La Liga Player Rankings After Weekend of October 3-5
Round 7 of La Liga is in the books and featured a host of impressive displays from the league's top players.
Ahead of the forthcoming international break—the next round of La Liga fixtures doesn't begin until October 17—we've updated our player power rankings to reflect the big performers of a weekend when Real Madrid and Valencia picked up big wins, Sevilla and Barcelona continued their good early-season form and every team bar three managed to get on the scoresheet.
We have a new leader, a few new faces on the board and plenty of positional changes for you this week.
Other Mentions
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Athletic Bilbao pair Iker Muniain and Ander Iturraspe pay the price for their team's continued poor form, as they were unable to make much impact again against Real Madrid and subsequently both drop out of our Top 20.
Real Sociedad midfielder Sergio Canales also falls out following a bad weekend for the two big Basque sides.
Luka Modric of Real Madrid, Carlos Bacca of Sevilla, Fabian Orellana of Celta Vigo and Claudio Bravo of Barcelona all just miss out this week but will bear further watching when we resume after the international break.
20. James Rodriguez, Real Madrid
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New Entrant
Real Madrid's midfield trio is starting to function rather better of late, with James Rodriguez quietly impressing over his past few appearances.
The Colombian worked hard and was seen to be winning the ball several times for his team as they pressed Athletic Bilbao high up the field, while he was his usual neat and tidy self moving into the final third. Rodriguez instigated many attacks with his movement into the channels and one-touch link-up play.
19. Xabi Prieto, Real Sociedad
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Change: -8
Xabi Prieto almost followed team-mate Sergio Canales out of the Top 20 after a poor Real Sociedad defeat against Espanyol, but his good performances up until now this season just about keep him in.
Prieto was unable to dictate the flow of the game against Espanyol as the home side swamped La Real time and time again in a 2-0 win for the Catalan club. Prieto was subbed after 70 minutes, soon after Canales himself departed.
18. Denis Cheryshev, Villarreal
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Change: -3
Villarreal winger Denis Cheryshev also drops again this week, despite an improved display. He did well against Celta Vigo, but his performance was simply not as good as others who have moved ahead.
He was once again a threat with his direct running in off the left flank, relying on pace rather more than craft and creativity to beat the Celta defence and create chances for his front men. Denis claimed an assist against the Celestes, his third of the season.
17. Gareth Bale, Real Madrid
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New Entrant
After something of a slow start, Gareth Bale has sparked into life in recent weeks and was excellent against Athletic Bilbao at the weekend.
He laid two goals on a plate for Cristiano Ronaldo and was instrumental in the volume of chances Real created inside both full-backs, who were given a torrid time. Bale had a goal ruled out for offside and was denied several times by Gorka Iraizoz.
16. Mario Mandzukic, Atletico Madrid
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New Entrant
Another new entrant now and Atletico Madrid's summer signing Mario Mandzukic.
The Croatian striker has slotted in seamlessly since joining from Bayern Munich, netting his third goal for the club in the 3-1 defeat to Valencia. His shooting perhaps could have done with being a little better on the day, and he might have taken Atleti closer to a comeback point, but his all-round approach and link-up play continues to mark him out as a good signing who can help the team in their fight to defend the title.
15. Nolito, Celta Vigo
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Change: +4
Celta Vigo might have tasted defeat at the weekend, but it wasn't for the lack of effort and quality from their front men, with Nolito once again central to much of their best work.
The left-sided front man was tricky and creative, always looking to run in behind the Villarreal back line and provided the assist for Joaquin Larrivey just before half-time. He fell down in his own finishing this week, missing a couple of presentable chances, but he was impressive nonetheless.
14. Neymar, Barcelona
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Change: +4
Neymar, like Barcelona in general, was not exceptional against Rayo Vallecano, but he improved and impressed—particularly during the first half.
He added his seventh La Liga goal of the season with a fine low finish just a minute after Barcelona had opened the scoring, and his movement off the ball in the first half contributed to his team's ease at opening up Rayo.
13. Toni Kroos, Real Madrid
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Change: +4
Toni Kroos, like James earlier in our list, continues to grow as an important part of the Real Madrid team. His performance at the weekend was typically assured, dominant and central to Real's good attacking play against Athletic Bilbao.
Kroos was perhaps outshone on the day by Luka Modric, but he still contributed plenty himself and has been close to top form for longer than the Croatian—hence his continued inclusion and progression up this list.
12. Paco Alcacer, Valencia
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Change: +4
Paco Alcacer didn't hit the back of the net at the weekend but was instrumental in Valencia's early dominance over Atletico Madrid. His work rate, movement and troubling of Atleti's defence was a feature during the first half of the victory.
He contributed well to a game that Valencia won 3-1 and set up one of Los Che's early strikes.
11. Diego Alves, Valencia
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New Entrant
Our highest-placed new entrant is Valencia goalkeeper Diego Alves, who has had an excellent start to the new season.
The Brazilian combines excellent shot-stopping with a growing ability to command his entire penalty area and dominate aerially—an area he has drastically improved in over the past 12 months or so. He also saved a penalty against Atletico this weekend and has conceded just four goals in seven league games so far this season.
10. Koke, Atletico Madrid
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Change: -1
Koke was one of Atletico Madrid's more impressive performers in the defeat to Valencia, keeping up his good recent form to help his side try and fight back in the game after going three goals down early on.
He was frequently able to drive infield off the flank, exchange passes and look to play in the forwards, but his final touch was too often lacking for him to have a telling impact on the scoreline. Koke drops down this week, but only by a little.
9. Miranda, Atletico Madrid
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Change: -7
The biggest dropper in this week's Top 20 is Atletico Madrid centre-back Miranda, who has had a great start to the 2014-15 season but endured a nightmare weekend against Valencia.
The Brazilian first headed past his own 'keeper to open the scoring for Atletico's top-four rivals, then he was unable to do anything about Andre Gomes waltzing past him to double the lead a moment later. Miranda has been vital at both ends for Atletico so far this season, but his (and his team's) slow start cost them a big three points at the weekend.
8. Sergio Ramos, Real Madrid
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Change: -2
Sergio Ramos had a good first half for Real Madrid against Athletic Bilbao, being his usual aggressive self and winning the ball quickly in the air and on the ground, but one of those aggressive challenges ended his afternoon early.
Falling awkwardly on his back, Ramos had to be subbed at half-time and couldn't add to his good start, reflected by his slight drop here.
7. Andres Iniesta, Barcelona
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Change: -2
Barcelona weren't at their most fluid in attack this weekend, comfortably taking a lead but failing to really put Rayo Vallecano to the sword thereafter, with Andres Iniesta not really able to impose himself in the final third in his usual manner.
Midfield partner Xavi was the better out of the two and Iniesta was subbed for Ivan Rakitic midway through the second half.
6. Ivan Rakitic, Barcelona
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Change: -3
Much like Iniesta, Rakitic couldn't make too much of an impression going forward against Rayo Vallecano, though his passing was as neat and reliable as could be expected.
As he didn't start the game and only played 20-odd minutes, Rakitic drops an extra place this time.
5. Jeremy Mathieu, Barcelona
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Change: +8
Jeremy Mathieu was switched from dominant centre-back to marauding left-back for the weekend win against Vallecano, with his powerful running down the flank a feature of Barcelona's quick transition play.
His deliveries from wide could easily have led to another goal or two for the Catalan side, and he did his defensive work well, stopping crosses and barging his way into the middle third on occasion to keep Rayo pinned back in their own half.
4. Sergio Busquets, Barcelona
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Change: +4
Rising back up the Top 20 is Barcelona holding midfielder Sergio Busquets, who was one of the best players on the park for his team in the 2-0 win over Rayo Vallecano.
As usual, he was tenacious and aggressive in winning the ball back in front of his back line, quick to step in whenever Rayo tried to attack, and his use of the ball and distribution rarely saw a wasted pass. Busquets is vital to Barça's ability to play two playmakers ahead of him, and he has had a great start to 2014-15.
3. Nicolas Otamendi, Valencia
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Change: +1
Nicolas Otamendi didn't even play the second half of last season at Valencia, going on loan to Brazil instead, but he has this season come in and made himself a vital starter for Los Che and a prime example of their excellent start to 2014-15.
The Argentine centre-back has been aggressive and consistent throughout and continued that at the weekend against Atletico Madrid, staying in control of the back line to squeeze Atleti's attacking players and prevent them creating enough chances to get back into the game. Otamendi also powered in a thumping header to put his side three goals to the good early on.
2. Lionel Messi, Barcelona
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Change: -1
Lionel Messi scored again this weekend—his sixth La Liga goal of the season—but with Barcelona not firing on all cylinders and his own shooting a little wayward, Messi drops off top spot this weekend.
Messi has been excellent so far this campaign, and Luis Enrique won't be too worried about his lack of clinical edge this week, but with our rankings emphasising the most recent performances, he moves down one place for now.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid
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Change: +6
Cristiano Ronaldo surges to the top of our charts after putting on a display against Athletic Bilbao that not only saw him continue his absurd scoring rate but also his all-round performance within the team's system.
Recent weeks have seen Ronaldo not really hit top gear for 90 minutes at a time, but that ended against the Basque side. Ronaldo hit another hat-trick—that's 13 goals in six games now—and set another on a plate for Karim Benzema. He constantly tested Gorka Iraizoz in the Athletic goal and gave right-back Oscar de Marcos a torrid time.
