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The 2020-21 La Liga is approaching a thrilling finale. The top three teams - Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid and Barcelona are separated by only one point.
Defending champions Real Madrid beat their arch-rivals Barcelona 2-1 to go level with leaders Atletico Madrid, with Karim Benzema one of the stars of the show. Lionel Messi drew yet another blank in the El Clasico, but he has had another fabulous La Liga campaign, scoring 23 goals to lead the scoring charts.
Five La Liga players who have operated under the radar in 2020-21
Apart from Messi and Benzema, other players have also had decent La Liga campaigns but have largely operated under the radar. On that note, let's have a look at five such players.
#1 Yassine Bounou (Sevilla FC)
Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bonnou has been in exceptional form between the sticks this season.
The Andalusian team have conceded just 21 goals in the La Liga this season, second only to Atletico Madrid (19), thanks to the exploits of Bonnou.
Bonnou has kept 13 clean sheets in 25 La Liga games this campaign, which is only one behind that of Atletico custodian Jan Oblak (14 from 29). The Sevilla keeper has had an impressive average of 2.8 saves per 90 minutes, with just 0.6 goals conceded per game.
The 30-year old has also recorded the highest save percentage in the 2020-21 La Liga (52%).
While the likes of Oblak and Ter Stegen have received all the hype, Bounou has quietly established himself as one of the La Liga’s best.
#2 Mario Hermoso (Atletico Madrid)
Atletico Madrid defender Mario Hermoso has played a key role in Diego Simeone’s team.
In only his second season at the club, Hermoso has established himself as one of the first names on the team sheet. The 25-year old has played a part in 15 clean sheets this season, averaging 1.9 tackles per 90 minutes. The Spaniard has also won 56 aerial duels and 71 tackles. Moreover, he has averaged 1.3 interceptions and 5.7 recoveries per 90.
Hermoso has also been adept in front of goal, scoring twice and providing an assist in 31 appearances for Los Rojiblancos. The Spaniard could be a big player for Atletico Madrid in the years to come.
#3 Youssef En Nesyri (Sevilla FC)
Bounou’s La Liga and international teammate Youssef En Nesyri has been a star performer for Sevilla in the final third.
Standing in fifth in the La Liga scoring charts this season, the 23-year old has 15 goals to his name. En Nesyri has had an impressive xG (expected goals) of 12.21, with an average of 0.63 goals per 90 minutes.
The Morocco international has had a 25% shot conversion ratio, with 3.06 shots per match. While the big-name strikers like Messi and Benzema tend to get all the attention, En Nesyri could emerge as a world-class player in the coming LA Liga seasons.
The Morocco international needs to improve his passing game, though, as his passing accuracy is a shade under 70%. He has also had no assists to his name this season. However, the 23-year old has age on his side and has shown tremendous potential in just his second season in the La Liga.
#4 Iago Aspas (Celta Vigo)
Celta Vigo veteran Iago Aspas has had yet another stellar season in the La Liga.
In 26 appearances this season, Aspas has been involved in 22 goals (ten goals, 12 assists) and leads his teammates in both goals and assists in the 2020-21 La Liga.
The 33-year old has been one of the most consistent players in the La Liga over the years, after enjoying a two-year spell at Anfield.
Aspas has had a solid xG of 9.72 and a goal conversion rate of 25%. Moreover, the experienced player has had an xA (expected assists) of 8.02 and a pass completion percentage of 79%, which is impressive for a forward. The Spaniard has also created 13 'big chances' this season as he keeps ageing like fine wine.
Iago Aspas has been an underrated player throughout his career, but he puts on an honest shift every time he steps onto the football pitch.
#5 Gerard Moreno (Villarreal CF)
Gerard Moreno has one of the best goal-scoring records among Europe’s top strikers this season. But shockingly, his tally of 25 goals from 30 starts hasn’t garnered much attention.
The 29-year has had an exceptional xG of over 17 this season, with a shot conversion of 24%.
With 19 goals in this season’s La Liga, Moreno is second only to Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot. Moreover, Moreno is the joint-highest in the season's La Liga assists chart among his Villarreal teammates.
The 29-year old makes finding the back of the net look ridiculously easy, thanks to his precise movements, good positioning and clinical finishing.
Moreno is just six goals away from becoming Villarreal’s all-time record goal-scorer. He has cemented his status as a legend for the Yellow Submarines.
