Top 5 La Liga Players Carrying the Scoring Burden for Their Team
It must be a dream playing for a team like Barcelona. With goals aplenty, everyone has a chance to get in on the action. A goal can do a lot to boost individual confidence and morale, while a goal drought is equally damaging.
Every year, a handful of players break a barrier and score loads of goals. Reaping the rewards from team success and surging confidence, finding the net no longer seems like a difficult task.
More than the total number, some players seem to be the only one in their side capable of slotting home. They carry the team on their back, becoming the focal point of attack.
The following five have scored the largest percentage of their team's goals in La Liga thus far. All statistics are from Who Scored.
Jonas, Valencia
1 of 5
Despite a decent start to La Liga, Valencia are not finding the net with ease. The club have just 11 goals thus far, but sit in seventh place thanks to a solid defense.
However, Los Che have one man off to a hot start. Jonas Goncalves Oliveira has scored four goals so far—36 percent of his side's total.
The Brazilian is something of a late-bloomer, enjoying a prolific spell with Gremio before transferring to Valencia in 2011. The success has continued in Spain, and the 29-year-old has carried his team's scoring responsibilities early on.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid
2 of 5
While Ronaldo has broken numerous goal records in his career, it should be noted that the forward consistently accumulates a large percentage of his team's strikes as well. This year, Ronaldo has scored 41 percent of his club's league goals.
Real Madrid are off to a mediocre start by their standards, but Carlo Ancelotti will not be pleased with dropping five points at this stage. Some close calls against Elche and Levante have kept hope alive, but without Ronaldo's individual production, Madrid would have scored just 10 goals.
Rodri, Almeria
3 of 5
Barcelona might want to keep a close eye on Rodri. The 23-year-old is on loan from Barca B and has accumulated five goals in just eight games. The striker's tally makes up 45 percent of his club's total—good enough for the No. 3 spot on this list.
Almeria's 11 goals scored put the team on par with many higher in the table, but the squad's leaky defense has been an issue. Francisco Rodriguez's side sit dead last in La Liga after conceding 19 goals through just eight games.
Rodri might not be able to keep the club out of the relegation zone, but he is more than scoring his fair share of goals.
Diego Costa, Atletico Madrid
4 of 5
Atletico Madrid are sitting pretty. After winning all eight of their games thus far, the capital club trail Barcelona only on goal difference. Leading the way for the red and white is Diego Costa.
The Brazilian-turned-Spanish striker boasts a massive 48 percent of his side's goals. With 10 so far, the 25-year-old has already matched his tally from last season's campaign.
With an imposing frame and a composed demeanor, Costa is setting La Liga on fire. His accumulation of goals will play a large role in how Atletico fare this year.
Javi Guerra, Real Valladolid
5 of 5
Remarkably, Valladolid have scored just seven goals so far. Of those seven, Javi Guerra has tallied four, good enough for 57 percent.
Real Valladolid have managed to earn a win and three draws this campaign—not a terrible record, all things considered. However, to find greater success this season, the club must spread the goals around.
Guerra has done well early this campaign, and tops this list as the man scoring the highest percentage of his team's goals.
