La Liga: Best 11 Players of Week 22

The last few weeks in Spain have swung Atletico Madrid’s way and they look like the favourites to win the title now. Atletico are seven points in front of both Real Madrid and Barcelona but have 2 games in hand over them.

Real Madrid won their 13th game of the season but Barcelona overtook them into 2nd place because they now have a better goal difference. Lionel Messi started from the bench but he came off to score a goal against Real Betis as Barcelona came back from a goal down to win 3-2.

Sevilla beat Getafe 3-0 to confirm that they are one of the best in form sides in the league and the club have now won 4 games in a row and are just a point behind Madrid and Barca.

Let’s take a look below to see which players have performed the best in the fantasy rankings over the past weekend.

Goalkeeper: Bono- Sevilla 7pts

Bono has made it again as the best goalkeeper of the week. Only two teams Sevilla and Alaves kept clean sheets and Bono was kept slightly the more busier on the night as he kept his 8th clean sheet of the season and is now ranked no.2. on the goalkeepers list in Spain behind Jan Oblak.

Defender: Raphael Varane- Real Madrid 8pts

With Real Madrid’s strikers taking a night off it was defender Rapahel Varane’s moment to shine and even though he dropped points for conceding a goal Varance scored both of Madrid’s goals as they beat Huesca away from home 2-1.

Defender: Diego Carlos- Sevilla 5pts

Diego Carlos is no stranger to best players of the week and the player helped to keep his 8th clean sheet of the season as Sevilla eased to a 3-0 victory Over Getafe, Carlos’ value is 6m.

Defender: Sergio Escudero- Sevilla 5pts

Sergio Escudero played a very mature game in a heated battle which seen sending offs. The player has become more solid as the season has gone on and really helped Sevilla to another keep sheet. He has 17 points so far this season.

Defender: Florian Lejeune- Alaves 5pts

Alaves were the better side but the club had a very close fought game with Valladolid at the weekend with Alaves edging through 1-0. Lejeune picked up 5 points for his clean sheet and his value to add to your team is 5m, though he has just 9 points so far.

Midfielder: Joan Jordan- Sevilla 6pts

Joan Jordan had another solid week as he earned six points. The midfielder assisted in two out of the 3 goals that Sevilla scored including the opening one and that was his 5th assist of the season.

Midfielder: Alejandro Gomez- Sevilla 6pts

Sevilla are dominating this list this week and Alejandro Gomez earned six points. Gomez was the player who settled this game as even though Sevilla won 3-0 against Getafe the score was only 1-0 with three minutes to play. Gomez scored the 2nd goal which wrapped up victory for the home side.

Midfielder: Fernando- Sevilla 4pts

Fernando earned 4 points as he played a solid game and kept his line in midfield as Sevilla beat Getafe 3-0. Fernando picks up points for helping his side keep a clean sheet and the player now has 19 points so far this season.

Midfielder: Shinji Okazaki- Huesca 2pts

There were many players who earned just 2 points but Huesca midfielder Shinji Okazaki gets the nod. He held firm and played a confident game against Real Madrid and made it hard for the team to attack like they normally would have. Even though Huesca lost the game 2-1 it was a closer match than anyone was expecting. Check out Okazaki’s stats here.

Striker: Gerard Moreno- Villarreal 8pts

Villarreal could only draw 2-2 in the end with Elche and Gerard Moreno opened the scoring and got both goals in the end for his side who were away from home. That was Villarreal’s 4th draw in a row and Moreno has now scored a fantastic return of 12 goals this season.

Striker: Mikel Oyarzabal- Real Sociedad 8pts

Mikel Oyarzabal started the season very well but had faded a little soon after. Perhaps he is back now and the player looks on hot form. The striker scored 2 of Real Sociedad’s goals as they crushed Cadiz 4-1 at home. Oyarzabal now has 10 goals so far this season.

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Unheralded Sergi Roberto continues to prove his worth for Barcelona

Sergi

Due to his incredible adaptability to operate in so many different positions, such as a central midfielder, winger or fullback, and his undoubted all-round quality, Sergi Roberto continues to prove his worth to Barcelona.

And under Quique Setien’s tenure, he’s shown what a vital asset he is to the tactically sophisticated technician’s plans, with him giving his manager much flexibility as to how best deploy him and his team in general.

Operating at right back, a role he’s now extremely familiar with, for Barca’s crunch clash with Getafe, Roberto once again put in shift littered with upside, in a match where he notably scored his first league goal since 2017.

Despite Barcelona dominating possession for large chunks, third placed Getafe still posed a major threat offensively with their transitions, physicality and nous upfront. So Roberto had to be on his game to handle this threat, which he was, dealing with whatever came his was quite comfortably indeed.

Facing off against talented Barca loanee, Marc Cucurella, Roberto certainly won the battle, for he defended with conviction and awareness to keep his adversary quiet. Good in 1v1s, tracking runs attentively, strong in aerial duels and timing his challenges cleanly, the 28-year-old hardly put a foot wrong, thus ensuring Cucurella struggled to have his usual impact.

When not directly marking Cucurella, Roberto remained positionally secure, as he’d recognise when to tuck infield to ensure compactness, step out, drop back, shift across or support his defenders.

The fact he chimed in with eight ball recoveries, three interceptions, two clearances and won two aerial duels punctuated his strong output.

Meanwhile, on the offensive side of things, Roberto was customarily assured in possession, stroking around the ball tidily to connect, construct and break the lines when the opportunity arose. Two footed and boasting fine vision, the Spaniard’s ability to remain unfazed by pressure to combine with his teammates to get away from danger or to find the free man was a big plus against Getafe’s fierce pressure.

Image 1 - Superb incisive pass to play in a teammate

Superb incisive pass to play in a teammate

Without question, however, his most striking contribution came from his wonderful forward bursts. Curling and timing his runs superbly so he could remain onside while exploiting the blindside of his marker, he added valuable width and depth to Barca’s attacks. Credit must go to the likes of Frenkie De Jong and Antoine Griezmann especially, for they drew their trackers narrow to generate openings for Roberto to explore.

Image 2 - Brilliantly timed blindside run in behind

Brilliantly timed blindside run in behind

Image 3 - Sublimely timed run in behind to take advantage of the space

Sublimely timed run in behind to take advantage of the space

Image 4 - Wonderful depth run as he catches Getafe off guard

Wonderful depth run as he catches Getafe off guard

Image 5 - Cucurella getting drawn inside which frees up Roberto to receive

Cucurella getting drawn inside which frees up Roberto to receive

Image 6 - Providing a great outlet for the switch

Providing a great outlet for the switch

Indeed, his goal offered a glowing testament to his aptitude here, with him angling his out-to-in blindside run smoothly to evade his marker before finishing with aplomb on his left foot.

Image 7 - Fantastic blindside run to get free before finishing

Fantastic blindside run to get free before finishing

Some other ways he unbalanced Jose Bordalas’ men came courtesy of his slick underlapping runs and rotations with Griezmann, which posed dilemmas for Getafe on who should mark who. His high and wide positioning also saw him available for quick switches of play, where he often found himself in a 2v1 overload with Antoine Griezmann or a 3v2 superiority to get at the away team.

Image 8 - Helping form a 2v1 out wide with Griezmann

Helping form a 2v1 out wide with Griezmann

Image 9 - Forming the free man as Barca form a 3v2

Forming the free man as Barca form a 3v2

When looking at his offensive numbers, and they were solid too, as he completed 41 of 46 attempted passes, five of six attempted passes into the box and final third, two shot assists, two dribbles and two touches inside the box.

After yet another accomplished display by the regularly unheralded Barca utility, this will do wonders for the heavily derided figure’s confidence, who regularly comes in for rather harsh criticism.

With such a massive period ahead that includes the Clasico against Real Madrid, their Champions League tie with Napoli and a tough contest with Real Sociedad, you can guarantee Setien will value his presence no matter where he decides to deploy him.

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Isco- The Enigmatic Messiah

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isco-real-madrid-celebration_ninouk1opkmb1kx2vozw19q1pThe rivalry shared between Spanish footballing giants Real Madrid and Barcelona is one of the fiercest ever in world football. Fans from both sides are eager to witness a triumph over the opposition at any cost with a top quality performance in an El-Classico more than capable of heralding a player to cult status despite all his lacunas over the years.

The rivalry extends off the field as well with players encouraged to adopt an attitude of intense dislike or hate towards their rivals at every stage which has been certainly been crystal clear over the years. Several footballers who dared to switch from Real Madrid to Barcelona or vice-versa like Luis Enrique, Luis Figo purely for footballing reasons were termed as “traitors”, enjoying a welcome capable of shaking one’s soul to the core.

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Asensio- Real Madrid’s next Galactico

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15043574173140Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is hardly the man expected to take a decision from his heart. The 71-year-old enjoys a reputation of being extremely cold-hearted and emotionally detached when it comes to taking decisions catering to the interests of the club. Some of the finest managers in football history like Carlo Ancelloti, Jose Mourinho, Vicente del Bosque, Rafael Benitez will willingly testify to the fact that dealing with a shrewd tactician like Perez is no mean feat in itself.

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Dani Ceballos’s Coming of Age Season

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992139-01-02There was an unnatural sense of excitement in the air as journalists whispered furiously amongst themselves at the end of an emphatic 3-1 win for Spain against Italy in the semifinals of the UEFA European U-21 Championship conducted in 2017. While the hero of the night undoubtedly was Atletico midfielder Saul who smashed a hat-trick under pressure, there was another youngster who had caught the eye with his spectacular performance, bewitching the audience with his tricks and mesmerising gameplay.

It was none other than 20-year-old Real Betis midfielder Dani Ceballos who made heads turn with his patience, vision and a perfectly weighted assist for Saul’s opener despite the presence of established players like Gerard Deulofeu, Héctor Bellerín. Italian midfielder Roberto Gagliardini lost his mind completely when nutmegged by Ceballos, going to the extent of knocking him to the ground in a desperate attempt to salvage some pride earning him a red card.

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Can Benzema return to his best under Lopetegui?

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Karim-Benzema-1040x572The appointment of then Spain manager Juen Lopetegui as the eventual successor of legendary manager Zinedine Zidane whose sudden, unexpected exit sent shockwaves down the spine of Madrid supporters all around the world invited contrasting viewpoints from different sections. With the likes of Andre Villa-Boas, Jurgen Klopp, Jose Mourinho, Mauricio Pochetinho hailed as potential favourites, the appointment of a Spanish manager was greeted with suspicion especially considering the fact that none of the last 5 native managers appointed for the managerial role had managed to exceed 7 months.

Lopetegui was sacked just a day before the commencement of the world cup by the Spanish footballing federation who were bemused at the utter disrespect on show by the Galacticos who announced the appointment of Lopetegui on the eve of the world cup. Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has not been known to see eye-to-eye with the federation on numerous occasions which certainly played a key role in the harsh decision by the board.

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Real Madrid- The only side with 2 World-Class Goalkeepers

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NAVAS“This club has great history and we’re writing more now, as the club has done over the years. Madrid never give up,” Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane may be known for his hard as nails attitude but one could distinctly feel a tinge of emotion in his voice as his beloved club earned a spot in the UCL finals for the third successive season after a hard-fought win over bitter rivals Bayern Munich.

The Frenchman’s comments drew mixed responses from the experts with a certain section of the pundits perceiving his remarks as “downright arrogant” in nature. The Los Blancos certainly had the perfect response in store with a dominating 3-1 win in the Champions League finals over cup challengers Liverpool, emerging as the only side to lift the illustrious trophy for 3 consecutive years.

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Three under the radar signings to watch in La Liga this season

Gerard Moreno_1

Seemingly with each transfer window that passes, the amount of money being spent by leagues around the world continues to soar. In the Premier League and Serie A alone, clubs have combined to collectively spend a mind numbing 2,159,150 billion euros this summer. In comparison, La Liga sides have been more prudent, spending a combined 689,920,000 million euros. Indeed, much of the attention garnered by the league this window has  centered around the players who are departing Spain.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Juventus naturally hoarded most of the oxygen, as Real Madrid lost one of the best players in the world and undoubtedly the sport’s most marketable star. Many have wondered what the ramifications would be to the league as a whole, however that has not stopped other clubs from making history with their acquisitions.

Eight clubs have broken their transfer fee record so far this summer (Alaves, Atletico Madrid, Eibar, Espanyol, Girona, Huesca, Rayo Vallecano and Villarreal), proving that many clubs are financially healthy and willing to compete. Nevertheless, there has still been a flurry of shrewd signings that could prove to outperform the fee they were originally purchased for.

Without further adieu, let’s take a look at three players who could pleasantly surprise for their clubs this upcoming season.

Daniel Wass (Valencia) – It has been a relatively quiet window for La Liga’s biggest surprise team of last season. First year manager Marcelino orchestrated an incredible turnaround for Valencia, guiding the club to a 4th place finish on 73 points — just three  behind 3rd placed Real Madrid. Going into the summer, the primary objective of Los Che was to hang on to their on-loan stars — such as Geoffrey Kondogbia and Goncalo Guedes — who were instrumental in the teams ascension. While Guedes’ future is still anything but certain, Valencia were able to iron out a deal to keep Kondogbia at the Mestalla long-term.

Nevertheless, Marcelino was steadfast in his determination to improve the depth of his squad and he did just that with the signing of Daniel Wass from cross country rivals Celta Vigo. At a bargain price of €6m, Valencia have secured an incredibly versatile player who can fill in at both full back positions and across the entirety of midfield.

The right side of the midfield was a particularly thorny issue for Marcelino a season ago, but he now has the services of the experienced Dane, who featured over 100 times the past three seasons and became a mainstay in Galicia.

Takashi Inui (Real Betis) – Another surprising outfit from a season ago was none other than Real Betis. After a difficult stretch, Los Beticos righted the ship to finish an impressive 6th in the table. In an effort to build on that, Quique Setien’s side have been very busy shopping with a particular focus in the bargain aisle.

Seeking out quality players with expired contracts, Betis was able to find a gem in the form of Japan international Takashi Inui. After a sparkling World Cup, in which he scored twice and became one of his nation’s most beloved players, Inui decided to burn his commitment to Eibar and instead move to Andalucia on a free transfer.

The Japanese winger played 34 times for Eibar in La Liga last year, notching five goals for the offensively challenged side. At 30 years old, Inui will now feature for a setup that harbors ambitions of qualifying for the Champions League under the tutelage of a manger renown for his attacking style of play. In what is likely the last big contract of his career, Inui will be determined to show that his performance in the World Cup was merely just a preview of what’s to come.

Gerard Moreno (Villarreal) – Who ever said mistakes can’t be undone? Three years ago, Villarreal sold Gerard Moreno to Espanyol for 50% of his rights and a poultry fee of 1.5 million euros. The forwards departure hardly made waves at the time, yet Moreno would prove to be one of the league’s most productive bargains over the course of his stay in Catalunya.

The Spaniard was especially potent a season ago, as he bagged 16 goals in La Liga, only three fewer than Atletico Madrid star Antoine Griezmann. Moreno’s prowess in front of net was imperative in saving Espanyol from potential relegation. Scoring nearly 50% of his sides goals, Moreno was the attraction for Los Periquitos.

Villarreal were undoubtedly impressed; setting a club record by splashing out 20 million euros in order to retain his services. The pressure will be on Moreno to replicate his form, yet all signs point to the 26-year-old continuing to grow into his own. Finishing fifth last year, Villarreal will hope to do one better this time out and land themselves an automatic Champions League spot. With Moreno leading the line, they should have every opportunity to make their dream turn into a reality.

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Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois ‘set’ for Real Madrid

Thibaut Courtois Chelsea

Ever since Iker Casillas departed his beloved Real Madrid in the summer of 2015, the club have continually been linked with new goalkeepers. It was a move which saw backup shot-stopper Keylor Navas propelled into number the number one spot and stay there ever since.

The Costa Rican has helped the club to a remarkable feat of winning three consecutive Champions League titles but he may lose his position this summer with various reports across the Spanish press linking the European champions with a move for Chelsea shot-stopper Thibaut Courtois. Continue reading

Real Madrid priority shifts to Chelsea’s Eden Hazard

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Real Madrid fans may be sensing a growing feeling of anxiety as the clock ticks towards as first-team players returning to training and a new season is fast approaching.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s exit to Juventus has heightened Madrid’s needs for an attacking upgrade while primary targets Neymar  and Kylian Mbappe appear to be unattainable. Reports now suggest Chelsea star Eden Hazard may be their new objective and they should go all out to land the Belgian. Continue reading