Valencia — Best pictures!

Valencia’s otherwise prolific striker and Spain international David Villa saw a perfect chance to top the FTBL Top 23 for Europe slip away as Spain were wrong-footed yesterday by a surprisingly inspired U.S. football team and sent crashing out of the

David Villa’s double in Valencia’s 2:0 home win over Athletic Bilbao boosted the striker’s overall rating to 161.17 points, allowing him to return into the FTBL Top 23 rating of top forwards in La Liga while pushing out Real Madrid’s Raul.

The world’s best rated player at the moment—Atletico Madrid forward Diego Forlan—will face his next and final test in La Liga this season when his side take on Alameria: his plank to beat will be a high 25.80 rating points, which he set in the 3:1 win

Villarreal midfielder and former France international Robert Pires (pictured left) continued his ascent in the FTBL rating of veteran midfielders when he picked up 10 rating points in Villarreal’s 3:1 victory over Valencia on Saturday. He now has 77.44

Valencia will try hard to secure a win and a Champions League berth for next season when they travel to Villarreal on Saturday, but their number one weapon, striker David Villa, even if he scores, has practically no chance of avoiding a drop in the ratings.