La Liga 2018-19: 3 players who can challenge Lionel Messi for the Pichichi Trophy after Cristiano Ronaldo's departure

With Cristiano Ronaldo gone, Leo Messi is definitely the best player in La Liga.

Messi has won five Pichichi Trophies (the award for the highest goalscorer of the season) in La Liga, the highest by any player. He has been the winner of the trophy in both of the last two campaigns, and that too in the presence of Ronaldo.

Messi scored 34 goals and assisted 12 goals for the Blaugrana in the last season. He was also on the top of most dribbles and key passes list. He was one of the biggest reasons for Barcelona's victory.

But now, as the only challenger to Messi is gone, it's tough to answer the question as to who will be competing against the Argentine for the award.

Here's a look at the 3 likeliest contenders:

#3 Gareth Bale

The Welsh International has been in great form for the Los Blancos after coming back from injury. He proved that he can win games single-handedly with his two goals in the UEFA Champions league final. He also scored an amazing goal in the International Champions Cup match against Juventus.

Sure, the last season can't be considered a great one for the injury-prone Bale. But after Ronaldo's departure, he will surely get a lot of playing time.

For that reason, Bale can definitely be counted as a competitor to Messi for the Pichichi Trophy.