Heroes of the 2011/12 La Liga season

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After eight months of drama, controversy, and a fair amount of fantastic football – last week’s Copa del Rey final brought the domestic season to a close for the clubs in the Spain’s top flight. And while many will be waiting in anticipation for the upcoming European Championships in Poland and the Ukraine; club football fans  maybe dreading the thought of being without their la liga for the next three months. In a slightly tongue-in-cheek special this week Richard Thorburn casts a look back at the season to name his  heroes and villains.
 
PLAYER OF THE SEASON
 
In a decision that will win no awards for originality,  it’s Cristiano Ronaldo. Involved in a season long battle with Lionel Messi, the former Manchester United player came into his own towards the latter end of the campaign. With over 63 goals scored for club and country since last summer, Ronaldo is starting to fulfil the frightening potential that persuaded Real Madrid to part with £80 million for the Portuguese star and the player was the defining factor in Jose Mourinho’s side romping to their first league crown in four seasons.
 
GOAL OF THE SEASON
 
Okay, picture the scene. You’re 3-2 down with only minutes remaining and you’ve just won a free kick on the edge of the opposition penalty area. It’s the perfect chance to flood the box with players and hope a good delivery may takes a deflection and go in. Not for Malaga however. In a cunningly disguised free kick, the ball is pulled back to Eliseu whose shot rifles into the top right hand corner to leave Villarreal speechless. Go on, have a look for yourself here.
 
COACH OF THE SEASON
 
When Diego Simeone was appointed manager of Atletico Madrid in December, he found himself at the helm of a side that were vastly under performing. Despite investing heavily in the summer, Atleti were languishing in mid table and had the worst away record in the whole of La Liga. Fast forward five months and Simeone has not only guaranteed European football for next season, but has guided his troops to Europa League triumph in Bucharest. Although there were other candidates; most notably Manuel Pellegrini, Juan Ignacio Martinez and Mourinho himself, Diego Simeone gets just did enough to make him the stand-out boss of the campaign. Excitement levels are already building at the Vicente Calderon as to what he can do with a full season next term.
 
SURPRISE PACKAGE OF THE SEASON
 
Widely expected to be fighting it out for relegation this season, Levante instead surprised everybody by securing a sixth-placed finish and European football for the first time in the club’s history.   The Valencia based outfit even enjoyed a brief spell at the top of the table in September and spent the majority of the campaign in the top four before losing a little ground. Proving that experience can sometimes be invaluable, the team with the highest average age in the league defied all odds to register their highest ever finish in La Liga.
 
BARGAIN OF THE SEASON
 
The name ‘Michu’ may not mean too much to most people outside Spain, but to fans of Rayo Vallecano he has been the difference between staying up and an instant relegation back to the Segunda division. Having arrived on a free transfer from Celta Vigo in the summer, Michu notched up an impressive 15 goals over the season, an achievement that has not gone unnoticed. A number of clubs are rumoured to interested in acquiring the 25-year-old’s service, including Premier League heavyweights such as Manchester United and Chelsea.