The Best of the Best – La Liga’s Team of the Season so far

By Javier J. Hernández
Updated: 10 November, 2012

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Ten weeks of La Liga have flown by and with 100 games of football already played in the Spanish top flight, we have a host of stars rising about the rest. The usual suspects are there of course – Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Radamel Falcoa, however, there are also some surprising names that have hit the headlines in the past two and a half months.

After taking a look at the statistics, we have picked the top eleven players from the fist ten week of La Liga.

Goalkeeper

Wily Caballero (Málaga): The Argentinean stopper has been the stand-out goalkeeper of La Liga so far – helping Málaga retain the best defence in the league. Caballero has saved 80,65% of shots taken against him and is the only goalkeeper who has keep out more than 79% of the attempts on targets he has faced. He also leads the league in clean sheets, level with Real Madrid’s Iker Casillas with five.

Defence

Cicinho (Sevilla): The Brazilian is making quite an impression in his first season in Spain. He leads La Liga defenders in tackles with 47 and is the fourth best at interceptions with 26. In addition, Cicinho has made two assists and scored one goal.

Demichelis (Málaga): The former Bayern Munich star is leading the best defence in La Liga so far. He has also made 38 tackles – the fourth best among defenders in the league. Weligton (Málaga): The former Grasshoppers centre back completes the list of three defenders as he has played in five perfect clean sheets – picking a clean sheet having played 60 plus minute) and also leads La Liga defenders with 34 interceptions this term.

Midfield

Fabregas (Barcelona): The Catalan is the best midfielder in La Liga so far and heads the league in assists with seven – the former Arsenal skipper has also picked three goals. Fabregas is the only midfielder who have had a direct participation in 10 goals so far this season.

Óscar González (Valladolid): Óscar leads the list of Spanish midfielder having scored five goals and two assists. The former Zaragoza player has had a direct participation in 46,67% of his team goals this season – the third best mark among midfielder in the league.

Leo (Rayo): Although the 20-year-old has sometimes featured as a striker this campaign, whichever his position – he belong in this list. He leads los bucaneros in goals with four and has also delivered three assists. Impressively, Leo tops La Liga’s midfielders in direct participation in goals, having played a key part in 53,85% Rayo’s goals this term.

Joaquín (Málaga): The former Spanish international is having something of a second spring in Málaga as he tops La Liga in passes that lead to shots with 29. Joaquin has also managed to net three times.

Pizzi (Deportivo): The Portuguese owned by Atlético Madrid is having quite a year in Galicia. He leads his team in goals with four and hasalso managed 17 passes that lead to efforts on goal.

Attack

Only three names can make this list. Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Radamel Falcao. You can pick the order, but these three have been simply incredible yet again this season. Messi has scored 13 goals and picked up four assists. Ronaldo has scored 11 and has one assists, and Atleti’s Falcao has scored nine and made one assist.

These three have been so good in fact, that we could write several articles over about their incredible stats – for now, however, little more needs to be said.

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