With the end of the season, comes a lot of lists like best players, best managers, biggest surprises, biggest flops and much more. One of the most popular is the league’s best eleven, which is usually made up of players from the top clubs in a league making it rather easy to predict.
Rather than picking a classic ‘La Liga First Eleven’ we thought it would be interesting to choose a La Liga best eleven made up of players from eleven different clubs. So no Griezmann and Godin, no Messi and Mascherano and no Ronaldo and Rodriguez only one Atletico, Barca and Madrid player allowed. The side would line up in a 4-3-3 formation.
GK: Diego Alves, Valencia:
Penalty saver extraordinaire, the Valencia Goalkeeper was one of the few bright spots in a season that saw Los Che flirt with the drop. He has saved an astonishing 23 out of 50 spot-kicks he has faced during his time at Valencia, including four this season.
LB: Sergio Escudero, Sevilla:
Sevilla have a had a pretty impressive season, and Escudero is one of the main reasons, he has averaged over three tackles a game and almost two interceptions a game. He has even chipped in with three assists.
CB: Yeray Álvarez, Athletic Bilbao:
Despite his tender age, the 22-year-old Basque defender has been superb this season. He is a ball-playing defender who is also excellent at intercepting the ball. Expect to see him making a move to a bigger European club sooner rather than later.
CB: Mauricio Lemos, Las Palmas:
Another very talented young centre-back, the 21-year-old Uruguayan is excellent with the ball at his feet and has scored an impressive five goals this season.
RB: Mario, Villareal:
Villarreal will play another season of European football next season, and the Yellow Submarine’s rampaging right-back is one of the big reasons for that. Mario has been crucial in his side conceding fewer goals than both Real Madrid and Barcelona this season.
CM: Asier Illarramendi, Real Sociedad:
After a tough time at Real Madrid, Illarramendi has enjoyed a renaissance on his return to the Basque country. Illarramendi averages more interceptions per game than N’golo Kante while also creating a chance every game making him the perfect blend of attack and defence.
CM: Luka Modric, Real Madrid:
There are bigger names than Modric at Madrid but what he does for them is spectacular. He keeps them ticking, provides chances, provides the tempo and Madrid are noticeably worse when he doesn’t play.
CM: Gerard Moreno, Espanyol:
Moreno played a key role in helping Espanyol into the top eight of La Liga this season scoring 12 goals and providing 4 assists. In this side, with Modric and Illarramendi playing behind him, Moreno could push forward and provide an attacking threat from midfield.
LW: Lionel Messi, Barcelona:
What else is there to be said about the Argentine magician? Despite Barcelona having a poor season, Messi was still absolutely superb scoring 37 goals in just 35 games. His performance in Barcelona’s win at the Bernabeu was stunning.
RM: Antoine Griezmann, Atlético Madrid:
Continuing his ascent from talented player to one of the best in the world, Griezmann had an excellent season for Atletico scoring 16 goals and getting eight assists in a team that is known for defensive solidity more than attacking prowess.
ST: Sandro Ramirez, Malaga:
Sandro never quite made it at Barcelona, but the 21-year-old’s move to Malaga has allowed him to begin to fulfilling his great potential. He has averaged almost a goal every two games with 14 in 30 this season and if he continues to improve might well wind up back in Barcelona.