Ranking the 5 best players in La Liga so far this season
La Liga 2021-22 is turning out to be a roller-coaster ride so far due to its extremely competitive nature. The Spanish top flight has been full of twists and turns, with no clear favorites emerging as league leaders so far.
At the top of the La Liga table are Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad with 17 points after eight league matches. Sevilla sit in fourth place with 14 points but with a game in hand. If they manage to win their next game, all four sides will be inseparable at the top of the La Liga table.
The only surprise is FC Barcelona languishing at the 9th place in the league with just 12 points. The Catalan giants have managed just two wins in their last five in La Liga and succumbed to a 2-0 loss against Atletico Madrid in their previous encounter. Real Madrid were also handed a shock 2-1 defeat by Espanyol on their last matchday, unable to maintain the lead at the top.
Evidently, there are some footballers who have stood out and made their mark early in the season. Let's take a look at the
The 5 standout players in La Liga so far this season
#5 Jose Gimenez - Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid are known for having the strongest defense in La Liga They conceded the least number of goals in their triumphant campaign last season. This campaign has been no different, with Jose Gimenez leading the defensive side of things for the Los Rojiblancos. Diego Simeone's side have conceded just six goals in eight La Liga games, with Gimenez playing a pivotal part.
📊| José Giménez has the highest duels success rate(86.8%) in LaLiga, having won 33 duels. 1⃣
Kondogbia is 4th in the rankings with 71.7% success rate. 4⃣
[via Sofascore] https://t.co/m1rOyTOBAf
His presence creates a sense of calm in an organized Atletico side. The defender is good in the air, ruthless with his tackles and excellent at closing spaces for opponents. With Savic and the talented Hermoso beside him, Gimenez looks as strong as ever in the current La Liga campaign.
The Uruguayan's defensive prowess makes him one of the best players in Simeone's squad. It goes without saying that he will be the key to Atletico going forward this season.
#4 Marcos Acuna - Sevilla
Marcos Acuna has been a revelation for Julen Lopetegui's Sevilla in the current La Liga campaign. The 29-year old has been the best left-back in the Spanish top flight without a doubt.
Marcos Acuna provided 17 key passes in 5 La Liga matches this season. 3.4 Key Passes per game, which is second best ratio in La Liga after 7th round 🥈 https://t.co/3VT19NoTKk
Acuna has been rock solid at the back for Sevilla, helping the Spanish side keep four clean sheets in seven league matches. The Argentine's exploits meant that Sevilla have conceded just three goals in the current La Liga campaign which is the joint least so far this season. Their current defense is a cause for envy for all the other sides and Acuna's role in it cannot be neglected.