La Liga Team of the Week: Adan Denies Real Madrid, Aduriz Fires for Athletic
Jornada 21 in La Liga saw Barcelona return to the top of the table and Rayo Vallecano escape the bottom three, with some big results over the weekend and impressive performers in several games.
For our team of the week, we take the best individual displays from Spain's top flight and combine the most impressive player from each position into a viable formation, with our selection process seeing us analyse every game to pick out a star XI from the weekend's fixtures.
This week, it's a 4-4-2 diamond, with only the best players in each position included here, leading, as always, 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.
GK: Antonio Adan, BET
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Real Betis goalkeeper Antonio Adan had a standout performance against his old club Real Madrid, and he should have been celebrating a clean sheet and a victory.
Adan made several big saves, but more impressive was his exceptional handling of high balls into the box and his reading of the match to rush out and smother low crosses or passes before attackers could reach them for an easy finish.
The only time his goal was breached in the 1-1 draw, there was nothing he could do about a close-range finish—and there was an offside in the build-up not spotted.
RB: Juanfran, DEP
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Deportivo La Coruna were denied a first win in eight Liga games by a last-minute Valencia equaliser, as the two sides drew 1-1.
Depor right-back Juanfran had already left the field at that point, subbed just a few minutes earlier, but he performed admirably in his 86 minutes on the pitch to keep Jose Gaya quiet and raided forward himself more than a few times.
Juanfran's robust ability to surge forward and combine play with those infield of him continues to be a good outlet for Depor; though, recent form has seen them drop to ninth.
CB: Tito, RAY
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Rayo Vallecano put in possibly their best performance of the season, playing well at both ends of the pitch for once, with Tito particularly impressive at centre-back.
He covered across well behind his defence against the counter-attack, showed good pace to get across and intercept one of Celta's most promising moves down the right channel and got himself on the scoresheet with a firm header for 2-0.
Tito also went close to a second with a header that drifted just past the far post after another set piece—Rayo eventually won 3-0.
CB: German Pezzella, BET
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Adan was the real hero, but he could have had to do even more work in the Real Betis goal if not for those in front of him, with German Pezella particularly impressive in the back four.
Pezzella was a fiery and aggressive combatant in the Betis back line, putting ruthless challenges in at times and looking always on the edge of conceding a bad foul or dangerous free-kick—but in fairness, he never did, always timing things well and ultimately doing a very good job.
He won a few aerial balls, too, and his passing out of defence was impressive.
LB: Filipe Luis, ATM
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Atletico Madrid couldn't find a way past Sevilla in the end and had to take a 0-0 draw at home, but they didn't hold back in looking for a winning goal.
Filipe Luis, in the second half in particular, was one of the most pivotal attacking players—a constant outlet for Atleti down the left side as he strode forward, even before Vitolo was sent off. Luis sent over a number of short-range crosses and clipped passes into the forward line to combine play and help open up Sevilla—there was simply a little luck missing at the end.
Defensively, he did his job well, but he wasn't overly threatened.
DM: Toni Kroos, RMA
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Finally coming into a good run of form, Toni Kroos has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of the minor tactical alterations since Zinedine Zidane's appointment as Real Madrid manager.
The German midfielder is now not quite as isolated in midfield, with Luka Modric a little closer to him in the deep areas in recent matches. That has had a knock-on effect, with Kroos able to shift the ball quicker but also able to challenge and win back possession more easily.
Against Real Betis, Kroos was one of Real's consistent performers, using the ball well in the second half as his team sought to get back on level terms or take the points. His through passes and set pieces continually created danger, and he kept his Madrid side on the front foot.
CM: Ignacio Camacho, MGA
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Malaga couldn't quite hold out against the individual moment of genius from Lionel Messi, losing 2-1 to Barcelona, but they certainly matched their opponents in the first half for use of the ball and work rate.
Ignacio Camacho was a top performer in that first half, winning back the ball quickly and passing directly to initiate attacks for the home side behind Barcelona's midfield line, and in the second 45, he worked tremendously hard in a defensive capacity.
Charged with holding the midfield and closing down Barcelona outside the box, Camacho put in countless challenges and helped keep his team within reach of their opponents.
CM: Roberto Trashorras, RAY
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Possibly Rayo's best performer in their exceptional 3-0 win over Celta Vigo, Roberto Trashorras bossed the first half.
His passing range and consistent set pieces were far too much for Celta's defence to handle—it genuinely should have been four or five goals for Rayo by half-time, largely thanks to Trashorras' vision and execution. He went close to a goal of his own with a near-post effort and set up two of the goals with a corner and a curling free-kick, both headed in, and even at 34 years old showed far too much movement for Celta's midfield to pin down.
In the second half, he had to work a little harder defensively, but his use of the ball continued to impress.
AM: Ruben Rochina, GRA
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Granada picked up a win of huge importance, beating Getafe 3-2 to move two points clear of the relegation zone.
Moving back to a 4-2-3-1 after their recent five-man midfield experiment, Ruben Rochina was a huge success as the focal point of Granada's flowing attacks, with everything going through him before he turned to shoot or play in a forward.
He ended with one goal but could have had at least another, and but for some wayward finishing, he might have had a hat-trick of assists, too. It was a very good display, right when his team needed it most.
FW: Aritz Aduriz, ATH
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Athletic Club striker Aritz Aduriz returned to form with a bustling and powerful display to help his side beat Eibar 5-2 in an all-Basque battle.
Aduriz scored two exquisite goals, both of them spectacular. He can also be lauded for his all-round display, which showed good movement, hold-up play and a real presence inside the penalty area that Eibar struggled to deal with in the face of constant crosses from wide.
The striker's first goal was a brilliant overhead kick, while later he swivelled to volley home first-time on his left foot.
FW: Tonny Sanabria, SPO
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Sporting Gijon were aided on their way to a 5-1 triumph over Real Sociedad by some awful defending and even worse goalkeeping, but the chances still had to be put away.
Teenage striker Tonny Sanabria made sure he was on hand to help in that department, rattling in his second hat-trick of the season with one goal just either side of half time, before completing his treble late on in the match.
His movement and aggression in possession were much better than in recent matches and, of course, he had a decisive say in the final third.
