La Liga 2016/17: Top 5 Contenders for the Pichichi Trophy

The Pichichi trophy – named after legendary Athletic Bilbao striker Rafael “Pichichi” Moreno - has been awarded by Madrid based newspaper Marca for the top scorer in La Liga, since 1952-53. Since 2009-10, the trophy had been monopolised between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo – the two of them have won it three times each – till Luis Suarez came along and blasted in 35 goals at an insane ratio of 1.1 goals per game. 

(interestingly, the last non-Ronaldo non-Messi entity to win the Pichichi before Suarez was his fellow Uruguayan Diego Forlan)

Notable absentees

As things stand, Barcelona’s Neymar misses the cutfor the top ten with just 8 goals this season (at 245 minutes-per-goal) as does Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema (7 at 187), Gareth Bale (7 at 161) and Alvaro Morata (8 at an impressive 110 minutes-per-goal)

This has gone from a top 10 to a top 11, just because of the three way tie at the fag end.

#11. Wissam Ben Yedder, Willian Jose, Pablo Piatti – 9

Sevilla’s Wissam Ben Yedder is tied with Real Sociedad’s Willian Jose and Espanyol’s Pablo Piatti on 9 goals. Of the lot, the Sevilla man has the better goals-to-minutes ratio at 145 as compared to Jose’s 166 and Piatti’s 179.

#8. Sergi Enrich, Kevin Gameiro – 10

The impressive Eibar forward has scintillated this season and his return of 10 goals is just return for a marvellous season so far in which tiny Eibar has caught everyone by suprise (the pleasant kind). He is joined on 10 goals by Atletico Madrid’s Kevin Gameiro, who despite having struggled for a cemented starting berth has chipped in with crucial goals. Enrich has a minutes-to-goal ratio of 199, while Gamerios’ stands at 145. 

#.6 Gerard Moreno – 11 

Moreno has been the attacking spearhead of an exciting Espanyol side that has moved away from it’s stereotypical image of dour, out-to-get-a-draw, team to one that has wowed crowds across Spain with their brand of vibrant attacking footbal. He has 11 goals to his name at 216 minutes apiece.