Tips

News

Blogs

Videos

Betting Sites

5 players who've blown away La Liga expectations this season
Blogs

5 players who've blown away La Liga expectations this season

13/05/24 21:23

As La Liga comes to an end, throughout the season, players have had in mind the Eueoa approaching next month. Some of them would have never crossed their mind to get called for said competition, however, their talent and performances put them in a fantastic place.

Artem Dovbyk

The 26-year-old striker qualified Ukraine to the Euros and smashed it this season with Girona. Back in August, no one would have put money on the Catalan team to finish in the top 4 and securing Champions League. A “small” club that fought against the odds with beautiful football managed to have their best season in their history. This cannot be explained without Dovbyk, who has been the reason as to why his team have done so well.

The Ukrainian player signed for the club this season, after scoring 24 goals for S.C Dnipro-1. However, not a single fan could have imagined what he was about to do in LaLiga. With 32 games played, he is the “Pichichi” (Top goalscorer) of LaLiga with 20 goals.

Not only a goalscorer but also an assistant. He is a killer, but can also distribute the ball when needed, accumulating seven assists so far. He is the main threat for his team and will be for the EUROS where his country has a good chance to go through the group stage.

Alex Baena

At his young age, Baena has developed throughout the season. He leads the assist table with 13 to his tally and 17 across all competitions. It's his second season as a professional player for Villarreal, the first one to adapt to the league and this season where he has exploited his abilities.

The Sorloth – Baena connection is working wonders for Villarreal as they place themselves 8th in La Liga after a horrendous start to the season.

His magnificent start to the season was rewarded with a call from the Spanish national team, where he made his debut with a goal against Cyprus and should be rewarded again soon for the EUROS.

Arda Guler

Real Madrid hijacked this signing during the summer when it seemed like the deal was done with Barcelona. It hasn't been easy for Güler, who has gone through many ups and downs this season. Seen as the Turkish prospect, the next generation talented player, he has had to overcome many injuries in his first season as a blanco.

It wasn't until January when Guler made his debut for Real Madrid. His injury prevented the player from playing as his other teammates were more in form than him, hence being usually last choice. However, in the past few months, Güler has captivated every fan's attention, as he has scored three goals in the few games he has played. The best thing about this player is his ability to dribble past players and connect with teammates, resembling former Madrid star Mesut Özil.

Turkey have in them a gem that is still to develop but surely will be an important piece for them in the EUROs.

Lamine Yamal

The next Messi. That's the expectation of this kid who at the age of 16 is driving defenders crazy. His ability to dribble, decision making and even shooting are beyond the people from his age. He crowned himself as the youngest player (16 years and 87 days) in history to make his debut and score for the Spanish national team and the youngest to do it in LaLiga (16 years and 87 days). At his young age, Lamine is breaking every record in existence and has made himself a spot in the starting lineup for Barcelona and Spain.

That is the level of this player, who despite not being the strongest, is capable of doing things that mature players can't imagine to do. Being compared to Leo Messi should be a big weight on the player but if anything, it seems like he's prepared to overcome any situation. The young talented player has been undoubtedly one of the best players this season for his team if not the best, proving that age is just a number.

Isco Alarcón

Finally, Isco. Many would think, why is Isco here? He is a renowned player and has won everything. Well, after leaving Real Madrid, Isco himself has admitted to not have been the same. His level of confidence dropped dramatically, leaving him in a position where no club wanted to sign him.

In 2022, he signed for Sevilla, where four months later both parties agreed to break the contract. In January 2023, he was expected to sign for Union Berlin but no agreement was found.

His redemption started when he signed for Real Betis. No high expectations, just a player that wanted to prove he still had the talent to play for a top team and so he did. The Beticos fans have fallen in love with a player that is the closest to magic you will ever see. He has been chosen MOTM 18 out of the 27 games he has played.

Isco has not been called up for Spain since 2019 but for sure he has all the odds in his favour to go to the EUROs.

Join our newsletter

Become a part of our community and never miss an update from Football Park.