Top 5 Players from Around the World This Weekend: Featuring Four Star Vela
Back in action following the international break, major leagues around Europe resumed and those elsewhere were strengthened, as players who represented their respective nations made their returns.
And on the whole, club football has made a more than welcome return following the international interlude—well, unless you support Tottenham Hotspur or one of the other clubs given a thorough going over during the weekend.
Needless to say, a Manchester City player gets himself in our quintet, along with four other stars who have stolen the show during the November 22-24 weekend.
Here are Bleacher Report's top five players in world football this weekend.
Disagree with any of the picks or feel as if there’s a standout omission? Let us know in the comments section below.
*Unless otherwise stated all statistics courtesy of WhoScored
Carlos Vela (Real Sociedad)
1 of 5
When Celta Vigo were sitting 3-1 up at the Anoeta with 60 minutes having been played, Luis Enrique must have been feeling pretty good about his side's chances of coming away from San Sebastien with all three points.
However, in a week where Mexico qualified for the 2014 World Cup using only home-based players, Enrique hadn't reckoned for Carlos Vela, the Mexican striker currently on the outside looking in where El Tri are concerned.
The Mexican has long been a clever, graceful mover—without being blisteringly quick—as well as an excellent finisher and having spent much of his time with La Real playing from the right, he was through the middle against Enrique's men, as Real Sociedad went with a 4-2-3-1 formation and he wreaked havoc, netting four times in a 4-3 comeback win.
"1 - Carlos Vela is the first player to score four goals in a game in the Europe’s top five leagues this season. Explosion
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) November 23, 2013"
Within the opening minutes Vela served notice of his predatory ability, notching a volley from 10 yards, only to see it chalked out for offside—wrongly.
In the fifth minute however, he was rewarded with his first goal of the evening, cleverly dropping away from defenders before firing Alberto De la Bella's cutback past Yoel.
Vela would go close after an excellent individual run with the scoreline as 1-1, but by the time he netted his second in the 61st minute, the Basque side were already 3-1 down.
Nevertheless, when Chori Castro fired across a free-kick from the right, Vela nipped in ahead of the keeper to make it 3-2.
Andreu Fontas would soon be sent off for the away side after picking up a second yellow—for a foul on Vela—and with La Real committing bodies forward, chances were bound to come.
When they did, Vela was there to take them.
In the 78th minute he fired past Yoel and the goal was given, despite Vela this time being offside, before two minutes later he netted his and Real's fourth to seal victory.
Antoine Griezmann cleverly flicked over a static defence and Vela, running from deep, used his body to fend off Jon Aurtenetxe before applying the finish.
With six shots, four goals and a perfect 10 WhoScored rating, as well as winning 75% of his aerial duels, it's no surprise to see Carlos Vela in our top five for this weekend.
Phillip Lahm (Bayern Munich)
2 of 5
For around 65 minutes of Bayern Munich's 3-0 win over Borussia Dortumund in Der Klassiker, the two sides were rather evenly matched.
Certainly Die Roten's play had a bit more security and intelligence about it, but their hosts— despite missing the entirety of their first-choice defence, as well as the excellent midfielder Ilkay Gundogan—created the better chances as they launched forward on the counter-attack.
And though the returning Mario Goetze, Arjen Robben and the (for the most part) anonymous Thomas Mueller made the scoreline a sweet one for the Bavarians, the outstanding performer throughout the match was the skipper, Phillip Lahm.
Once more selected by Pep Guardiola as the single holding midfielder in his 4-1-4-1 formation, Lahm, despite his diminutive stature, was head and shoulders above both friend and foe during the first half. His use of the ball was excellent, he was always available to receive a pass and he read the game splendidly to ensure Bayern had a spare man where they needed.
Additionally, he won 100% of his tackles during the game and he showed his versatility during the second period when he reverted to right-back, as Guardiola looked to combat the electric pace of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Late in the day, with Bayern two goals to the good, Lahm still showed the drive and desire to provide Arjen Robben with an overlapping option, before showing wonderful composure to pick out Mueller to score Bayern's third.
Throughout, Lahm was excellent, dovetailing excellently with Toni Kroos and both making and breaking play. Fully deserving of his place in our five.
"PASS MAP: Philipp Lahm vs Dortmund. 62/66 (94%) passes completed. 100% tackles won. Genuine class and quality. #FCB pic.twitter.com/dIYwdGxfXG
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) November 23, 2013"
David Villa (Atletico Madrid)
3 of 5
Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid have been relentless this season as they look to break up La Liga's Barcelona-Real Madrid duopoly.
Essential to their charge have been the young Spaniard Koke, defensive pair Diego Godin and Miranda, and the Brazilian centre-forward Diego Costa.
However, one player whose role in Atleti's excellent campaign that has gone rather unnoticed is Spain's record goalscorer David Villa.
No longer playing as the leader of the line as he did during his Valencia heyday, nor as a wide forward as he's often done for Spain and Barcelona, rather El Guaje has been tasked by Simeone with the job of intelligently linking Atleti's midfield with their attack and being the brains behind their quick breakaways.
This weekend, as Atleti demolished city rivals Getafe 7-0 at the Vicente Calderon, Villa was back as a No. 9 for the opening 60 minutes—during which time he netted from close range—before reverting to a second striker role when Diego Costa arrived off the bench.
And from that position, Villa put the finishing touches on a swift breakaway from Los Rojiblancos, sliding in with his left foot after an Adrian cross.
The 31-year-old netted just twice in his opening nine league games, but following his Getafe double he has six goals in his last five La Liga matches.
Villa also teed up Adrian in the 93rd minute to wrap up the scoring, and to wrap up a classy individual showing, which garnered him a 9.3 Whoscored rating.
Perhaps the legs don't move quite as quick as they used to, but the brain remains as sharp as ever, and he continues to have an invaluable role to play in Madrid this season.
Diego Tardelli (Atletico Mineiro)
4 of 5
Atletico MG claimed the Copa Libertadores earlier this year, with former FIFA World Footballer of the Year Ronaldinho and young Brazilian World Cup hopeful Bernard the standout names.
However, Cuca pushed for greater balance in his side, the more integral that hard-working, hard-running forward Diego Tardelli became to the side.
And this weekend, in the absence of the now-departed Bernard and the missing pair of Ronaldinho and Jo, Tardelli proved his worth once more, netting three times in the Brasilieiro as Atletico put Goias to the sword with a 4-1 win.
Playing with greater license to roam than in his nominal right wing position, the 28-year-old who struggled in Europe with PSV Eindhoven, Real Betis and Anzhi Makhachkala, was simply too much for Goias—third in the league table heading into this weekend's action—to handle.
With the score at 1-0, Tardelli, popping up on the left at Atletico counter-attacked, outstripped the opposing defence before coolly placing the ball into the far corner to double the lead.
Before half-time Goias reduced the arrears but Tardelli took the game away from them with two goals in six second-half minutes.
His second saw him drive in from the left once more, play a one-two with Luan who cleverly backheeled into his path, and Tardelli placed a sumptuous shot with his instep low past Renan.
His final goal again showed his dribbling and composure cutting in from wide areas, this time tucking in from the right after a short corner, weaving past a challenge onto his left foot and coolly placing into the far corner.
Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)
5 of 5
Tottenham Hotspur arrived at the Etihad Stadium knowing that Manchester City's perfect home record would be the sternest test they've faced this season.
Within 13 seconds they'd been embarrassed. By the final whistle, the north London club had been comprehensively destroyed.
And a major reason why Spurs and their defence had been so ruthlessly dismantled was the continued excellence of Sergio Aguero, the Argentine forward.
"Pellegrini says Hart starts v Viktoria Plzen on Wednesday. #mcfc manager says "the best 3 players in the world are Ronaldo, Messi & Aguero''
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) November 24, 2013"
While Tottenham's strategy was seriously lacking and they left a chasm between defence and midfield, City still had to take advantage and Aguero, full of tenacious chasing, intelligent movement and strong link play, made the most of the space on offer.
He had a hand in the opener, picking up on Lloris' dreadful kick far quicker than Sandro, before also playing a role in City's second, and unfortunate own goal by the aforementioned Brazilian.
In the 40th minute, Aguero had his reward for his previous industry, easily converting a Jesus Navas centre, while his second five minutes after half-time put the stamp on an excellent counter-attack led by Yaya Toure.
The double took the former Atletico Madrid man to 10 league goals for the current campaign, with five more in the Champions League. But if one moment embodied Aguero's showing, it came during the first period.
Running down the left with Sandro in hot pursuit, Aguero showed both pace and poise to continue heading towards goal, before also showing the strength and awareness to fend off the Brazilian destroyer with a well-placed arm, before he slinked away from Dawson and won a corner.
In short, while both Alvaro Negredo and Navas also had excellent games for Pellegrini's men, Aguero's 69 minute showing—which earned him a 9.3 rating by WhoScored—was that of a man currently in top, top form.
"Sergio Aguero vs Spurs: 5 attempts, 5 attempts on target & 2 goals scored. (Via @Squawka ) pic.twitter.com/CL1bRXEtLP
— The Football Front (@ReviewFootball) November 24, 2013"
