Barcelona dominate Real Madrid-free LaLiga team of the season

The 2018/19 LaLiga season drew to a close on Sunday as both Real Madrid and Barcelona slipped up on their final match of the campaign. With the season over, it’s time to look over the WhoScored LaLiga team of the season… 

Goalkeeper: Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid) - 6.90 rating 

Atletico Madrid were down to their bare bones in the final weeks of the season, but still did enough to secure second in Spain’s top tier. Diego Simeone’s side conceded fewer goals (29) than any other team in LaLiga this season with Jan Oblak once again central to their watertight defence. Indeed, The 26-year-old kept more clean sheets (20) than any other goalkeeper in LaLiga this season and had by far and away the best save success rate (80.8%). All in all, Oblak enjoyed another fine campaign in the capital to return a WhoScored rating of 6.90. 

Right-back: Ruben Pena (Eibar) - 7.04 rating

Eibar enjoyed a respectable season as they finished the campaign 12th. A key reason was their solid home form, where they picked up 33 of their 47 points this season, with right-back Ruben Pena one of two Eibar players to feature. The 27-year-old landed a WhoScored rating of 7.04, with his attacking influence vital in the club’s fine campaign. His return of 50 accurate crosses from open play was the second highest in LaLiga and reinforced a statistically calculated WhoScored strength of ‘crossing’. 

Centre-back: Gerard Pique (Barcelona) - 7.18 rating 

Champions Barcelona are the dominant side in the LaLiga team of the season and have four players in the XI. Gerard Pique is the first of the quintet to feature as he landed a WhoScored rating of 7.18 this season. On the ball, the Spanish defender was effective as he returned a 91.3% pass success rate from 68.3 passes per game, while off it; Pique was a solid performer. Only Djene Dakonam (180) won possession in the defensive third more times than Pique (177) in Spain’s top tier this term as the 32-year-old did more than enough to make the cut. 

Centre-back: Guillermo Maripan (Alaves) - 7.20 rating 

Featuring at the heart of the defence alongside Pique, Guillermo Maripan’s good performances for Alaves has seen him linked with a Premier League switch, with West Ham among those rumoured to be interested in the Chilean. His average of 4.2 aerial duels won per game was the second best of defenders in Spain’s top tier, while 5.7 clearances ranked among the top 10 players in LaLiga as he garnered a WhoScored rating of 7.20. 

Left-back: Cote (Eibar) - 7.06 rating 

It’s an all-Eibar full-back partnership with Cote rounding off the defence. The left-back landed a WhoScored rating of 7.06 in LaLiga this season as he made more accurate crosses from open play (7.06) than any other player to reinforce a statistically calculated WhoScored strength of ‘crossing’. He was defensively sound for Eibar as averages of 1.9 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and 2.8 clearances per game suggests, with Cote doing more than enough to make the best XI in Spain. 

Lionel Messi was in sensational form as Barcelona retained their LaLiga title and with a WhoScored rating of 8.48, the @FCBarcelona forward is our La Liga player of the season

For more player stats -- https://t.co/NPattiy2Im pic.twitter.com/DfbRZE9kSi

— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) May 20, 2019

Right midfield: Lionel Messi (Barcelona) - 8.48 rating 

The undisputed LaLiga player of the season, Lionel Messi was in sensational form for champions Barcelona this season as he gained an excellent WhoScored rating of 8.48 in Spain’s top tier. The Argentine had a direct hand in 49 goals, more than 12 of the 20 teams in LaLiga, as he netted 36 goals and registered 13 assists for the Blaugrana. What’s more, Messi was top for accurate through balls (31), clear-cut goalscoring chances created (34), key passes (92), man of the match awards (17) and second for successful dribbles (134) to round off another fine individual campaign for the mercurial Argentine. 

Central midfield: Dani Parejo (Valencia) - 7.40 rating 

Dani Parejo enjoyed one of his finest LaLiga campaigns to date as he returned a WhoScored rating of 7.40 for fourth-placed Valencia. Nine goals and seven assists was a notable return for the central midfielder, who maximised his creative quality from set-pieces having made more key passes from set-piece situations (48) than any other player in LaLiga this season. Parejo routinely exhibited his statistically calculated WhoScored strength of ‘defensive contribution’ too as he made two tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game for Los Che. 

Central midfield: Rodrigo (Atletico Madrid) - 7.24 rating 

The second Atletico Madrid player to make the grade in the LaLiga best XI, Rodrigo’s stunning debut season with Los Colchoneros has seen him heavily linked with a big money summer switch to Manchester City. Pep Guardiola is keen to see the Spaniard succeed Fernandinho as City’s holding midfielder and it’s easy to see why as Rodrigo won possession in the midfield third more times (149) than any other player in LaLiga this season. Only Nacho (110) made more tackles than the 22-year-old (103) in Spain’s top tier this term, while in possession, Rodrigo found a teammate 91.1% of the time with his 56.7 passes per game to return a WhoScored rating of 7.24. 

Left midfield: Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona) - 7.25 rating 

Ousmane Dembele’s season was cruelly cut short by a hamstring injury sustained in the 2-0 loss at Celta Vigo at the beginning of May, but the French youngster has still impressed when called upon. 2.4 key passes per 90 ranked among the top 10 players, as was 3.7 successful dribbles per 90. Eight goals and five assists despite his limited action was commendable and meant Dembele had a direct hand in a goal every 128.7 minutes this season to help land a WhoScored rating of 7.25. 

Striker: Iago Aspas (Celta Vigo) - 7.51 rating 

Iago Aspas’ impact on this Celta Vigo squad can’t be underestimated. Only one of their 12 wins came in the 12 league games he didn’t start this season as the 31-year-old had a direct hand in 26 of their 53 (49.1%) LaLiga goals. His 20 league goals was one of the best returns in LaLiga, with the experienced forward helping himself to six WhoScored man of the match awards. His notable attacking form saw him land a WhoScored rating of 7.51, that the third best in LaLiga. 

Striker: Luis Suarez (Barcelona) - 7.57 rating 

Pipping Aspas to second spot in the player ratings leaderboard is Barcelona’s Luis Suarez, whose WhoScored rating (7.57) was second only to Messi in LaLiga. The Uruguayan netted 21 times and registered six assists for the Blaugrana in their title success, while 15 clear-cut chances scored and 14 big chances created were both third in LaLiga. Barcelona have been linked with a host of strikers to succeed Suarez at Camp Nou, but the 32-year-old gave another timely reminded of his attacking influence in Spain.