Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez was on fire for Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.
After a last-gasp goal that clinched a 3-2 away win against Mainz, the Mexican striker walked away with the match ball with an impressive tally of three goals for Leverkusen. The hat trick for Hernandez was his second since joining the Bundesliga club last summer.
Following a fracture to his right hand last month which forced him to miss the season opener against Borussia Monchengladbach on Aug. 27, Chicharito has bounced back with four goals in his last three games.
At this point in his career, it is no longer surprising that the 28-year-old is finding the back of the net this often. After an impressive 2015-2016 season that included 17 league goals, Hernandez is off to another bright start in the current tournament. Chicharito is at his peak, and for Mexico fans across the Atlantic, it's a thrill for his supporters to constantly see goals in nearly every match from the former Chivas player.
Heading into the World Cup qualifying games this November for the Mexican national team, the striker will be the focal point in manager Juan Carlos Osorio's attack. At the rate that he has been securing goals, it wouldn't be unexpected to see him score a couple against CONCACAF opponents.
With the Leverkusen star stepping up as the man-of-the-match, Chicharito leads this week's wrap-up of the Mexicans abroad in Europe.
Miguel Layun, DF, Porto (Portugal)
During last Friday's 3-1 home win against Boavista, Layun played the entirety of the game for Porto as a right-back. The defender was his usual active self with numerous crosses from the wing.
The 28-year-old has recently benefitted from the injury of Porto's original starting right-back, Maxi Pereira. With reports now coming out that Pereira will be fit for the upcoming Champions League match against Leicester City on Tuesday, Layun will have to once again prove that he deserves a key spot in Porto's starting XI.
Jesus Corona, FW, Porto (Portugal)
While his teammate Layun was given a start, Corona was placed on the bench for a second straight match. The winger was not featured in the victory over Boavista.
If the 23-year-old is left on the bench in the upcoming game against Leicester City, Mexico fans should begin to worry. Although the speedy winger is one of El Tri's most talented players, Osorio might think twice about giving him an important role if he isn't gaining many minutes in Portugal.
Hector Herrera, MF, Porto (Portugal)
Like Corona, Herrera has been left out of the starting lineup in the last two matches for Porto. In Friday's win, the midfielder was brought on as a late substitute in the 74th minute.
Herrera has been showing serious signs of fatigue in the past several weeks. Last season, the 26-year-old benefitted from a couple of games on the bench and later had no trouble bouncing back afterwards. This year, the same should be true for the midfielder who has seldom looked at his best.
Marco Fabian, MF, Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany)
During Saturday's 3-3 draw at home against Hertha BSC, Fabian scored Frankfurt's first goal in the 39th minute. In his last three starts, the 27-year-old has collected two goals and two assists.
Fabian is on fire. After months of riding on the bench, the former Chivas player has stepped up and taken control of the recent starts given by manager Niko Kovac. If the No. 10 can maintain this momentum, he will be able to increase his chances of staying in Europe and gaining a call-up for El Tri.
Pedro Arce, MF, Veria (Greece)
Over the weekend, Arce provided an assist for Veria's first goal in the 2-1 away win against Panionios. The 24-year-old midfielder played a total of 88 minutes in Saturday's match.
Arce still has a long way to go before gaining a possible call-up for the national team. Due to the fact that the Mexican plays in a relatively obscure club in the Greek Super League, Arce is going to have to work twice as hard as a Chicharito or Layun to get the attention of Osorio.
Andres Guardado, MF, PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands)
In the 3-1 away victory against SBV Excelsior on Saturday, Guardado once again took charge of the midfield with his intelligent distribution and passing. The PSV starter played 84 minutes and provided the assist for the second goal in the win.
Little by little, Guardado is gaining back the confidence which has made him one of Mexico's best players. With his superb performances as a defensive midfielder, Osorio might consider trying out the 29-year-old in that same role for El Tri, instead of his usual spot as an attacking midfielder.
Hector Moreno, DF, PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands)
Moreno was also given the start for PSV in Saturday's match and played the entire full 90 minutes for the Dutch side. The defender did a fantastic job connecting with the midfield through his constant passing and nearly scored a fourth goal for PSV at the end of the game.
At the moment, Moreno is undoubtedly Mexico's best central defender. With the 28-year-old showing consistency in Europe, the big question for Osorio is this: Who will partner up with Moreno in El Tri's backline?
Carlos Vela, FW, Real Sociedad (Spain)
Following a mid-week 4-1 win over Las Palmas that included a goal from Vela, the winger was given a third consecutive start on Saturday in the 2-0 loss to Eibar. The 27-year-old was substituted out in the 66th minute of the loss.
Before he makes a return to the national team, Vela will need to continue earning minutes in Spain. Osorio has several winger options and could afford to leave the highly-talented star off of Mexico's roster. With plenty to prove, Vela will need to not only get minutes, but also more goals and assists as well.
Jonathan dos Santos, MF, Villarreal (Spain)
After an impressive performance and start in last Wednesday's 1-1 draw against Real Madrid, Dos Santos was later featured as a substitute during Sunday's 3-1 victory over Osasuna. The midfielder played for a total of 27 minutes in the recent win.
As a versatile midfielder, Dos Santos has proven to be a key player for the Villarreal side that is currently sitting at 4th place in La Liga. Although Mexico is stacked with noteworthy midfielders, the Villarreal player's vision and ball control should be enough to gain him a return to Osorio's roster.
Carlos Salcedo, DF, Fiorentina (Italy)
On Sunday, Salcedo made his Serie A debut for Fiorentina in the 0-0 draw at home against A.C. Milan. The defender played the full 90 minutes and led his team in passing.
The fact that the 22-year-old had more passes than any other player on the pitch, on his league debut, should not be overlooked. Salcedo was an important figure for Fiorentina and has had no problems assimilating to the club's three-man backline. If an option like Diego Reyes continues to ride the bench in Spain, Salcedo could easily slide into a central defensive spot with Moreno.
Diego Reyes, DF, Espanyol (Spain)
During Sunday's 2-0 away loss to Celta Vigo, Reyes remained on the bench for Espanyol. In his last four matches with the squad, the defender has only amassed a total of nine minutes of playing time.
Reyes hasn't had more than a month to train with the team and will need more time to adjust to Espanyol. That said, after the impressive start that Salcedo has had in Italy, many Mexico fans might begin to question the 24-year-old who has been playing in Europe since 2013.
Guillermo Ochoa, GK, Granada (Spain)
In last Wednesday's 2-1 home loss to Athletic, Ochoa was given his fifth start of the season for Granada. Although the goalkeeper made a total of six saves, it wasn't enough to salvage at least a draw for his club.
Ochoa will need to become accustomed to making numerous saves for Granada. Despite his 17 saves in the last three matches for his team, Granada was still unable to walk away with a win in those three games. The 31-year-old will need to be at his very best to stand out amongst other Mexican options like Jesus Corona, Alfredo Talavera and Alejandro Palacios.
Injured:
- Raul Jimenez, FW, Benfica (Portugal)