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So here we are again at the conclusion of another La Liga season and just like the preceding campaign, we had excitement aplenty at both ends of the table right up until the last kick. There have been some wonderful team performances to delight us and plenty of individual excellence. Barcelona eventually ran out winners and naturally feature heavily in this XI, but there will be one or two surprise omissions as well as some unexpected faces.
Every player picked here deserves their place, read on to see if you agree.
Goalkeeper: Claudio Bravo – Barcelona
Although he is on the wrong side of 30, no one can question that Chile’s Claudio Bravo was the best goalkeeper in La Liga in 2014/15. Not only did he concede just 19 goals in the 37 league games that he played, Bravo also played as though he had been at Camp Nou all of his professional career. His distribution from hand or foot was incredibly accurate and his awareness of developing situations total.
That he managed to keep a much younger keeper in Marc-Andre ter Stegen out of the side says much about Bravo’s prowess and his agility was never better evidenced than when arcing backwards to tip over a goalbound effort in the penultimate game at Atletico Madrid which won Barca the title.
23 clean sheets is a league record. Not a bad start at a new club!
Right Back: Dani Carvajal – Real Madrid
There were a few contenders to consider for the right back berth including Dani Alves at Barcelona who enjoyed a stellar campaign. Purely for the energy and efficiency in his game, and given his age, 23-year-old Dani Carvajal just shades it. In a side replete with fast, attacking front players, Carlo Ancelotti has had to rely on the strength and determination of a fine back four.
Carvajal has rarely been wasteful in possession and in general terms has been the equal of just about every flying left-winger. He has allowed his short-fuse to get the better of him on occasion as Mario Mandzukic found out but take the fire out of his belly and he’s just not the same player.
Centre back: Gerard Pique – Barcelona
Barcelona’s improvement coincided with Pique’s re-emergence as a genuinely world-class exponent of the defensive art. If rumours are to be believed, then Luis Enrique wasn’t convinced as to Pique’s application earlier in the season and a spell on the bench appeared to have the desired effect.
Once back in the side, Pique was, literally and metaphorically, head and shoulders above most players on the pitch. The responsibility that had hitherto been missing from his natural game now formed part of it, and Barca were the beneficiaries.
Not once since a substitute appearance at Levante did we hear of late-night soirees, issues with beau Shakira etc. A complete turnaround in professionalism.
Centre Back: Nicolas Otamendi – Valencia
Manager Nuno Santo has a fight on his hands to keep one of his best performers Otamendi. The player has been fairly unequivocal in his desire to move elsewhere with Manchester United said to be one of those clubs interested.
Different to Pique in that he is more of a “traditional” centre-back rather than a ball player, Otamendi has been at the heart of Los Che’s run to Champions League qualification. He has added his name to the score sheet on occasion too with 6 goals this season.
Left Back: Jose Luis Gaya – Valencia
Jordi Alba hasn’t exactly regressed at Barcelona but neither has he improved to any great degree. For that reason, Otamendi’s colleague Jose Gaya gets the nod.
The teenager (he turned 20 a couple of days ago) has been in sensational form for the entire campaign, but it comes as no surprise to those have been following his upward trajectory since his debut two seasons ago. Not as pacy as Alba but not too far off in truth, Gaya can be seen motoring along the left side supporting his attackers when play allows.
He has been completely comfortable in possession and with a high quality of cross from his wide berth. It is unfair to label him as one for the future. His time is now.
Defensive Midfielder: Grzegorz Krychowiak – Sevilla
What. A. Player. As we saw once again in the Europa League final, Krychowiak is a complete midfielder. Hard-working, robust when required and skillful, you have to wonder why he wasn’t snapped up by some of Europe’s bigger names.
Not that the player will be bothered one iota. A Europa League victory sees the Andalusians in the Champions League next season and it’s a reasonable bet that the Pole wil emerge as one of the players of the tournament.
He averaged 3.3 tackles per game and also made 3 interceptions per game throughout the season.
Midfield: Isco – Real Madrid
Although Luka Modric and James Rodriguez were first choice for Carlo Ancelotti, when Isco got his chance he took it with both hands. A standing ovation in almost every game that he played, Isco couldn’t really have done much more to impress his paymasters.
Incisive, inventive and alert; it’s arguable that he deserved a starting place at the expense of his teammates. Certainly his numbers compare, and it’s no wonder the player remains miffed at a lack of playing time.
Isco finished the season with 4 goals, 9 assists and a pass accuracy of 88%.
Central Midfielder: Nolito – Celta Vigo
13 goals, 13 assists. The same numbers as the much more celebrated James Rodriguez. Nolito has been the chief reason why Celta Vigo have surpassed expectations this season.
Alongside Joaquin Larrivey, many of La Liga’s big guns have been handed a stern test, and both were at the heart of an exciting move that saw Larrivey score a stunning winner at Camp Nou from ex-Barca player Nolito’s cheeky back-heel.
Excellence and diligence throughout the campaign has seen him rightfully awarded his first senior callup to the Spain side, aged 28.
Forward: Leo Messi – Barcelona
And to think that this time last year, so called experts were suggesting that Lionel Messi was washed up. Over the hill. Past his best. Such criticism must have hit home because Messi has delivered once again on the big stage, taking his team to title and a potential double or treble.
43 goals in the league is only bettered by nemesis Ronaldo but as we know Messi is so much more than goals. During this campaign he became La Liga’s all-time record assists holder. And its all-time scorer. There is nothing that this player cannot do at Barcelona.
Forward: Cristiano Ronaldo – Real Madrid
No La Liga XI would be complete without the addition of Cristiano Ronaldo. Like a fine wine, as he ages the Portuguese just gets better and better and better. He had eight hat-tricks in one season and 48 league goals overall to deservedly take the Pichichi again. Whatever people think about Ronaldo the person, there can be no criticism of Ronaldo the player.
He is a consummate professional and a born winner. No one has done more for Real Madrid over the course of the season to bring success to the club. To describe him in one word – devastating.
Striker: Luis Suarez – Barcelona
Has a player ever missed three months of the season and still been in the top four goalscorers in the league? Suarez has shown intelligence in his work, dove-tailing superbly well with Messi and Neymar.
After a short settling in period, the trio really began to wipe the floor with all-comers after the winter break, with Suarez particularly in his stride at the business end of the campaign. Scoring goals for fun has been a speciality and there are too many supporters of the Blaugrana that are moaning about his purchase now.
He finished the season with 16 goals and 14 assists in just 25 appearances in La Liga.
Manager: Luis Enrique – Barcelona
On the cusp of a league and cup double which, should he achieve it, will mean that Lucho will go to Berlin for the Champions League Final looking to win the treble. It would replicate Pep Guardiola’s achievement in his debut season at Barca, and would make the Catalans the first side in football history to win the European treble twice.
Enrique didn’t really settle into the role until about halfway through the season, but his single-mindedness and superior man-management skills shone through. Expertly managed Barca throughout and wasn’t afraid to make the big calls when needed. Brought passion, drive and freshness back into a tired Blaugrana.
Substitutes: Honourable mentions must be given to the following players who just miss out on the XI – Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid), Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona), Aritz Arduriz (Athletic Club de Bilbao), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Bruno (Villarreal) and James Rodriguez (Real Madrid).
