La Liga Team of the Season: Four Barcelona players included as midtable stars make impact

After a chaotic year in La Liga, defined by widespread equality in the middle of the table, here is your team of the season by position group. Each position consists of a winner and two podium places.

Goalkeeper – Joan Garcia – Barcelona

The Zamora trophy is a good starting point, and Joan Garcia picked up the first of his career for Barcelona. Last year he was probably the best goalkeeper in the division, making more saves than anyone else, and preventing 10 expected goals, on his way to rescuing Espanyol from relegation. This year, he improved that figure to 11, and was decisive in the title race – Barcelona’s biggest problems came in October and November when Garcia was injured, and their average goals conceded jumped by more than half per game. That, and some of the saves he pulls off have to be watched on loop to be believed.

2nd: Aaron Escandell – his form dwindled a little as the season went on, but if Real Oviedo got to halfway still alive, it was down to him.

3rd: Mat Ryan – Levante pulled off some remarkable comebacks in the second half of the season, and while Carlos Espi may take the headlines, Ryan pulled off a series crucial stops to keep Levante up.

Right-back – Marcos Llorente – Atletico Madrid

There seems to be little doubt that Marcos Llorente deserves his spot in our team of the season. So often the driving force behind Atletico, whatever his side needs, Llorente provides it. At all times, he’s an absolute headache for the opposition, simply put because he can run past everyone, due to both speed and stamina. Llorente is smart with where and when he runs too, and defensively, was rock-solid this season.

2nd – Andrei Ratiu – A winger in a gifted right-back’s body. An excellent season with Rayo Vallecano.

3rd – Santiago Mourino – Converted from centre-back, we had our doubts, but Villarreal were a different side with the Uruguayan at right-back, proving rock-solid.

Centre-back – Marc Pubill – Atletico Madrid

Even if, as Diego Simeone says, Atletico attack better than they defend, the times when they looked like winning something were with Marc Pubill at centre-back. Heroic in their knockout ties with Barcelona and Arsenal, Pubill proved he doesn’t just belong to the top level, but he can stand out there.

2nd – Pau Cubarsi – Finished the season in excellent form after a shaky first half of the year. Almost too quiet the way he goes about his business.

3rd- David Affengruber – One of the revelations of the season, Affengruber was poised on the ball and heroic in defence. Simply put, without him, Elche are planning for a season in Segunda.

Centre-back – Florian Lejeune – Rayo Vallecano

A sensational season from the veteran centre-back, arguably nobody did more to get Rayo both into Europe next season, and to their first major final, falling narrowly short on both occasions. The 34-year-old was masterful in the use of his body, surfing the line between physicality and fouls. On the rare occasion he had to get involve in heroics, his tackles were clean as a whistle.

2nd – Eric Garcia – This happened to Eric last season too, where his versatility made it difficult to include him in one position, but his overall level was excellent. One of Barcelona’s best players this season, especially in the first half of the year.

3rd – Zaid Romero – We only had half a season with him, and much of the credit for Getafe’s turnaround has gone to striking duo Martin Satriano and Luis Vasquez, but Romero is a major part of the reason Los Azulones had the third-best defence in the division.

Left-back – Carlos Romero – Espanyol

Like Espanyol, Carlos Romero’s season went from ‘more to less’ if we’re describe it in Spanglish, but there is little doubt he was the best left-back in Spain. Six assists and three goals in his 36 appearances, Romero’s gift is that he was not only improved defensively, but felt at times like a true all-rounder in attack. He could get to the by-line, he could drift inside, he could cross early, and the end product was so often excellent.

2nd – German Valera – Cheating a little given Valera was an offensively minded wing-back, but is ceaseless running was an example for Eder Sarabia’s side all year. Often we talk of Elche as a possession-based side, but many of their best attacks came on the counter with Valera flying down the flank.

3rd – Yuri Berchiche – In a difficult season for Athletic Club, Yuri continued to stand up and be counted for his side. It felt at times as if he was battling his own body as much as the opposition, at times he was in central defence, and he also provided seven assists in 39 appearances.

Central Midfielder – Pedri Gonzalez – Barcelona

The rhythm behind Barcelona’s football. Had a difficult April, but a strong case to be Barcelona’s player of the season. There are times when Pedri gets the ball, and it’s almost as if he’s waiting for the rest of the players to move to where he wants them to be. Not there? Half a touch this way, a feint that way, and there we go, the angle is there. The world of football is all too used to how good Pedri is. Barcelona are not – half of the 10 games they lost this year came with Pedri out of the starting XI.

2nd – Arda Guler – One of the few players that can take some positives into next season, and not just his stunning goal from his own half. Six goals and 14 assists, despite missing the last month and not always being a start, tied third for assists in La Liga.

3rd – Pape Gueye – The term a Rolls-Royce of a player is going out of fashion, and that’s in part because there aren’t many that fit these days. Gueye does; smooth, neat feet, impossible to knock off the ball.

Central Midfielder – Luis Milla – Getafe

After Jose Bordalas, the biggest reason behind Getafe’s completely absurd qualification for Europe. Not only was he joint-second for assists with 10, he did so in a team that scored just 32 goals all season, and their top-scorer finished with six. Add in his singular strike, the one that secured Conference League football, and he’s responsible for a third of Getafe’s goals. To reduce him to the numbers is also a disservice. Constantly taking the right decision, always in the right place, the Coliseum’s most skilled gladiator.

2nd – Koke Resurreccion – This wasn’t meant to happen. With Johnny Cardoso signed and Pablo Barrios the future, Koke wasn’t meant to play much, but he was their best midfielder all season. Rolling back the years, his absence is still noticed.

3rd – Aurelien Tchouameni – Held things together for Real Madrid in a midfield that frequently disappeared when challenged. Xabi Alonso had him playing his best football in a few seasons, and he continued to lead thereafter – albeit not by example by the end.

Central Midfielder – Fermin Lopez – Barcelona

In a season where a number of key Barcelona players missed time through injury, time and again Hansi Flick turned to Fermin to dig them through tough spells. Despite playing in a number of positions, and not always being given continuity, Lopez finished with 13 goals and 17 assists in 48 games, but averaged a goal contribution every 92 minutes. Beyond that, without Gavi and Raphinha for much of the year, Lopez provided crucial bite and work defensively.

2nd – Pablo Fornals – Desperately unfortunate to miss out, Fornals carried Betis through the first half of the year, with Giovani Lo Celso and Isco missing most of the year. Did so playing with more defensive responsibility for much of it too.

3rd – Aleix Febas – The mastermind behind Elche’s positive season, it got to the point where other teams were gameplanning around Febas, and Real Madrid fans seriously suggested they could do with someone their former academy talent in their own midfield.

Forward – Lamine Yamal – Barcelona

Quite a remarkable season for the player who was distracted, talking too much, injured, not looking after himself and ‘not going past defenders’. Lamine Yamal finished with 42 goal contributions in 45 appearances, and just cause to complain that his teammates didn’t make that number higher. The solutions man for Barcelona, now definitely a leader, his talent is the reason they are now discussing how they put together a team to win the Champions League.

2nd – Antoine Griezmann – Atletico Madrid’s most talented and arguably best player is leaving. At 35 years of age, every season since he’s come back, the Metropolitano realises nobody comes as close to being as smart as Griezmann.

3rd – Williot Swedberg – Felt like the season Swedberg really came into his own, after a difficult adaptaion as a teenager. A total of 10 goals and seven assists, also beautiful to watch in full flow.

Forward – Vedat Muriqi – RCD Mallorca

The pirate did everything he could to commandeer the Mallorca ship and keep it from sinking, but his 23 goals proved insufficient. Add his single assist, and he’s responsible for more than half of Mallorca’s 47 goals in La Liga. Muriqi missed out on the Pichichi by two goals, but outscored Kylian Mbappe in goals from open play. His final goal, the third against Real Oviedo as Mallorca slipped into Segunda, was booted away in frustration, and no wonder after the season of his life.

2nd – Carlos Espi – Levante’s miracle simply doesn’t happen without the lethal streak shown by Espi. His 11 goals led directly to 11 points, a bright futute beckons.

3rd – Toni Martinez – A man on a mission in the second half of the season, 14 goals to his name and decisive in keeping Alaves up.

Forward – Kylian Mbappe – Real Madrid

It was a slightly morose second half of the season for Kylian Mbappe, but it is worth remembering that he sustained Los Blancos in the first half of the year, where he scored more than half of their goals. Finishing with 42 goals and seven assists in 44 appearances, Mbappe walked away with the Pichichi award for his 25 strikes in La Liga.

2nd – Vinicius Junior – As if the two are linked, Vinicius finished the season much better, and for the first time in two years, looked like his devastating self under Alvaro Arbeloa in stages.

3rd- Ez Abde – A real step forward for Abde this season. Everyone expected Real Betis to b e powered by Antony, but the Moroccan took on the mantle to drag Betis through a number of games this season.

Manager of the year – Inigo Perez – Rayo Vallecano

It would have been a little neater if Rayo Vallecano had got over the line in the Conference League, or if they had secured qualification for next year’s edition. Yet make no mistake, what Perez has done is historic, likely won’t be repeated again, and may well have him remembered as the greatest manager in their history. A first ever top-level final in just their second ever European appearance – bear in mind the first time round they qualified due to their fairplay record.

Showing a depth of human and personal skills that has made him beloved, Perez’s team have frequently been described as one of the hardest teams to face by opposing managers. With a decent team, his side embodied the spirit of Vallecas, and reached the greatest heights in club history while doing so.

2nd – Jose Bordalas – Starting the season with just 13 players, they finished with the third-best defence. Getafe’s season literally earned him recognition from the city of Getafe, and now he too may recognised as the greatest to ever march along the touchline at the Coliseum.

3rd – Luis Castro – The truth is you could have these three in any order and make your argument. A Champions League side under Castro, Levante pulled of a miraculous escape from the depths of the relegation zone, a monument to steely resolve.

The post La Liga Team of the Season: Four Barcelona players included as midtable stars make impact appeared first on Football España.