The flexible Basque forward – now a Spain regular – also shows terrific intelligence in games, as the star of an exciting Real Sociedad side.As is the case for most of Real Madrid’s squad, it hasn’t been the easiest of periods for Casemiro – but, boy, do they notice when he isn’t around to plug the gaps.
A 32-goal haul in 2018-19 was the Argentine’s joint-second-most prolific season in blue.Szczesny’s transformation in Serie A has been nothing short of a revelation. He was brilliant for Brazil to help them lift the Copa America: the 22-year-old put in goal-and-assist displays in the semi-final and final as his beloved Seleção triumphed on home soil.Neymar won’t look back on 2019 particularly fondly: it was arguably his worst year as a professional.
It turns out he was. All rights reserved.
Also check out Juventus player salaries for the 2019/20 season– Cristiano Ronaldo earns as much as Napoli’s top eight paid players (Koulibaly, Insigne, Lozano, Mertens, Manolas, Callejon, Llorente and Milik) put together. Alexander-Arnold’s 12 set a Premier League record for a defender; Robertson managed a mere 11, but by the end of November he had bumped his team-mate into second position, across the league, for assists in 2019.With Marc-Andre ter Stegen consistently in top form at Barcelona, it was hard for Neuer to justify his continued standing as Germany’s starting goalkeeper. Mertens has also teamed up well with the midfield.Let’s take a look at 5 such players who have impressed the most in the ongoing Serie A season.
The Ajax captain didn’t lift Ol’ Big Ears but did win the Dutch double and reached the inaugural Nations League final with the Netherlands, all before he had even turned 20. Though primarily a central defender, the 25-year-old has mastered the role of defensive midfielder, making him one of the game’s most vitally versatile operators. “Jordi is the best left-back in the world,” PSG defender Juan Bernat recently enthused about his international team-mate.Even in Serie A – the home of man-marking, maximum organisation and naughty tricks – Koulibaly stands out as special. In 2020, it will be Ali Daei’s all-time international scoring record (109) that is in his sights.In May, a quick couple of Wijnaldum goals sent Anfield potty. Inconsistent?
The playmaker enjoyed a stunning Champions League campaign, also claiming the Eredivisie’s joint-most assists as Ajax won the title, and he has been just as sensational this term.The 32-year-old Belgian has passed some major club milestones in 2019, hitting 300 appearances for Napoli and overtaking the legendary Diego Maradona in their all-time goalscoring chart, with the No.1 spot to follow.
Despite injuries in 2019-20, he is a genuine superstar who recently reached 100 matches for PSG, with over 100 goal contributions. Pique, 32, was arguably Barcelona’s third-most important player in 2018-19, and his experience must now help his club to avoid repeats of the debacles against Roma and Liverpool.Barcelona’s goalkeepers must not only dominate their area, but also demonstrate proficiency in possession.