LaLiga 2018/19: 5 bold predictions for this season

#4 Lionel Messi to finish as the top scorer, again

Messi is the favourite for the La Liga Golden Boot

Despite Ronaldo's ridiculous upturn in form in the second half of the campaign, Messi managed to run away with the Pichichi trophy last time, the fifth of his career and drawing level with Real Madrid legend Hugo Sanchez as the players with the most number of titles behind only Telmo Zarra. But now with the Portuguese ace departing for Serie A, the path is clear for the Barcelona talisman to script yet another piece of history.

And there's seemingly nobody in the horizon who can really put up a challenge. Antoine Griezmann is going to score another bucket load of goals this season, but he's never touched the 30-goal mark in La Liga so far while Luis Suarez looked increasingly exhausted last season and his performance in the recent Spanish Supercup too was nothing to write home about.

Gareth Bale is surely going to benefit from the space left by Ronaldo, but his recurring injury issues means even though he might play a starring role for the Whites, may not finish as the most prolific of the campaign. Diego Costa is getting back to his best, but has crossed the 30-goal barrier only once in his career.

The likes of Carlos Bacca, Iago Aspas and Karim Benzema are some of the other big attacking names in the league, but none have what it takes to match toe-to-toe with Messi. That leaves the Argentine maestro as the clear claimant for the trophy.