Every La Liga Club's Most Valuable Player
This has been a thrilling La Liga season thus far, and every team has had moments of joy and thrilling play. But there is always that one player that each club relies on more than anyone else.
In this article we will take a look at the most valuable player for each club in Spain. Before we continue, it is important that we understand what type of player we are looking at here.
By “most valuable player” I mean the player that contributes the most to a club’s total play both on and off the pitch. This is not a list of each club’s best or most expensive player. It is a list of who means the most overall to each club.
There will be some surprises throughout this list and rightfully so. As always, feel free to get involved in the discussion below in the comment section.
*All statistics are courtesy of WhoScored.com
Almeria: Rodri
1 of 20
For Almeria there is only one clear candidate for the club’s most valuable player. It is none other than former Sevilla and Barcelona B star, Rodri.
The 23-year-old has been Almeria’s offensive force scoring five goals and featuring in every match thus far. He may be young but Rodri is carrying the scoring load and is already the vocal leader on and off the pitch.
Without Rodri, Almeria would be in major trouble. Their defense may be admirable, but there is only one real offensive weapon in this squad.
Athletic Club Bilbao: Carlos Gurpegui
2 of 20
Last season, Ander Herrera would have been the clear choice for Athletic Club’s most valuable player.
However, this season his form has begun to dip and Carlos Gurpegui has once again become the undisputed leader of Los Leones.
Gurpegui has become the Basque Carles Puyol both in terms of defensive ability and leadership.
The 33-year-old center-back is very vocal and leads by example, but he is also the backbone of the Basques as he is always the one to step into a challenge or stand up for a teammate.
Leaders don’t come much better than Gurpegui.
Andoni Iraola and Markel Susaeta have also been very important this season and in years past, but Athletic would not be the club they are without Gurpegui’s stability and example.
Atletico Madrid: Koke
3 of 20
It is clear that Diego Costa is by far the best player at Atletico Madrid. On top of having a scoring machine like Costa, Atletico boast arguably the best defensive unit in Europe.
However, Koke is quietly the most important player at the club.
For the last few years Atletico had been lacking a true midfielder who could link up play and provide creativity. That is exactly what Koke has brought to the squad, and he is quickly becoming one of the best players in Madrid.
The 21-year-old has already given six assists this season but has also been a scoring threat as well.
He is constantly improving as a player but is already the irreplaceable link that holds everything together for Atletico Madrid.
Barcelona: Sergio Busquets
4 of 20
Everyone knows how important Lionel Messi is to Barcelona. There is no doubting he is the best player at the club and maybe even of all time. But he is not the most valuable player for the Catalans.
That status belongs to midfielder Sergio Busquets.
The 25-year-old is not like most defensive midfielders. He reads the game better than anyone around and is always in the right position long before anyone else realizes what is going on.
Barcelona misses Busquets in every match he doesn’t compete in. He does all of the dirty work and is the engine of the Tiki-Taka style of play.
In a report by Goal.com in 2011 Xavi stated that, “Without Busquets we could never had achieved what we have achieved. He is an extraordinary player who is never wrong.”
It doesn’t get much better than a compliment like that from Xavi.
Celta Vigo: Charles
5 of 20
Celta Vigo is a very well-rounded team, but they would be lost without Charles.
The 29-year-old has a lot of experience under his belt and knows how to impact a match. Every attacking play from the Galician club is looking for Charles to finish off the chance, and that is exactly what he thrives at doing.
It may only be his first season at Celta Vigo, but Charles is already the most important player.
Replacing a striker like Iago Aspas is not easy to do, and yet Charles has made the fans nearly forget their former player. His tenacity and refusal to give up on a play has put a spark in his teammates and has played a big role in Celta Vigo’s success this season.
Elche: Alberto Botia
6 of 20
Alberto Botia was one of La Liga’s most formidable defender last season at Sevilla and has not skipped a beat this season with Elche.
His playing style and fearlessness make him very important for Elche and he has been the enforcer the club needs in front of the keeper.
Botia knows how to tackle and isn’t afraid of taking chances.
The former La Masia graduate began the season as the defensive leader but soon became the overall leader of the squad. He is a player every manager can count on and is having a major impact on the newly-promoted side.
Espanyol: Sergio Garcia
7 of 20
Espanyol is lucky to have some top players at the club and are having a wonderful start to the season. A place in the European zone of the table looks more than likely at the end of the year, but that wouldn’t be the case if not for Sergio Garcia.
The Espanyol captain does exactly what a captain is supposed to do. He leads by example and always leaves it on the field.
The Catalans have plenty of supporting players and have boasted one of the best defenses in Spain this year, but every positive result this year has come on the back of a stunning performance from Garcia.
If Garcia’s form continues, Espanyol will have a very successful season and should be playing in Europe this time next year.
Getafe: Pedro Leon
8 of 20
What a season Pedro Leon is having! The former Real Madrid reject has shaken off his problems and has become the key player for Getafe by getting the job done.
He has scored three goals this season and given two assists, playing a major role in the club’s success. To put it simple, there is no attacking presence at Getafe without Pedro Leon.
He may not be a leader or a vocal player, but what he provides is what Getafe desperately needed. His creativity and ability to put a spark in any game has given the club that something special they were looking for.
Pedro Leon is going to continue to get better. He is gaining more experience every week and will be the main reason Getafe blew expectations out of the water this year.
Granada: Roberto
9 of 20
Granada’s season has been one of ups and downs. The club has struggled to find stability and is in need of a great run of form.
However, the one player the club has been able to rely on is 34-year-old keeper Roberto.
Roberto has played every second of the season thus far and has performed well in every match. He doesn’t make mistakes and keeps his defenders in check.
Granada may be struggling a bit this year, but Roberto is giving the club a stable leader to rely on in the long run.
Levante: Pape Diop
10 of 20
Levante is a club without many stars. But what the club lacks in stars, they make up for in hard-working players.
Pape Diop is just that type of player.
He is the clear choice for Levante’s most valuable player because of the role he plays and the contribution he gives. Not only has he scored two goals to lead the team, he is also the squad's most capable tackler.
Diop provides strength in front of the defense, and he is the best player at the club at supporting the strikers. The 27-year-old may be a quiet player, but he has a loud and important influence on every match.
Malaga: Willy Caballero
11 of 20
Everybody saw this one coming. Willy Caballero is the epitome of a valuable player if there ever was one.
The 32-year-old 'keeper has kept Malaga in matches time and again and is known for being tough on his defenders. He demands nothing short of perfection from his teammates and gives it everything he’s got in each match.
Caballero is like a coach on the field.
He knows what to do and how to make changes and has played a huge part in Malaga’s success over the years.
In truth, Malaga just wouldn’t be Malaga without Willy Caballero. If he were to ever leave the club it would have disastrous repercussions.
Osasuna: Alejandro Arribas
12 of 20
Nothing seems to be going right for Osasuna this year. The Navarran club is struggling in every department this year but has showed signs that things can be turned around.
When it comes to standout players that are invaluable, defender Alejandro Arribas is the only name that immediately comes to mind.
The 24-year-old is the only player to feature in every match this season and that is because he is the one player the manager knows will put in a good performance every time. Arribas does not make mistakes and is a strong tackler.
He isn’t necessarily a leader at the club, but he is vital to the lineup. Arribas is the hinge that holds the defense together, and if Osasuna wants to succeed, they must build around him.
Rayo Vallecano: Roberto Trashorras
13 of 20
Roberto Trashorras may be the only player at Rayo Vallecano that is doing everything he can to help the club succeed. Things have been bad this season to put it nicely, but the 32-year-old is the silver lining.
Trashorras is experienced and knows how to control a midfield. He gives Rayo Vallecano a fighting chance in every match and is starting to become a real leader on the pitch.
If it weren’t for him, Rayo Vallecano may have lost every match so far this season. He carries the burden on his shoulders every game and never puts in a bad performance.
Real Betis: Ruben Castro
14 of 20
There are two types of Real Betis. There is the one with the Ruben Castro, and the ugly one without him.
Castro has only played in one match this season and we have already seen what that has done to the club. Real Betis has been lost without the midfielder and a shadow of the team that La Liga saw last year.
The 32-year-old is everything for Real Betis. He is the leader, star player and idol at the club. He does it all, and without him Real Betis would fall apart.
Fans will be hoping that he is back to playing regularly really soon.
Real Madrid: Cristiano Ronaldo
15 of 20
Had this been last season, there would be a picture of Xabi Alonso on this slide, but that isn’t the case this year. Cristiano Ronaldo is now the most valuable player for Real Madrid.
Los Blancos would not be the same without Ronaldo. He is the face of the club, the offensive leader and the one player the club couldn’t do without.
Ronaldo gives Real Madrid the edge over almost every opponent and continues to be one of the most dynamic players the club has ever seen.
Without Ronaldo, Real Madrid may not be nearly as strong as they are today. He is the most valuable player for the club simply because there is no one that could replace him.
Real Sociedad: Xabi Prieto
16 of 20
There is a very good reason why Xabi Prieto is the captain of Real Sociedad. If Prieto goes, so does La Real.
The 30-year-old holds everything together for the Basque club. His passing links up all play, and his vision makes him the equivalent of the Basque Andrea Pirlo.
Prieto may not score a lot of goals or give many assists, but it is his leadership and composure that makes him vitally important to Real Sociedad.
When he is not on the pitch La Real are far from their best. It is even safe to say that they just can’t win without him.
Real Valladolid: Patrick Ebert
17 of 20
Patrick Ebert is the light in the dim world of Real Valladolid.
The German midfielder is the spark of every attacking play and the sole reason Valladolid remains competitive.
I know it seems a little much, but Valladolid are where they are today because of the 26-year-old.
When he has a bad game the entire squad suffers. Luckily, Ebert rarely puts in a bad performance which has led to success for the club in recent months.
Ebert’s ability to create chances and score goals makes him a constant threat for opponents, but it is his ability to make everyone around him better that makes him the club’s most valuable player.
Sevilla: Ivan Rakitic
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Sevilla lost a lot of quality this summer, and it would have been completely normal for the club to fall apart. But not all hope is lost as Ivan Rakitic stuck around and has delivered in the biggest way.
Rakitic was always one of the biggest stars but was often overshadowed by Jesus Navas and Alvaro Negredo. Now he is the star of the Sevilla show and has become the club’s most impotant player.
The 25-year-old has scored five goals this season and has played a big role in Sevilla’s most important results this year.
Success continues for the Spanish club and they have Rakitic to thank for that.
Valencia: Ever Banega
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Ever Banega has played in every match this season for Valencia and has done so for an understandable reason. With Roberto Soldado no longer at the club, Banega’s burden to carry became much larger.
The Argentine midfielder has become responsible for helping the club find ways to score with Soldado gone.
Luckily for Valencia that is just what Banega excels at.
The 25-year-old has already given three assists this year and is averaging nearly three key passes per game.
Without Banega, overcoming the loss of Soldado would have been much harder to handle. The Argentine now runs the show and is the undisputed leader that Valencia can rely on.
Villarreal: Bruno
20 of 20
There is no questioning the importance of Bruno at Villarreal. The 29-year-old has spent his entire career at Villarreal and is the face of the club.
Bruno does a bit of everything in the midfield. He wins possession, makes important passes and links up play. But he also controls the Villarreal movement in everything he does.
The midfielder is Villarreal’s orchestrator and leader. Fans have come to trust Bruno in everything he does and it is hard to imagine the yellow submarine without him.
Should any changes be made to the list? Who do you think the most important players are? Leave your thoughts and comments below!
Tre’ Atkinson. Follow me on Twitter for more discussions on La Liga!
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