After we crown it Real Madrid like the comfortable champion of the last edition, Championship 2022-2023 it begins in a scenario that promises to be more contested. Ancelotti’s men are still favourites, but Barcelona and Atletico MADRID they look much more stable than a year ago.

But beyond the collective, what will the tournament offer on an individual level? A review below, ordering it The 20 best players in the Spanish competition according to The Sporting News.

20) Jan Oblak – Atletico Madrid

Although it comes from what it probably was his worst season in La Liga with SportingOblak proved on a continental level that he can still win races for Simeone’s team, with great performances in the Champions League. The layers expect him to regain his best level and consistency in 2022-2023.

19) Dani Parejo – Villarreal

The Villarreal midfielder has shone in his second season with the club, especially in terms of his vision and passing accuracy: he added. 13 assists between La Liga and Champions. Theirs 67 key passes it was the fourth best brand in the Spanish competition. Pure quality.

18) Iago Aspas – Celtic

Aspas is synonymous with Celta de Vigo in all 35 years of absolute validity. Only Karim Benzema scored more goals than him in 2021-2022 a total of 18. For his part he finished third in goals plus assists (24), behind Benzema and Vinicius. Although of course, all within a Celta team that converted almost half of Madrid’s goals (80 to 43).

17) Raul de Tomas – Espanyol

RdT was essential to Espanyol’s promotion in 2020-2021 (23 goals) and far from feeling the change in division, he maintained his scoring prowess: finishing as the third gunner from last season, with 17 goals in 34 games, in addition to showing all his resources to return and play away from the opposition area. And his team, far from the relegation zone.

16) Sergio Canales-Betis

channels remain one of the most complete midfielders in Spanish football, with his excellent vision and ability to play on the ball and help his teammates. Sumo 5 goals and 7 assists in 2021-2022, being key to Betis’ fifth place. He will need a big campaign to fight for a place in Luis Enrique’s World Cup squad.

15) Ronald Araujo – Barcelona

In a Barcelona that had all kinds of problems last season, the Uruguayan was one of their strongest and most consistent players, especially in the defensive line. In a much more regular Xavi team for this competition and with only 23 years oldit has everything to make a leap in quality and become a reference in its place.

14) Joao Felix – Atletico Madrid

Although this qualitative leap is still expected from the Portuguese, who at 22 years old continues to seem somewhat stagnant in his development, Felix still is one of La Liga’s most skilled strikers and with all the necessary resources to complete my establishment as a star. Is his explosion sure to come?

13) Rafinha – Barcelona

After his long spell at Leeds, the Brazilian has already shown his quality in preseason and everything points to him owning one of the groups on the attacking front for Xavi’s men. Especially dangerous when starting from the right and heading into the left shooting area. comes from the conversion 11 goals in the last Premier League and could increase its fee in 2022-2023. Of course, as long as it is quickly registered and activated as a signature.

12) Nabil Fekir-Betis

exLyon was another big man behind Betis’ campaign, which ended with 6 goals and 8 assists in 34 matches. With him and Canales, the Sevillians enjoyed the play of two left-backs who filled the strikers with clear options (Huanmi finished with 16 goals and Borja Iglesias with 10).

11) Casemiro – Real Madrid

Years go by and the Brazilian is still there the best central midfielder in La Liga, especially when it comes to defense and distribution. Although Madrid are already considering their replacements in the future, Casemiro is still an undisputed player in Ancelotti’s starting line-up. And with many reasons for this to happen.

10) Federico Valverde – Real Madrid

Valverde is a all terrain for Madrid, which fulfills different roles for Ancelotti’s plan and always responds with great response. Although his natural position is in the middle of the pitch, he is usually used more advanced on the right, as a complement to Vinicius and Benzema. 2021-2022 saw him establish himself as a starter.

9) Toni Kroos-Real Madrid

Kroos is not coming off such a defining year. finished with just 1 goal and 3 assists in 28 La Liga games (3 and 10, respectively, in 2020-2021), but continues to be absolute reference among the best midfielders in the world, with his ability to play on the ball and surgical precision with the fist.

8) David Alaba – Real Madrid

Alaba’s adjustment from the Bundesliga to La Liga was immediate and he quickly became a key player for Madrid’s back line, not so much because of his level in the brand, but because of his influence when it came to creating play and weighing in on attack. The best center forward in the world? If not, it’s close.

7) Thibaut Courtois – Real Madrid

The 2021-2022 season again left Courtois with his throne best goalkeeper in the world, with unforgettable appearances, especially in the Champions League. The impact of a goalkeeper, especially in a domestic league where Madrid are not often put under control, is less than other positions, but still deserves a place in the Top 10.

6) Ousmane Dembele – Barcelona

The matter of Dembele it’s more about possibilities and predictions than for a good 2021-2022. However, even in a year in which he scored just one goal for La Liga and lived under question from the culés fans over his contractual clash, he managed to add nothing less than 13 assists in 15 games as an owner. Absolute imbalance in one to onelike few other forwards in the world.

5) Vinicius Junior – Real Madrid

If you talk about star jumps, Vinícius in 2021-2022 was one huge explosion. I ended up with 17 goals and 10 assists for La Liga, in addition to another 4 goals and 6 assists for the Champions League. With little 22 years oldhe certainly belongs to the elite of the best strikers on the planet and will surely remain there for a long time.

4) Luka Modric – Real Madrid

What can one say about Modric at this point? The Madrid mastermind is coming off an excellent 2021-2022, in which regained his best level, after a section of greater irregularity. He was instrumental in winning La Liga and the Champions League, adding more glorious capital to a career that places him among the greatest exponents of his generation.

3) Pedri-Barcelona

madridistas may have arguments to question Pedri’s place over names like Modric or Vinícius, but with only 19 years old Physically fit, the Canary Islander is ready for the 2021-2022 season to catapult him to the world stage for good. The few games he had in 2021-2022 already showed him at a very high level, and that performance has only strengthened in the preseason, starting to form a promising duo with who will appear in second place in this ranking.

2) Robert Lewandowski – Barcelona

Lewandowski looked for new challenges after winning it all with Bayern and he was the big signature of this market in La Liga. Among other interesting talents, the Pole is the first real superstar Barcelona have added since Lionel Messi left and he is ready to compete for the Pichichi: he comes from conversions. 34 goals and more in the last three Bundesliga games.

1) Karim Benzema – Real Madrid

Number one in the rankings couldn’t be for any other name than the one that will likely win next Golden ball. The 2021-2022 season was magical and extraordinary, not only because of its amazing scoring flow, but also because of everything that many of those goals meant for Madrid. Heart, talent, nose, ability… The Frenchman has it all If the ranking expands to other leagues, it could also compete for the top spot.