LONDON (AP) - Atletico Madrid led the Associated Press Global Football 10 on Tuesday after two victories in a week maintained its bid to win the Champions League and Spanish league.
Atletico edged Bayern Munich 1-0 in the Champions League semifinals before beating Rayo Vallecano by the same score to stay level on points with Spanish league leader Barcelona.
“Atletico Madrid love upsetting the big boys. They did that to Bayern Munich, eking out a 1-0 win … thanks to their hard work and determination,’ Umaid Wasim of Dawn newspaper in Pakistan said. “Diego Simeone’s men then kept pace with Barcelona atop La Liga.”
Leicester was second. The Foxes drew 1-1 with Manchester United, but won the English title after Chelsea held Tottenham to a 2-2 draw on Monday.
“I wish Leicester had won the Premier League title on the field and of their own doing rather than by having Tottenham play to a tie,” Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in the United States said. “Not that it minimizes Leicester’s title in any way - but doing it in a crowded stadium could have been a priceless moment.”
Real Madrid was third after drawing with Manchester City in the Champions League and beating Real Sociedad, while Borussia Dortmund was fourth after thrashing Wolfsburg 5-1 and Barcelona was fifth after winning 2-0 at Real Betis.
Villarreal, Southampton, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus and Sporting Lisbon round out the top 10.
Sadio Mane is at the top of the player vote after scoring a hat trick as Southampton beat City 4-2 on in the Premier League on Sunday.
Saul Niguez was second after his goal for Atletico against Bayern in the Champions League handed Diego Simeone’s side a first-leg advantage, and Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale was third.
“Saul Niguez scored the most beautiful goal of this Champions League season and decided the first leg of the semifinals for Atletico,” Francois Colin of De Standaard in Belgium said.
Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang, Wes Morgan, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Gonzalo Higuain, Eden Hazard, Adrian and Antoine Griezmann complete the top 10.
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Associated Press Global Football 10
Players:
1.Sadio Mane, 76 points.
2.Saul Niguez, 68.
3.Gareth Bale, 61.
4.Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang, 57.
5.Wes Morgan, 51.
6.Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 43.
7.Gonzalo Higuain, 36.
8.Eden Hazard, 33.
9.Adrian, 26.
10.Antoine Griezmann, 22.
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Teams:
1.Atletico Madrid, 89 points.
2.Leicester, 74.
3.Real Madrid, 67.
4.Borussia Dortmund, 54.
5.Barcelona, 53.
6.Villarreal, 50.
7.Southampton, 47.
8.Paris Saint-Germain, 37.
9.Juventus, 31.
10.Sporting Lisbon, 25.
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