La Liga Team for Weekend May 16-17: Claudio Bravo Shines as Barcelona Win Title
Barcelona clinched their La Liga title on Gameweek 37, thanks specifically on this occasion to the efforts of players at either end of the field—Claudio Bravo and Lionel Messi.
Both make our team of the week for Spain's top flight, but we've also got plenty of other stars over the past weekend who had big impacts for their sides—including three from Deportivo La Coruna, who picked up three precious points in their fight to avoid relegation.
Here is our full team of the weekend.
GK: Claudio Bravo, FCB
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Barcelona goalkeeper Claudio Bravo will end the season with the best defensive record, and while some matches have seen him keep clean sheets on account of his team's utter domination, this weekend was a different matter.
The Chilean twice denied Atletico Madrid with fantastic saves in the first half, particularly a clawing effort which he had to dive backward for to reach.
Barcelona have conceded just 19 goals this season.
DF: Javier Mascherano, FCB
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Ahead of Bravo, Barcelona dominated play for large spells but had to deal with frequent counter-attacks from the home team and runs through the centre of the penalty box.
With Javier Mascherano protecting his keeper like a snarling, snapping yard dog, Barcelona repelled much of the worst Atleti had to offer—and kept Fernando Torres and co. at bay.
The Argentine has had a tremendous season and this was a typically committed performance from him.
DF: Nicolas Otamendi, VAL
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The best central defender of La Liga this season had another fine game of his own: Nicolas Otamendi was largely excellent at the heart of Valencia's defence as they drew 1-1 at home to Celta Vigo.
Otamendi scored Valencia's goal after two earlier attempts had gone close—one off the bar and one volley blocked—as he followed in a fumbled free-kick to smash home.
Defensively he was as strong and reliable as ever, a leader at the back in a first half where Celta threatened to run away with the game at times.
DF: Alberto Lopo, DEP
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Deportivo La Coruna's bid to avoid relegation is going to the wire, but they're in a good place after beating Levante 2-0 to move two points outside the drop zone, heading into the final day.
At the back, Alberto Lopo was key, scoring and playing as well as he has done all season. Depor fan and football writer Chris Moar gave us the lowdown directly after the game:
"Two hugely important goals in two weeks; he has gone from a parody to crucial player. He picked up the most clearances and kept Casadesus quiet."
MD: Roberto Trashorras, RAY
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Cordoba's season continues to end with defeats, while Rayo Vallecano push for a top-half finish—which is in their hands now after they won 2-1 this weekend.
Roberto Trashorras was once more heavily involved for his side in not only breaking up play in midfield, but also showing all his great range of passing from deep and his set-piece prowess to set up chance after chance for the Rayo attackers.
Trashorras claimed one assist and it could have been more with better finishing.
MD: Vicente Iborra, SEV
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Sevilla's hopes of a top-four finish in this season's Liga are still alive and well—thanks largely to Vicente Iborra's two-goal haul this weekend.
The attacking midfielder, so clever with his well-timed driving runs from deep in the second half of this season, netted a brace in the 2-1 win over Almeria to help his side keep pace with Valencia and take the race for a Champions League spot to the final day.
Playing higher up the pitch than he usually does, Iborra was a nuisance throughout and Almeria ultimately couldn't deal with his power and impact.
MD: Alex Bergantinos, DEP
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Two more Depor players make up our four-man midfield, starting with lynchpin Alex Bergantinos.
The 29-year-old anchored the middle alongside the impressive Celso Borges and was pivotal in helping his team keep a clean sheet. More from Chris Moar:
"As well as making countless challenges in the middle to win loose balls and preventing Levante from bypassing the midfield, he landed some fantastic long-range passes to get his team on the front foot."
MD: Lucas Perez, DEP
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Finally from Depor, creative mainstay Lucas Perez has had a decent season back in Spain on loan from Greek club PAOK—and created both his team's goals this weekend.
Perez created a large volume of chances for his team thanks to some good set pieces and some incisive passes around the edge of the box, while his work rate was as impressive as ever and he received plenty of acclaim when subbed late on.
A vital component of the victory.
FW: Lionel Messi, FCB
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Barcelona weren't at their brilliant best for the entire game, despite dominating possession and territory against a well-drilled Atletico Madrid defence, but for Lionel Messi there is always a route to goal.
He was unlucky in a couple of other attempts, including one effort off the bar from a free-kick, but ultimately he couldn't be thwarted and a quick exchange of passes, some blindingly fast footwork and a typically composed finish saw him finally beat Jan Oblak and seal the title for Barça with the 1-0 win.
Messi was the chief creator as well as the man who most frequently tested the keeper, and it was fitting he should have the final say on the trophy's destination.
FW: Jonathas, ELC
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Elche's Brazilian striker Jonathas has been perhaps the biggest reason for the team avoiding relegation again—and he gave a timely reminder of what they'll be losing this summer with a two-goal haul against Athletic Bilbao.
He had already gone close with a fizzing half-volley before he netted his first, a tremendous showing of his pace and power as he raced through beyond the defence to finish well. The second was a closer-range finish after a quick free-kick, owing lots to his presence of mind as well as finishing.
Per Inside Spanish Football, the forward spoke after the game and stated it would be his last match for the club and that he would be moving on in summer.
FW: Cristiano Ronaldo, RMA
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We finish with La Liga's likely Pichichi winner for the season, but Cristiano Ronaldo won't be lofting any silverware this term despite netting another hat-trick for Real Madrid as they beat Espanyol 4-1.
Ronaldo showed his usual best traits—speed, power, awareness, relentless presence in the box—to net a range of goals and usher Real to three more points, but four off Barcelona with a game to go means his side will finish as runners-up.
Nonetheless, it was another ruthless display from Ronaldo, which takes him to 45 league goals for the season in 34 games.
