La Liga Team of the Week: James Rodriguez and Gareth Bale Star for Real Madrid
Gameweek 2 in La Liga saw the big three sides all picking up wins, with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid keeping their 100 percent starts going and Real Madrid getting their first victory of the new season.
Our team of the week analyses every game to pick out a star XI from the weekend's fixtures, choosing the best players to form a viable formation—this time a 4-2-3-1. Only the best players in each position from this week's action make the cut, leading to several tough decisions along the way.
In addition to individual form, we take into account such factors as opposition quality and overall contribution to the team's display; here are the players who make the team this week.
GK: Keylor Navas, RMA
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Costa Rican goalkeeper Keylor Navas kicks us off. The Real Madrid man still doesn't have his future sorted out after the David De Gea/paperwork transfer debacle on Spanish transfer deadline day, but what could have turned out to be Navas' final Real performance was an excellent one.
Navas was assured in his handling, quick off his line and made two important blocks in the first half, as well as a penalty save after the break from Ruben Castro.
Keylor had his name chanted by the Real fans and will have done his own position of strength no harm at all if he ends up staying at the Liga club.
DR: Miguel Lopes, GRA
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Granada took three big points in a 2-1 win over Getafe on Sunday thanks to the fast attacking play of their front three, but right-back Miguel Lopes was also an exceptional performer.
The former Lyon man was excellent at both ends of the pitch, defending stoutly to stop Getafe's late forays as they searched for an equaliser and progressing higher up into attack to support Granada's excellent first half.
Lopes broke forward powerfully a number of times, carried the ball well and linked with those ahead of him, particularly Isaac Success.
DC: Diego Reyes, RSO
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A second week in a row in the team for Diego Reyes, Real Sociedad's excellent capture who was in fine form once more for his side and helped keep a second successive clean sheet against Sporting Gijon.
Reyes, and indeed his partner Inigo Martinez, who was unlucky not to make our XI, were solid and compact throughout, aggressive with winning the ball and holding a line on the edge of their own penalty box and made several timely interceptions.
Reyes continues to be impressive aerially and in bringing the ball out of defence.
DC: Thomas Vermaelen, FCB
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Barcelona centre-back Thomas Vermaelen is making up for lost time as he gets a run of games at the start of this season; he was impressive in the opening Liga game and even better in the second—while also scoring the winning goal.
Vermaelen lashed in a left-footed volley to seal a 1-0 victory for Barca against Malaga, after the likes of Leo Messi and Luis Suarez had been denied time after time by Carlos Kameni and the Malaga defence.
At the other end, Vermaelen was strong with his defensive work, putting in a couple of big challenges and headers to keep a second successive clean sheet for the Catalan club.
DL: Benoit Tremoulinas, SEV
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Sevilla might have ended up losing 3-0, but they had a couple of impressive performers who played a big part in the attempted second-half recovery.
Left-back Benoit Tremoulinas was one of those; he defended well in the first half against Oliver Torres and Juanfran and then attacked Atletico Madrid at will after the break. His delivery was excellent, he backed up the attack by constantly providing width to attempt to open up the low Atleti block and he pressed high to win back the ball quickly.
Tremoulinas couldn't be faulted for the goals conceded.
CM: Gabi, ATM
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Atletico Madrid were, though, the far better of the two sides overall and deserved their win over Sevilla, even if 3-0 was a little flattering in the end.
Gabi was instrumental to both aspects of the scoreline: He netted Atleti's second from range, a deflected strike, and was phenomenal in his midfield play breaking up Sevilla's attacks and turning them back toward their own half of the pitch.
The Atleti captain was hard-working, assured on the ball and set the platform for what was a big early-season victory.
CM: Andres Iniesta, FCB
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Barcelona playmaker Andres Iniesta was right on top of his game against Malaga; the scoreline may have been a narrow 1-0 in the end, but that's not for a lack of chances for the Catalan club and Iniesta was central to that.
His footwork and passing were spellbinding at times, sending Malaga men the wrong way and splitting the defence with inch-perfect passes, showing fantastic vision and execution to continually take the game to the Andalusian club.
Iniesta will be crucial to Barcelona's ability to retain the title this season, and this is the kind of form they need him to show every week.
RW: James Rodriguez, RMA
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For the right-sided spot, Isaac Success of Granada and Oliver of Atletico were both considerations—but neither came close to the excellent display of Real Madrid's James Rodriguez.
The Colombian was in superb form, showing his movement and interchanging positions with his fellow Real attackers...as well as netting two absolutely top-drawer goals.
His free-kick, smashed in from the right and in off the far post, was exceptional, before he also netted an overhead kick from close range as Real Madrid saw off Real Betis by a 5-0 scoreline.
AM: Gareth Bale, RMA
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Infield of James, Gareth Bale was also superb, as Real fans begin to see what Rafael Benitez wants of the Welshman from the centre of the attacking midfield line.
Bale scored just a few minutes into the game against Betis with a burst into the area, while a driving run and long-range shot late in the game saw him net his second goal of the match.
Overall, he contributed hugely to Real's attack, switching positions and attacking the flanks when the space was there, working hard to win back the ball and several times feeding his team-mates in the box to get shots away.
LW: Nolito, CEL
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Nolito has started the season in good form for Celta Vigo and helped them to a second successive win, beating Rayo Vallecano 3-0 at the weekend—though Celta's cause was helped by Rayo playing most of the match with 10 men.
Nolito scored a penalty early on as 'keeper Tono was sent off, before he also weighed in with his second strike of the game and an assist in the second half.
The Celta left-sided attacker showed his usual fine touch, dribbling ability and use of space to stretch Rayo as much as possible, link play and create danger—a fine all-round performance with great end product.
CF: Roberto Soldado, VIL
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Two weeks into restarting his Liga career and Roberto Soldado is looking much more like the player Spurs signed for £30 million, and less like the player who actually wore a Spurs shirt.
A goal and two assists for Villarreal on Friday puts the Spanish striker top of the contribution lists this term, helping the side to a 3-1 comeback win over Espanyol.
Soldado's off-the-ball running was pivotal in the home side turning around a one-goal deficit in the second half. The Spaniard also showed some fine early signs of linking up with fellow new striker signing Cedric Bakambu, who netted the two late goals from Soldado passes.
