Despite the best efforts of Karim Benzema, there is not a single Blanco in our selection of the best players of the 2018-19 campaign in Spain
#1 Jan Oblak | Atletico Madrid
The best goalkeeper in La Liga, and arguably the best goalkeeper in the world.
Atletico Madrid boast the meanest defence in Spain, shipping just 29 goals this season, and Jan Oblak is one of the leading reasons why.
Nobody kept more clean sheets (20) than Oblak, who also boasted the best save percentage (79.39) of every goalkeeper to have played at least five matches.
No wonder, then, that Atleti handed him a new, improved contract in April. Whether the €100 million buy-out clause will be enough to ward off his many suitors is debatable, though.
#2 Damian Suarez | Getafe
Jaime Mata may have, understandably, attracted most of the attention at Getafe during their remarkable push for a Champions League place, given the striker’s Jamie Vardy-like rise from the lower leagues to international football.
However, Damian Suarez’s performances for this season’s surprise package were just as impressive.
No other defender created more chances than the unheralded 31-year-old Uruguayan (61), who also contributed three assists.
#3 Gerard Pique | Barcelona
After Gerard Pique’s error-strewn start to the season, many were wondering if time had caught up with the Barcelona defender.
His form since the turn of the year provided an emphatic response, with the 32-year-old playing a pivotal role in the Blaugrana’s retention of their Liga crown.
The centre-half was particularly impressive in the back-to-back wins over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, in the Copa del Rey and La Liga, with Jorge Valdano remarking: “I get the impression Pique is in love with himself. Given what we saw in the Clasicos, rightly so.”
#4 Diego Godin | Atletico Madrid
Diego Godin may not have been quite at his very best this season but the departing Atletico Madrid ace was still head and shoulders above nearly every other defender in La Liga.
The undisputed leader of the best defence in Europe over the past five years, the Uruguayan deserved to bow out with a major trophy but, sadly, it wasn’t to be, with the Rojiblancos forced to settle for second spot in the Primera Division, after suffering a shocking Champions League capitulation against Juventus.
Still, while Godin was reduced to tears while announcing his exit, he leaves with his head held high after another campaign in which he led by example and gave everything for the Atletico cause.
#5 Jordi Alba | Barcelona
Jordi Alba may have had a shocker in Barcelona’s Champions League collapse at Liverpool but he was immaculate for almost all of their triumphant Liga campaign.
Unsurprisingly, the man with the seemingly telepathic understanding with Lionel Messi was also sensational going forward.
No defender racked up more assists than Jordi Alba (8), while the Spain international also chipped in with a couple of goals himself.
#6 Pablo Sarabia | Sevilla
How Real Madrid could have done with academy product and former Castilla player Pablo Sarabia this season!
The 26-year-old attacking midfielder is coming off the most prolific campaign of his career, having been directly involved in a whopping 25 goals at Sevilla, netting 12 himself, and creating 13 others (as many as Messi!).
Sarabia reportedly rejected a move to Chelsea in January but don’t be in the least bit surprised if he is the subject of a major transfer this summer after doing more than anyone to secure Europa League qualification for the Andalusians.
#7 Dani Parejo | Valencia
Valencia’s captain and the driving force behind their crucial fourth-placed finish.
Sarabia and Jose Luis Morales were the only midfielders to score more goals than Dan Parejo, who struck nine times, as well as registering six assists.
So impressive was he that the wonderfully creative Che No.10 earned a recall to the Spain squad in March at the age of 30.
#8 Rodri | Atletico Madrid
Those who have been watching La Liga closely this season will not be in the least bit surprised by the news that Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola wants Rodri at the Etihad next season.
The 22-year-old has been a revelation since returning to Atletico Madrid from Villarreal last summer, proving just why he has been identified as Sergio Busquets’ heir in the Spanish national team with his precision passing and intuitive reading of the game.
The defensive midfielder was re-signed for €20m but it is now possible that he will move to Manchester for €70m this summer, and he should prove worth every cent.
#9 Lionel Messi | Barcelona
Lionel Messi’s publicly stated mission was to bring the Champions League back to Barcelona. He failed in that regard, but he could hardly be held accountable.
In his first season as club captain, the Argentine carried Barcelona for long stretches, both in Europe and Spain.
He scored 36 goals in La Liga alone (50, overall), earning him a record-equalling sixth Pichichi award, but he also made 13 more, putting him joint-top of the assists charts too.
The Champions League may have eluded him but he is favourite to reclaim the Ballon d’Or after a season in which he unequivocally restored his reputation as the best player in the world.
#10 Luis Suarez | Barcelona
Despite stiff competition for the No.9 role – not least from Karim Benzema – Luis Suarez is entrusted with the responsibility of spearheading our attack.
The two actually ended the campaign with identical numbers (21 goals and six assists) but while Benzema deserves credit for fronting up during a desperately trying campaign for Real Madrid, Suarez, who played in three fewer games, gets the nod for being decisive in Barcelona’s title win.
As well as once again proving the perfect foil for Messi, the 32-year-old offered a sensational reminder of his enduring class with a Clasico hat-trick while his good friend was sidelined with injury.
#11 Iago Aspas | Celta
Messi may have been the best player in La Liga this season but was anyone really more important to their side than Iago Aspas?
Put quite simply, if it hadn’t been for the Spain international, Celta would have been relegated.
The forward was responsible for just under half of the Galicians’ goals, scoring 20 himself and setting up a further six, as they finished four points clear of the drop zone.
A player who went down in infamy at Liverpool after a trying spell at Anfield has since become a legend in Vigo.
#12 Liga Team of the Season
So, there you have it, our Liga Team of the Season? What do you make of our selections? Let us know in the comment box below!
Source:www.goal.com