La Liga Player Rankings After Game Week 28, March 20-22
The latest round of action in Spain's top flight means there are just 10 game weeks left in La Liga, 10 weeks for teams to pick up enough points to seal silverware, avoid relegation or achieve each objective in between.
For things to go right over the last few weeks of the season, clubs need their players on top of their ability—and we've analysed each game in Week 28 to update our rankings and see which of La Liga's stars are in the very best form.
Taking into account El Clasico and the other nine games this weekend, here are our latest Liga player rankings.
Mentions
1 of 21
Just one exit and replacement this week, with Sevilla's Grzegorz Krychowiak ending his long run in our top 20 after missing out at the weekend and playing no part in the win over Villarreal.
We have two players who really merit inclusion by now but we just don't have the space in the 20 for them...
Vitolo, Sevilla
Jose Gaya, Valencia
...and also a whole host right up there on our radar and showing great consistency of late.
Vicente Iborra, Sevilla
Michael Krohn-Dehli, Celta Vigo
Alberto Bueno, Rayo Vallecano
Tiago, Atletico Madrid
Xabier Etxeita, Athletic Bilbao
Inaki Williams, Athletic Bilbao
20. Sergio Asenjo, VIL
2 of 21
Change: -3
For the third time in four matches, Sergio Asenjo and his Villarreal side took on Sevilla; for the third time in four matches, Asenjo was on the losing side.
Following a Europa League exit to the same opposition, Villarreal lost out in La Liga this time and probably lost the chance to finish fifth along with the points.
Asenjo made a couple of saves but was beaten twice as his team were overpowered in the second half, and the game ended 2-0.
19. Dani Parejo, VAL
3 of 21
No change
Not one of Dani Parejo's more explosive matches, but the Spaniard was in good form nonetheless in a more controlled role in Valencia's midfield as they walloped Elche 4-0.
He was a little more withdrawn than usual, with Andre Gomes the more offensive midfielder, leaving Parejo to patrol and spread play every which way from the centre of the park. His range was fantastic and his accuracy pinpoint.
Most weeks he would have risen, but a few around him performed very well, too.
18. Marcelo, RMA
4 of 21
No change
After much thought, Marcelo doesn't move at all in our rankings this time out. The left-back was one of Real Madrid's most impressive players in the first half as they largely outplayed and outthought Barcelona in El Clasico, with two of his runs down the left—one inside, one outside—producing telling attacks for his team.
The second half saw the game flip, Marcelo was left exposed at times and he struggled to cope defensively with the huge tracts of space opening up around him. He was booked, along with more than half the outfield players on the pitch, and had a tough time of things tracking the off-the-ball movement of Barcelona's front players.
One good half, one tough half, no change.
17. Ignacio Camacho, MGA
5 of 21
Change: -2
Ignacio Camacho was absent once again from the Malaga team-sheet. They lost 1-0 to Rayo Vallecano.
16. Arda Turan, ATM
6 of 21
No change
Arda Turan played in Atletico Madrid's 2-0 win over Getafe, putting in a decent shift on the right side of midfield without ever being at the very top of his game.
With the opposition sitting back and behind in the match from very early on, space to create chances was at a premium. Turan was restricted at times to simply being an option to switch play and then reverse it back infield again.
There was nothing bad to note, his passing was intelligent and accurate, he simply didn't get too much opportunity to have an impact in the area.
15. Gerard Pique, FCB
7 of 21
New entrant!
As tempting as it is to have Gerard Pique enter our top 20 at No. 1 on the basis of THAT sliding tackle alone, the centre-back finally breaks in after a monstrous showing in El Clasico.
Pique has been in top form for the past month against some of the smaller sides in La Liga, but after a difficult opening 10 minutes, he was perhaps the best player on the pitch for the rest of the game against Real Madrid.
Fine covering work behind Jeremy Mathieu at times saw him make a number of late challenges and interceptions, while he was aggressive in the air and consistent with his passing, too. A deserved entry into the top 20.
14. Jordi Alba, FCB
8 of 21
Change: +6
Alba only dropped a few places last week because of suspension, so in terms of his recent form on the pitch, it has been a consistent rise in our rankings over the last few weeks.
A stellar showing in El Clasico saw him get the better of Gareth Bale on every occasion, defending well with his bursts of pace and aggressive nature of challenging, while also being a threat going the other way. Had he ended a tremendous run with a goal in the second half, he probably would be spoken about more keenly for man of the match.
As it was, he picked up the obligatory yellow card but was a very good all-round performer.
13. Isco, RMA
9 of 21
Change: -2
Isco was one of the Real players who had an impact in the first half of the game, linking well with Karim Benzema and Marcelo down the left channel, but he was really only involved because Luka Modric consistently found him in possession and because of his ability to press when off the ball.
While he did those things well initially, when Modric (and thus Real) fell away, Isco was badly isolated at times, stuck between whether to press or back off, and as a result, he was easily bypassed in midfield.
He made little attacking impact and was unsurprisingly subbed.
12. Cristiano Ronaldo, RMA
10 of 21
Change: -2
Another fall for Cristiano Ronaldo, despite his goal in El Clasico.
The Portuguese No. 7 initially looked the part, making a couple of runs, shooting off the crossbar from five yards out and scoring the equalising goal, but in truth, that was the extent of his positive impact on the game.
He was too often static when waiting for the ball, didn't take part in the ceaseless early pressing which gave his team a good start and picked up a yellow card for an awful dive over a non-existent Gerard Pique challenge. He was anonymous after the break, with huge gaps between the front line and midfield and he never looked interested in dropping deeper to make up the numbers or get himself involved.
11. Toni Kroos, RMA
11 of 21
Change: -4
Perhaps the most guilty of Real Madrid's midfield for the poor performance after the break, Toni Kroos was a basically waving a big MIA flag in El Clasico.
The German has been excellent for several months over the start and middle of the season, but has dropped off woefully in the past month. His passing was still good, as in it found a team-mate most of the time, but it wasn't progressive, he didn't look to open up the Barcelona defence when Real were on the front foot and he certainly didn't deliver defensively after the break.
Time after time, Barcelona split the midfield lines far too easily, and Kroos has to be the one who is looked at for letting things fall apart in such a manner.
10. Pablo Piatti, VAL
12 of 21
Change: +3
Valencia's Pablo Piatti continues his tremendous run of form, putting in another creative and vibrant display at the start of the weekend as his side beat Elche 4-0 on Monday night.
Piatti played from the left of a three again in attack, linking superbly with Jose Gaya behind him and laying on a number of chances for his team-mates. Even though this wasn't the toughest opponent Valencia have faced recently, the sheer repetition with which Piatti is scything through defences at the moment is hugely impressive. He ended with one assist and could certainly have had more with a bit more luck.
9. Diego Godin, ATM
13 of 21
Change: +3
Atletico Madrid had the two Uruguayans at the back again this weekend, Jose Gimenez and Diego Godin, and both were committed and excellent in the 2-0 win over Getafe.
While Gimenez was busy using his face to block shots from close range, Godin launched into tackles, won the ball in the air and basically prevented Getafe from even getting close to finding themselves back in the game. It's a partnership that can dominate for the team for years to come, and Godin is pretty much back to top form now.
8. Antoine Griezmann, ATM
14 of 21
Change: -2
Antoine Griezmann was rested for part of the game for Atleti against Getafe, starting as sub and only coming on after an hour of play with his team 2-0 up. The points were already looking safe and the tempo of the game had dropped; unsurprisingly, he wasn't too involved in anything dramatic in the final third as a result.
7. Neymar, FCB
15 of 21
Change: -2
Neymar was important for Barcelona in the Clasico win in as much as he kept Dani Carvajal pinned back, he showed good movement and was always looking to take up possession...but that's as far as it went.
In truth, it was a pretty horrid performance from the Brazilian, who missed at least two presentable shooting chances to wrap the game up late on and chose the wrong option more than once when a pass was on to a team-mate. Certainly the least-impressive of the front three for Barcelona.
6. Koke, ATM
16 of 21
Change: +3
Koke is back in top form after injury and inconsistency earlier on in the campaign.
The Atletico Madrid maestro is critical to his team's chances of success, even in the race for third place this season. He showed as much in the 2-0 win over Getafe, with his set-piece delivery proving pivotal for the goals and also almost scoring himself with a driving run and low finish that struck the woodwork.
He continues to press them forward and lead the team even when playing wide, and with Diego Simeone now staying in place at Atleti with a new contract, he will surely look to build around the prodigiously talented young midfielder.
5. Karim Benzema, RMA
17 of 21
Change: +3
While the rest of his offensive team-mates largely failed to impress, Karim Benzema was excellent for Real Madrid in terms of both his on- and off-the-ball contribution.
The French striker created a number of chances simply by being aware of where his team-mates were and being able to receive the ball and move it on quickly before the Barcelona defence had a chance to react. His backheeled assist for Ronaldo's equaliser was the epitome of Benzema's performance: selfless, quality and instinctive.
He finished on the losing side but certainly won't have the finger pointed at him for that.
4. Nicolas Otamendi, VAL
18 of 21
No change
No movement for Nicolas Otamendi after another dominant performance for Valencia, helping keep a clean sheet and even scoring an injury time goal in the 4-0 win over Elche.
Otamendi headed in from a corner late in the game, scoring the final goal, and had earlier gone close with a stabbed effort wide of the target after another set piece.
Defensively, he was robust and sound as ever, leading the back line, challenging with aggression and making sure Valencia's defensive record remained intact—it's no goals conceded in their last three wins now.
3. Diego Alves, VAL
19 of 21
Change: -1
A little harsh on Diego Alves perhaps to see him drop, given he kept the clean sheet behind Otamendi, but in truth, he didn't have an awful lot to do.
Of course, he was his usual self in terms of taking high balls with authority, distributing intelligently and getting his team organised at set pieces, but Elche only managed a single shot on target—which he dealt with spectacularly rather than soundly this time.
He drops mainly as another player impressed considerably, but Alves remains our best goalkeeper of the season by some distance.
2. Luis Suarez, FCB
20 of 21
Change: +1
Luis Suarez made the pre-Clasico headlines last time out as he was returning from his latest biting ban...and Luis Suarez made the post-Clasico headlines this time after scoring the winning goal.
The forward was exceptional, working hard and pressing the back line, working spaces for himself and Lionel Messi and running straight at the Real defence whenever the opportunity presented itself.
A fantastic first touch and composed finish into the far corner gave Barcelona the 2-1 win and an eighth Liga goal of the season for himself, and he no doubt would have added at least one more to his tally had the ball rolled his way on one or two other counter-attacking chances late in the game.
1. Lionel Messi, FCB
21 of 21
No change
Lionel Messi wasn't the top performer in El Clasico, but there's no doubt he had a big impact in Barcelona's revival in the second half.
After delivering a tremendous free-kick for Jeremy Mathieu's opener, Messi was a little quiet in the first 45 minutes with Real on top—but as the spaces began to open up centrally after the break, the No. 10 was rampant at times with his quick acceleration into space, propensity to spread play and attack from the second line and his darts infield to give his team-mates an outlet.
There was no goal for Messi to celebrate, though he could have added to his assist tally if not for Neymar's inadequate finishing, but he remains top of our pile after a good all-round showing in the match.
