Messi shines in LaLiga Team of the Season dominated by champions Atletico
The LaLiga title race went to the wire and it was Atletico Madrid who pipped rivals Real Madrid to top spot on the final weekend of the 2020/21 LaLiga campaign. It's the champions who dominate the LaLiga team of the season, but Real Madrid and Barcelona each have two representatives make the cut.
Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid) - 6.87
Champions Atletico Madrid are the dominant side in the LaLiga team of the season, boasting no fewer than four players in the XI, with Jan Oblak as good a place to start as any. The 28-year-old kept more clean sheets (18) than any other goalkeeper in LaLiga this season, while his save success rate (84.4%) was also the best in the division. Atletico conceded fewer goals (25) than any other team in 2020/21 with Oblak deserving of a spot in the best XI.
Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid) - 7.20
Kieran Trippier was justified in his decision to leave Tottenham for Atletico Madrid and despite serving a ban earlier in the campaign, the England international warrants the right-back spot in the LaLiga team of the season. Only Jose Gaya (7) registered more assists than Trippier (6) of defenders in Spain's top tier this term, contributing towards his inclusion with a WhoScored rating of 7.20.
Sevilla did enough to secure a Champions League finish, but it could have been more had they held their nerve in the final weeks of the season. That said, Julen Lopetegui's side performed admirably in defence, conceding just 33 league goals, the third fewest. Jules Kounde was solid in their resolve and his stock has risen considerably on the back of another commendable campaign that saw him yield a WhoScored rating of 7.01.
Stefan Savic (Atletico Madrid) - 6.91
The third of four Atletico Madrid representatives partners Kounde at the back. Stefan Savic's ill-discipline may have come to the fore again - he was booked more times (15) than any other player - but the 30-year-old was key to Atleti's title triumph. Savic was solid in the air for Diego Simeone's side, winning an average of 2.8 aerial duels per game, to help make the grade in 2020/21.
After a so-so debut LaLiga campaign in 2018/19, Javi Galan returned to Spain's top tier with Huesca with a point to prove, and boy did he make it. The marauding left-back returned a WhoScored rating of 7.16 this season as he scored one and assisted two, but it was his quality with the ball at his feet that caught the eye. Galan was one of two players to reach triple figures for successful dribbles (122) in LaLiga to round off the defence.
Gerard Moreno (Villarreal) - 7.62
Gerard Moreno had a direct hand in 50% of Villarreal's league goals this season, netting 23 and providing an additional seven assists for the Yellow Submarine. Unai Emery may have failed to secure a Europa League finish, but they remain in with a chance of landing a Champions League spot when they face Manchester United in the final this week and Moreno will hope to carry his fine league form into European duties with silverware on the line.
The first of two Real Madrid players to feature in the team of the season, Casemiro (154) was at his ball winning best for Los Blancos once more as he finished second to Guido Rodriguez (166) for tackles and interceptions combined. The Brazilian topped the latter metric as he made 70 interceptions, while six goals and four assists saw the Casemiro garner a WhoScored rating of 7.36.
Marcos Llorente (Atletico Madrid) - 7.26
The final Atletico Madrid player in the side partners Casemiro in the middle of the park. Mr versatile Marcos Llorente played a number of positions for Diego Simeone's side this season and excelled as he ended the season as one of only two LaLiga players to register double figures for both goals (12) and assists (11). The latter figure was second only to Iago Aspas (13) in Spain's top tier with Llorente good value for his inclusion with a WhoScored rating of 7.26.
Antoine Griezmann (Barcelona) - 7.17
Following a sub-par debut season with the Blaugrana, Antoine Griezmann improved in his second campaign with Barcelona, ultimately having a direct hand in 20 goals, netting 13, that the eighth best return in LaLiga. Five of those goals came in his final eight outings of 2020/21, including key strikes in wins over Villarreal, Valencia and Eibar, to help push Griezmann's average up to 7.17.
Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) - 7.57
2020/21 proved to be Karim Benzema's most prolific LaLiga campaign of his career as he rattled in 23 league goals for Real Madrid. A creative force, too, the Frenchman finished the season with nine assists to his name. Only one player managed more shots than Benzema (123) in Spain's top tier and his good form not only warranted a WhoScored rating of 7.57, but a return to the France national team for the upcoming Euros.
Lionel Messi (Barcelona) - 8.52
Metrics Lionel Messi topped in 2020/21 - shots (196), goals (30), key passes (77), clear-cut chances created (22), dribbles (159), man of the match awards (22) and WhoScored rating (8.52), and joint-fifth for assists (9). There was only going to be one winner of the LaLiga player of the season award
