'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The 2018/19 season of LaLiga is 10 games in and it's all gathering steam. Defending champions Barcelona continue to rule the roost at the top of the table, while Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid, more so, are struggling to get their campaign off the mark.
Some big names such as Valencia, Villarreal, Celta Vigo and Athletic Bilbao are all teetering at the wrong end of the table and neither of the highest scorers so far belong to a top-nine team.
However, this is only the tip of the iceberg. There's plenty more here, that has taken us by surprise and remember, we are not even halfway through the season. Here are the top five unexpected things to have happened.
#5 Alaves in Champions League spot
By the fag end of the campaign, the scenario would most likely be very different. But Alaves, right now, are in la la land. With 20 points from first 10 games, the Basque outfit is currently sitting second in the standings, and trail leaders Barcelona by just a point!
Even though it began with a 3-0 vanquish at the Camp Nou, the Babazorros have picked up from there, even defeating Real Madrid along the way. Seven different players have been on the target already, but the driving factor behind the barnstorming start is a stout defence that has leaked only nine times, joint-third least amount of goals conceded in the league so far.
Also, goalkeeper Fernando Pacheco is behind only Atletico's Jan Oblak in terms of clean sheets with three from eight appearances.
That's a drastic change of fortunes in a matter of five months, having finished 14th in the league last time. And even though it would be difficult for them to hold on to the second spot till next summer, a finish within European places would be within the realms of a possibility if Alaves continue to thrive in this rich vein of form.
#4 LaLiga's top scorer of the season aren't from the 'big two'
Like in the Serie A and Bundesliga, Spain's premiership also has unlikely names at the top of the scoring pile: Girona's Christian Stuani and Celta Vigo's Iago Aspas currently lead the Pichichi race with eight goals each.
Had it not been for Messi's unfortunate injury last week, (who by the way isn't far behind and trails only by a goal) the scenario would have been different. But full credits to the players for a prolific start to the campaign.
Stuani, who struck 21 times for the Catalan side last time, has started off in the same vein and accounts for 67% of their goals so far. He's the cog which is keeping this Blanquivermell jalopy from being sucked into relegation quagmire. Some of his best performance includes the stunning brace against Barcelona at the Camp Nou.
In Galicia, Aspas is making waves too. Having finished as the highest scoring Spaniard in Europe's top five leagues last term with 22 goals, he looks well on track to repeat the trick. And the Celta Vigo hitman hit the apotheosis of his form when he hit a hattrick against Eibar at the weekend.
It would be interesting to see how they cope against the likes of Messi and Suarez in the coming months.
#3 Villarreal hovering just a point above the relegation zone
If Celta Vigo, Valencia, Real Betis and Athletic Bilbao have been bad, then Villarreal has been way below expectations. With only two victories in the bag, the Yellow Submarine are hovering just a point above the relegation zone and remember, this is a side that hasn't finished below sixth in each of the last five seasons since gaining promotion to the top flight.
Striker Carlos Bacca has lost his scoring touch this season, netting only once in nine appearances. Now to make matters worse, he is sidelined for two months with an injury. Villarreal's defence also has been consistently leaking goals recently while the subs haven't really stepped up to the plate either.
The 5-0 hammering of Rapid Wein in the Europa League last week aside, there have been very few positives for manager Javier Calleja to take away. Another set of disappointing results may not only get him the boot but also seriously jeopardize the club's European hopes.
#2 Andre Silva proving to be the signing of the season
The Portuguese youngster failed to make a mark with AC Milan last term despite making his arrival to a lot of fanfare. He did score eight times in the Europa League, but Silva's inconsistencies in the league saw him finish the season with a mere two strikes in 24 appearances.
Now with Sevilla, the former Porto striker has already netted seven times from 10 games!
He looks like a player reborn. Silva is coming of age and living up to the hype of Portugal's next big thing. His first touches reek confidence and finishes, class. The 22-year old scored a hattrick on his debut in a 4-1 thumping of Rayo Vallecano, before netting twice to sink Real Madrid in another colossal performance.
Silva's impressive run is proving Sevilla's choice of bringing him in to be a good one. He could have a very big role in where Sevilla finish this season.
#1 Real Madrid's calamitous start
There's bad, there's worse, and then there's Real Madrid, this season. Ninth in the standings with four defeats and two draws from the first 10 games, they hit rock bottom last weekend when Barcelona thumped them 5-1 in this season's first El Clasico.
Beleaguered manager Julen Lopetegui was put out of his misery soon after, but the problems are far from over. Strike duo Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema have receded into mediocrity after a relatively bright start, while the defence has been atrocious.
Both Sergio Ramos and Rafael Varane are way out of form and midfield stars such as Toni Kroos and Luka Modric have looked like a spent force. This team is severely underperforming in all departments. Looking completely out of depth, lacking organisation, without a clear plan or idea.
And to add more salt to the wounds, the injury list is just piling up. As many as four starters are out injured while Marcelo, who had only returned from a lengthy spell on the sidelines two weeks ago, is back in the treatment room again.
Right now, everything is just wrong with this team. It's in a dire need of reinforcements; maybe even a massive squad overhaul and a new stewardship to thrive in. It's a tall order, but Real Madrid have a long and rocky road ahead this season.
