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If casual football fans were to check in and get an update on what's been going on in La Liga almost halfway through the season, they're in for a surprise. While it's not very surprising that Real Madrid are at the top of the table, the colours on the chasing pack have changed.
Some La Liga giants have struggled this season
La Liga giants like Atletico Madrid and Barcelona have struggled early on in the season. The reigning Spanish champions Atletico Madrid have got off to an extremely underwhelming start to their title defence and are currently fourth in the table.
Barcelona's conditions both on and off the pitch are rather poor. The Catalans are languishing at eighth in the table. Both Atletico Madrid and Barcelona have an array of top stars in their squad but none of them have truly hit the heights that were expected of them.
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Meanwhile, several other players have stepped up to the plate and this year's race for the La Liga Player of the Season Award has some surprise entrants. Without further ado, let's take a look at five favorites for La Liga's most prestigious individual prize.
#5 Juanmi (Real Betis)
Real Betis finished sixth in La Liga last term. Manuel Pellegrini's men have improved upon their performances from last season and are currently third in the table. 28-year-old forward Juanmi has been a standout performer for Real Betis so far this term.
The Spaniard had missed almost the entirety of the 2019-20 season through a foot injury. He didn't feature much in the 2020-21 season either. But he has shown what he is capable of this term.
Juanmi has scored 10 goals and provided an assist in 15 La Liga appearances so far this season. He recently scored a hat-trick against Levante and then scored the only goal in Betis' win over Barcelona.
#4 Oscar Trejo (Rayo Vallecano)
Freshly promoted Rayo Vallecano have been one of the surprise packages of the 2021-22 La Liga season so far. Like Real Betis, Rayo Vellacano have also beaten Barcelona by a 1-0 scoreline this term. They currently sit sixth in the La Liga table.
Veteran midfielder Oscar Trejo has been a standout performer for Andoni Iraola's men. The 33-year-old is a master technician and showcases a number of qualities that we've come to expect from Spain's best footballers.
He is an excellent dribbler, has great vision and passing range, is great at set-pieces and showcases plenty of composure in tough situations. Trejo has scored three goals and provided seven assists in 15 La Liga appearances so far this term.
He is Vallecano's creator-in-chief and nobody has racked up more assists than him in La Liga so far this season.
#3 Angel Correa (Atletico Madrid)
Reigning La Liga champions Atletico Madrid have endured a difficult start to the season. Diego Simeone has an array of top attacking talent at his disposal. The Argentine has talked about how he loses his mind trying to figure out who to start and who to bench.
Angel Correa is one of those players but he has done a pretty good job for the Rojiblancos so far, particularly in La Liga.
The diminutive Argentina forward is agile and showcases great technique. He is a livewire in and around the final third and is capable of picking out teammates in congested spaces. The 26-year-old has scored four goals and provided four assists in 16 appearances in La Liga.
He has started only 11 of those games. It's quite clear that he hasn't really performed at his best so far this season. That's also why we believe he could be the dark horse in the race for this year's La Liga Player of the Season award.
#2 Vinicius Jr. (Real Madrid)
Up until the start of the 2021-22 season, there had been doubts as to whether or not Vinicius Jr. can truly make the step up and be world-class. He was viewed as a mercurial winger who is capable of flashes of brilliance. But his inability to sustain good form over a period of time was certainly a major drawback.
However, the Brazilian international has silenced critics and defied expectations this term. He has struck up a wonderful partnership with Karim Benzema up top for Real Madrid. Vinicius seems to have doubled down on his strengths. He has become menacing with the ball at his feet and is a nightmare to defend against.
Vinicius' passing and shooting have improved manifold this term. He has scored some spectacular goals already this term and has also looked comfortable linking up with his teammates in the final third.
The 21-year-old has scored 10 goals and provided four assists in 17 appearances so far this season.
#1 Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
Karim Benzema is 33-years-old now but he has played some of the best football of his career this year. The Frenchman has been in sublime form for both club and country in recent times. His contributions have been crucial to Real Madrid gaining an eight point lead at the top of the table.
Benzema has been able to bring all his experience to the fore and is now as reliable a presence as he has ever been in and around the final third. One of the most well-rounded marksmen of our time, Benzema's creativity in dangerous areas has become a salient feature of his game.
He has scored 13 goals and provided seven assists in 16 La Liga appearances so far this season. Benzema is currently the frontrunner for the La Liga Player of the Season award.
