 1. Such was his fine form that Cavani was named the WhoScored player of the month for January in France’s top tier.
