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Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann, Luis Suarez - La Liga's talismanic strikers have been dominating world football for years now. But the first three months of this season reveal a steadily changing league: gone are the days of the two-horse race.
The Spanish league is known to be a striker's haven - several world class strikers have learnt and plied their trade in Spain. Let's take a look at some steadily rising forwards who are shaping the league today, but are supremely underrated:
#10 Borja Mayoral (Real Madrid)
Rising through the ranks at Real Madrid's youth setup, Mayoral has displayed strength in the air and a sound finishing technique when he has been played this season. Against Real Sociedad, he seemed a very viable alternative to a misfiring Karim Benzema.
With Real Madrid intent on buying a striker in January, Mayoral has a few months left to prove to Zidane that he is worthy of a place in the starting eleven.
Real Madrid, however, are not known for treating their youth team strikers very well. Alvaro Morata, a world-class striker, left the club last season in a big money move to the Premier League, a transfer which has visibly hurt Real Madrid this season. Mayoral has done well when given a chance, but must realise quickly that he has enormous shoes to fill.
Playing as a striker in the Spanish capital has proven to be a massive responsibility, with only a few illustrious players like Raul and Ruud van Nistelrooy doing true justice to the role in the recent past.
Mayoral surely has his task cut out for him, but with Benzema's conversion rate below par in recent games, Mayoral must seize every opportunity given to him by Zidane.
#9 Iago Aspas (Celta de Vigo)
The former Liverpool man is certainly making waves at his boyhood club this season, scoring 6 goals so far and displaying a stark improvement in his overall play. Celta Vigo has always been a difficult fixture in the La Liga, and with Iago Aspas, they are definitely a substantial attacking threat this season.
Celta de Vigo, however, find themselves 11th in the league table, despite averaging 2 goals per match: Atletico Madrid, in comparison, average 1.5 goals per match.The team's lowly position in the standings is primarily due to their leaky defence, which has already conceded 17 goals and kept only one clean sheet so far this season.
Their difficulties at the back, however, haven't hindered Iago Aspas' goalscoring touch. Together with Emre Mor, Aspas has been responsible for most of Celta Vigo's attacking play this season, his best performance coming in a 5-2 drubbing of Las Palmas, in which he scored a scintillating hat-trick.
Celta Vigo make for an exciting team, and have been a part of several high scoring encounters this season. They definitely deserve better than they've had so far, but with Aspas in the team, it is safe to say that they will not be pushed around anytime soon.
#8 Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad)
Having represented Spain at the under-18 and under-19 levels, a lot has been expected from the talented 20-year old at Real Sociedad. The club's current league standing of 7th has been largely dependent on Mikel Oyarzabal so far, with the striker scoring 6 goals so far this season.
Real Sociedad boast a formidable lineup of other regular goalscorers with Xabi Prieto, Januzaj and Asier Illaramendi, but Oyarzabal's goals have been crucial to their current position in the league table.
It bodes well for Real Sociedad that their local boy Oyarzabal is only 20 years of age, and is yet to hit his best form. Starting as the central striker ahead of Willian Jose and Jon Bautista in almost every La Liga match this season, Oyarzabal has scored in 5 different matches this season, and has earned a reputation as a genuine threat throughout the game.
His overall play, however, leaves a lot to be desired. The striker has so far registered only a single assist, and isn't the best in the side at holding up the ball. But with age on his side and a steepening learning curve behind him, Mikel Oyarzabal is well on his way to becoming the next star striker for club, as well as country.
#7 Angel Correa (Atletico Madrid)
Atletico Madrid have excellent fortune when strike partnerships are in question. Angel Correa can potentially be the latest addition to Atletico’s legacy of incredible forwards, and has often started ahead of Kevin Gameiro, Luciano Vietto and fan favourite Fernando Torres this season.
While Griezmann may be the undisputed star striker of Los Colchoneros, his possible departure at the end of the season means that Correa will have the opportunity to be the main man at the Wanda Metropolitano.
The fact that Atletico have been unable to score at will this season further underlines the importance of Correa's goals to the side. With 4 goals, Correa has outscored the talismanic Antoine Griezmann as well as the in-form Yannick Carrasco so far this season, and has often served as the ideal foil for his more illustrious teammates.
Correa's path into his national team, however, is unfortunately blocked by a long list of incredible forwards. The likes of Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero and Paulo Dybala are currently rendering it nearly impossible for Angel Correa to represent the national side.
But with the country's leading men crossing the age of 30, the talented youngster is sure to get his chance in the near future.
#6 Antonio Sanabria (Real Betis)
The Paraguayan has enjoyed an excellent start this season, with 7 goals to his name. Sanabria has been crucial to the Andalusian team's exploits this season, scoring a large percentage of goals in a team that has generally had no problems in the box so far.
Forming a productive partnership with Sergio Leon, Sanabria has been instrumental to Real Betis holding the 8th position in the league so far.
Real Betis are an ambitious club, and expect to qualify for the Europa League at the very least. Currently level on points with Real Sociedad, Betis need Antonio Sanabria to build on his current form and become a consistent performer for the club.
The team's defence has been below par this season, and has prevented Betis from taking full advantage of their talented striker.
At only 21 years of age, Sanabria has plenty of time ahead of him to improve as a forward. The former Barcelona man's moment of the season was a crucial 94th-minute winner at the Bernabeu, in a match that proved to be the start of a slump for Real Madrid.
With Real Betis witnessing a slight dip in form recently, additional responsibility has been placed on the young striker's shoulders to deliver for his team this season.
#5 Wissam Ben Yedder (Sevilla FC)
Sevilla's form this season has been rather turbulent, with the club experiencing emphatic victories as well as devastating defeats.
The loss to Spartak Moscow in the Champions League, means that Sevilla have nearly squandered an excellent opportunity to top their group, but Wissam Ben Yedder's goalscoring ability has definitely been the biggest positive for Sevilla so far this season.
Sevilla face a dangerous Liverpool side in the Champions League in the next fixture, and will need the best resources available to the club. The Frenchman has been Sevilla's go-to man in the Champions League, and will need to deliver to warrant a permanent place in the side.
The Frenchman's La Liga form, however, has flattered to deceive. Ben Yedder has shown signs of promise, but hasn't been quite as prolific as he is in the Champions League, with 2 goals in 5 appearances for his club.
Sevilla are considered a big club in Spain, and are expected to qualify for the Champions League. With Valencia and Atletico Madrid in the top 4, Sevilla face a massive uphill battle to meet their fan's expectations, and need Ben Yedder to deliver on his promise this season.
#4 Cristhian Stuani (Girona FC)
Girona have been the biggest surprise package yet this season. The Catalan club earned promotion to the La Liga for the first time in 87 years this season, and were considered an easy 3 points at the start of the season. So far, however, they have managed to baffle everyone associated with Spanish football.
The recently promoted club put up a resilient display against Barcelona, but lost 3-0, a scoreline that did not accurately reflect the match.
Their best result this season has been the shock upset against Real Madrid, with Stuani's equaliser proving to be the main catalyst behind Girona's comeback win. Thriving on excellent service from Portu and Pablo Maffeo, Stuani has been the Catalan club’s main threat.
The 31-year-old Uruguayan has scored 6 goals this season, and his tenacity and physicality have been central to most of Girona's attacking play.
A string of strong performances has put the centre-forward in contention for the World Cup 2018, to serve as a viable backup for Luis Suarez. With Stuani up front, you would not bet against Girona pulling off a few more upsets this season.
#3 Rodrigo Moreno (Valencia CF)
Moreno has been an absolute revelation for Valenica this season, and has scored several crucial goals to take Valencia to second in the league table. With 6 goals and 3 assists to his name, Moreno has shown the capability to deliver the final product on a regular basis.
The former Benfica forward rewarded Lopetegui's faith in him by the opening goal in Spain's 3-0 victory over Albania. With Diego Costa out of favour with the national team, this could be Moreno’s make-or-break season.
Valencia have historically been a successful side, worthy of the Champions League. They are showing signs of returning to their very best this season, with excellent players in several key positions. Moreno has certainly made his mark on the manager, and has become a regular starter at the club.
Performances against Real Madrid and Barcelona are generally most indicative of a striker's success in the La Liga, and Moreno will have a chance to truly shine against Barcelona in the coming weeks.
With Valencia's excellent start to the season, fans at the Mestalla will certainly be expecting some silverware this season, and Moreno will have to perform at his best for their dreams to come true.
#2 Cedric Bakambu (Villarreal CF)
The 26-year old has been in stunning form this season, catapulting Villarreal to 6th in the league table with a string of impressive displays. Bakambu has already scored 8 goals this season and could add many more to his tally, given his current form. After a series of underwhelming seasons, Villarreal may have finally found their talisman.
Villarreal currently sit in 5th place with 20 points, just 3 points shy of a Champions League place. Bakambu has been crucial to their attacking play this season, with his fine form culminating in a hat-trick against Eibar, his finest performance so far.
He has also displayed an indispensable knack of scoring important goals, as in the 2-1 win against Girona. The Congo international has formed a formidable strike partnership with Carlos Bacca, and is currently one of the best African internationals playing in Europe.
His excellent form in front of goals has attracted plenty of suitors, with struggling English Premier League clubs West Ham and Everton desperate for his signature. But, if Villarreal are to keep their Champions League dreams alive, it is imperative for them to ensure that their leading goalscorer stays at the club for as long as possible.
#1 Simone Zaza (Valencia CF)
Simone Zaza has been the focal point of a scintillating Valencia attack this season, scoring 9 goals in the league, including an excellent hat-trick against Malaga. The former Juventus forward has been responsible for several of Valencia's 27 points this season, and shows no sign of slowing down.
Only second to Lionel Messi in the Pichichi race, he is making a very strong case for a recall to the Italian national team, and should feature in the World Cup of 2018.
At the moment, Valencia is second in the league, 4 points behind Barcelona. Forming an excellent partnership with Rodrigo Moreno, Zaza has ripped into defences this season, seeming miles above the player who shockingly missed a penalty for his country a year ago.
Zaza has seemingly been reincarnated, and Marcelino seems to have found the key to unlocking the true potential of the talented Italian.
The former Juventus man is easily Valencia's most important player at the moment, and has been scoring at rates only Messi and Ronaldo have been familiar with in the past few seasons. Valencia have brought a refreshing change to the La Liga this season, and Zaza will definitely continue to remain at the centre of all their exploits.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and they do not necessarily represent the views of Sportskeeda.
Stats updated up to 11/11/2017.
