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The La Liga title race is coming down to the wire. With two games left to play, league leaders Atletico Madrid are two points ahead of second-placed Real Madrid and four clear of third-placed Barcelona.
Meanwhile, the La Liga Golden Boot award, given to the top goalscorer in the league for a particular season, seems to be all but wrapped up. Barcelona's Lionel Messi is seven goals ahead of Karim Benzema, his nearest competitor. However, we can never completely rule out an upset. With that in mind, we go through the top-five contenders for the La Liga Golden Boot 2020-21.
#5 Youssef En-Nesyri (Sevilla)
Sevilla have been an impressive unit under the management of Julen Lopetegui and with Youssef En-Nesyri being one of their star performers this season.
En-Nesyri made his name at Leganes, making 53 appearances in all competitions and scoring 15 goals for the side. This earned the 23-year old a move to Sevilla in January 2020 for a reported £18 million fee, and he has been in fine form for the Andalusian club since his arrival.
The Morocco international has scored 18 goals in 36 league appearances for Sevilla, out of which only 22 have been starts. A strong finisher, En-Nesyri was heavily linked with a move to West Ham United in January this year, which ultimately did not come to pass. Manchester United and Liverpool are said to be tracking the forward as well.
#4 Luis Suarez (Atletico Madrid)
Luis Suarez's move to Atletico Madrid from Barcelona was one of the most controversial transfers last summer.
Suarez made 283 appearances in all competitions for Barcelona and scored 198 goals, and his transfer to Atletico Madrid was not well received, with Messi publicly criticizing the move. However, the 34-year old has proved to be a good short-term signing by Atletico Madrid.
Atletico Madrid have been the beneficiaries of Suarez's form. The Uruguay international has made 30 La Liga appearances and scored 19 goals for Diego Simeone's men. While there is no denying that Suarez has slowed down, he remains an excellent goalscorer.
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#3 Gerard Moreno (Villarreal)
One of the most underrated players in La Liga, Gerard Moreno is quietly enjoying another fruitful season in the Spanish top-flight.
Moreno spent some time at Villarreal before moving to Espanyol in 2015. Here, the Spain international made his name as a consistent goalscorer in La Liga, returning to El Submarino Amarillo in 2018 for a fee of £18 million.
The 29-year old has been in fine form this season. Capable of playing in various forward positions, Moreno has made 31 league appearances, scoring 22 goals. The attacker has been linked with a move to Barcelona in recent days, with the club said to be tracking Moreno.
#2 Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
Karim Benzema is Real Madrid's most important attacker, and it is hard to imagine where Los Blancos would be without his inputs.
He played a subdued role at Real Madrid during Cristiano Ronaldo's spell at the club, whose departure in 2018 increased responsibility on the former France international's shoulders. Benzema, though, has responded in emphatic fashion with his performances.
The 33-year old's fitness levels are commendable. Benzema rarely misses a game and has made 32 appearances in La Liga this season, scoring 22 goals. One of Real Madrid's greatest strikers ever, it will be interesting to see how the club replace him in the long run.
#1 Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Arguably the greatest player to have graced the sport of football, Lionel Messi needs little introduction.
The 33-year-old continues to astound fans and critics with his incredible consistency, and this season has been no different. A world-class dribbler, creator and goalscorer, the Argentina international has been in sensational form once again, so much so that his brilliance has now become the norm.
He has made 34 La Liga appearances, scoring 29 goals and providing nine assists. With his Barcelona contract expiring in the summer, Messi has been linked with moves to Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, and Barca have to do everything in their power to hold on to him.
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