La Liga Player Rankings After Gameweek 22, Feb. 6-9
The latest game week in La Liga produced a huge result at the top as Atletico Madrid defeated Real Madrid 4-0, while Barcelona also picked up another big victory.
The Champions League-chasing sides Villarreal and Valencia also won, but Sevilla and Malaga suffered defeats. All these games and performances affect our player rankings in a big way, with our top 20 now entirely made up of players from the top seven clubs.
Here's the latest update after the Madrid derby and other game week 22 fixtures.
Mentions
1 of 21
Out goes Raphael Varane of Real Madrid, placed 20th last week but part of the side destroyed 4-0 by rivals Atletico Madrid this weekend. He is our only change in the top 20.
Several others remain on the watch list, including:
Marcelo, Real Madrid
Diego Godin, Atletico Madrid
Dani Parejo, Valencia
Sergio Asenjo, Villarreal.
20. Mario Mandzukic, ATM
2 of 21
New entrant
Mario Mandzukic has been on the fringes of our 20 for some time, but takes his place after another dominant display and a goal in a key match.
His running and holdup play in attack was critical for Atletico Madrid, combining well with the runners from deep as they attacked Real Madrid over and over, a relentless force in all areas of the pitch.
A late fourth goal, well timed and well taken, was just rewards for a great performance.
19. Luciano Vietto, VIL
3 of 21
Change: -1
Luciano Vietto was an unused sub as Villarreal opted to make several changes in their easy 2-0 home win over Granada.
18. Grzegorz Krychowiak, SEV
4 of 21
Change: +2
Polish midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak took up a position at the base of Sevilla's new-look, much more narrow midfield, and he was able to stride forward to great effect during the defeat to Getafe.
That said, his primary role was as a destroyer and he fulfilled that function well, breaking up play plenty of times and making challenges when he could, but Sevilla never really looked comfortable as an entire unit and struggled to create chances.
Krychowiak scored their goal, but they lost 2-1.
17. Isco, RMA
5 of 21
Change: -4
Varane has gone and Isco is the first of the Real players to experience a dramatic drop after a woeful performance against Atletico Madrid.
None of the team, not one of them, can claim to have even put in the required effort, never mind the quality on the ball, and Isco isn't exempt from that. He didn't find spaces to receive the ball in, couldn't create a thing of note and certainly didn't give Real the work rate in midfield they needed.
Atleti dominated the centre of the park entirely.
16. Denis Cheryshev, VIL
6 of 21
No change
Like Vietto, Denis Cheryshev was left on the bench for Villarreal, coming on for the latter stages against Granada and setting up the second goal late on with a counter and low cross from the left.
15. Luis Suarez, FCB
7 of 21
Change: +2
Another game, another big display from Luis Suarez for Barcelona—and this time a goal to go with it.
Suarez had already had a couple of chances, including a four-yard header which Gorka Iraizoz somehow clawed away, before his low, swept finish from the edge of the box found the bottom corner.
He was involved in everything good about Barcelona's build-up in the first hour or so of the game, combining really well with Neymar and Lionel Messi and working hard off the ball as always.
14. Jose Gimenez, ATM
8 of 21
Change: -2
Josema Gimenez had won himself a regular spot for Atletico at centre-back, but when it came to the big game, Diego Simeone blinked in his faith. Miranda was restored at the weekend and Gimenez an unused sub.
13. Sergio Ramos, RMA
9 of 21
Change: -3
Probably one of the few times Sergio Ramos might be glad to miss out on a derby game; he missed the 4-0 loss through injury.
12. Ignacio Camacho, MGA
10 of 21
Change: -1
Malaga fell to a soul-crushing 4-1 defeat to bottom-club Levante at the weekend, with the away team utterly lacking in tempo, aggression or means to create chances to get back in the game.
Normally the most dominant of sorts in midfield, Ignacio Camacho was subdued and bypassed, easily overran and unable to put in his usual big challenges. He could have fallen further if those below had played or impressed.
Not a good game.
11. Arda Turan, ATM
11 of 21
Change: +3
What a performance from Arda Turan! He was one of the stars of the weekend, bustling in midfield and lightning on the attack.
His movement and technique were far too much for Real to take; they were unable to get close to him to close him down, never tried to assign someone to stick with him and stop the supply line, and certainly didn't match his work rate.
The Turk was instrumental in Atleti's win and one of the best on the day.
10. Koke, ATM
12 of 21
Change: -1
Koke started the match against Real Madrid, and looked in fine form, but had to go off early and be replaced by the impressive Saul Niguez.
9. Karim Benzema, RMA
13 of 21
Change: -1
There's almost nothing to say about Karim Benzema's performance. He was starved of service, did little intelligent running, had no shots on goal and didn't affect the game in the slightest.
A desperately poor display by Real's attack, but it only mirrored that of the whole team.
8. Cristiano Ronaldo, RMA
14 of 21
Change: -1
A really poor past month for Ronaldo—sending off, two-game suspension, back for this drubbing—was topped off by him not managing a single shot on target for Real against Atletico.
Ronaldo was anonymous, offered nothing except sarcastic shakes of the head and was one of the most culpable in white for lacking work rate in this game.
7. Nicolas Otamendi, VAL
15 of 21
Change: -1
Nicolas Otamendi again missed the match for Valencia, as they beat Espanyol 2-1.
6. Antoine Griezmann, ATM
16 of 21
Change: +9
A quick explanation on Griezmann's huge leap—he was playing so well of late that he was almost able to rise up three and four places at a time, only for those above him to also be playing well. The groupings are so tight, the margins so fine, that the middle group were bunched together...so when a handful of them either didn't play well or simply didn't play, Griezmann's latest big performance has seen him soar past them all.
Back to his actual performance, he was sublime. The French forward was everywhere against Real Madrid, dropping deep, running behind, pulling wide; he linked with the entire midfield, and strike partner Mandzukic, and pulled the Real back four all out of shape.
He has been one of La Liga's best since the resumption of the season and rockets into our top 10 as a result.
5. Diego Alves, VAL
17 of 21
No change
Diego Alves remains our only goalkeeper in the top 20, and keeps his place in the top five.
He conceded once in the 2-1 win over Espanyol, a late consolation from close range, but was his usual excellent self before that, making two great saves in particular to keep his side ahead.
Alves is composed, dominant, reliable and consistent, everything his team need him to be as they chase a top-four finish.
4. Toni Kroos, RMA
18 of 21
Change: -1
As the midfield holder for Real, charged with controlling the game and dominating the centre of the park, Toni Kroos was absolutely railroaded this weekend.
It was probably the least effective he's been in a game in years; overrun, out-worked, out-passed and never given time to dictate how his own side played. Kroos was utterly unable to cope with Atleti at the weekend.
3. James Rodriguez, RMA
19 of 21
Change: -1
James Rodriguez drops out of our top two and could slide considerably over the coming weeks, as he'll miss two months with injury.
2. Neymar, FCB
20 of 21
Change: +2
Neymar surges into our podium spots, giving us a Barcelona one-two at the top.
The Brazilian has been on a great run of form, backing up his skills and driving runs with an ability to hit the back of the net on a regular basis. His timing and composure were evident once more against Athletic Bilbao, with a fine low finish giving him a 16th Liga goal this term.
Neymar continues to provide good chances for his team-mates, is working well off the ball and has been a big part of the return to form of Barcelona.
1. Lionel Messi, FCB
21 of 21
No change
Another week at top spot for Lionel Messi, who was once again central to all Barcelona's best work in the 5-2 win over Athletic Bilbao.
The Argentine scored a deflected free-kick and was involved in all four of the other goals, either claiming assists or being a key part of the build-up. His movement and ability to collect possession in dangerous areas is something that teams just cannot live with...and much less once he starts moving on the ball, headed for the area.
Barcelona are to within a point of the top and the title race is really heating up, with Messi on top of his game.
