Rudiger and Lamine Yamal IN: La Liga Team of the Season so far

The 2024/25 La Liga season has been a thrilling one so far.

Barcelona started the season in furious form under the guidance of new head coach Hansi Flick. The Blaugrana decimated all before them including destroying Real Madrid 4-0 at Santiago Bernabeu.

But some wasteful finishing and an injury to a key forward has seen them drop some silly points since then and allow Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid to come racing back into contention and, at the end of the year, Atleti top the table.

READ MORE: Happy New Year Hansi Flick as Barcelona get Lamine Yamal injury boost

At the other end of the spectrum, the Andaluscian pair of Real Betis and Sevilla, usually so much fun to watch, are languishing in mid-table.

It's been a rollercoaster this season for many clubs and many players at those clubs. But who have been doing the best?

Below, FootballTransfers has assembled our La Liga Team of the Season so far...

GK: Alex Remiro (Real Sociedad)

Only once this season have Real Sociedad conceded a goal and avoided defeat, a 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid.

Every other time they've been scored on? A loss.

Yet they're in 7th, not 17th... why?

Well, they just don't concede all that often. Out of 18 matches played they've conceded in just 8 of them. And a huge part of that is Alex Remiro in goal.

Remiro's got 10 clean sheets (the most in the league) and an 83.6% save percentage (the highest in the league) and you have to remember these numbers would be even better but he's had to face four penalties.

RB: Jules Kounde (Barcelona)

Jules Kounde an all-around world-class full-back. A monster at the back, he dominates any winger who he comes across. 33 successful tackles on dribblers (second in the league) at an absurd 73.3% success rate.

It's rare for Kounde to make a mistake, so rare in fact that when he does Barcelona usually concede (like against Real Betis) because no one ever positions themselves to cover him as, well, he's the cover guy!

He's also been an integral part of Barcelona's masterful high defensive line offside trap that has provoked a staggering 109 offsides from opponents, the most in La Liga and across all Europe's top five leagues by some distance.

READ MORE: Kane and Wirtz IN: Bundesliga Team of the Season so far

CB: Jose Gimenez (Atletico Madrid)

Atletico Madrid are top of the table at the halfway point of the season and deservedly so for the dogged way they approach defending, and approach exemplified by the usually injury-ravaged Jose Gimenez.

Gimenez has stayed fit for the whole season, however, and has proben to be an integral part of Atleti's defensive stability. A stability that has allowed their attackers to share the goals around and not have to worry about getting three or four a game. One or two should do it.

Pau Cubarsi has been a miracle at the back for Barcelona running an offside trap like a seasoned veteran, but this spot has to go to the Uruguayan because Atleti's defensive is impeccable and he is a big reason why.

CB: Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid)

Over the last 12 months, Real Madrid have played a variety of people at centre-back: Nacho, Eder Militao, David Alaba, Raul Ascensio, Aurelien Tchouameni.

The reason it hasn't been a disaster? Antonio Rudiger. The German has been fit all year and been a rock for Madrid in that time.

This season Los Blancos have relied upon Rudiger's defensive prowess to hold things together and allow their forward line to find their feet and Rudiger has done just that. There is no defensive challenge too big for this man to hurdle.

READ MORE: Moises Caicedo and Mohamed Salah IN: Premier League Team of the Season so far

LB: Javi Galan (Atletico Madrid)

Javi Galan didn't actually start the season for Atleti, spending the first 7 matchdays on the bench. But the thing is he's been so brutally consistent since coming into the team that no other left-back around can really compete.

Sure, Miguel Gutierrez has been sharp and Oscar Mingueza started the season like a man possessed, but Javi Galan has consistency and got a 95th minute equalising assist on his season debut off the bench against Real Madrid.

CM: Fede Valverde (Real Madrid)

Inheriting Toni Kroos' no. 8 shirt can't be easy, but Valverde has made it look that way. He's not replaced Kroos' role in the team of course, he's not that guy, but he has been a ceaseless engine of energy for Los Blancos.

Whether filling in defensively at right-back, cutting out passes for fun (second highest interceptions in the league this season with 35) or smashing in shots from outside the box (5 goals from range, the most in the league), Valverde truly can do it all!

CM: Pedri (Barcelona)

If Valverde took Kroos' shirt, Pedri has taken his mantle as the best midfielder in the league (and world?) - it's hard to describe just how good the Spanish midfielder has been under Hansi Flick without being too hyperbolic.

But it's been Iniesta-esque at times the way Pedri has danced around and away from markers and set his attacking players away with scything through balls to break lines into itty bitty pieces (he has the second most shot-creating actions from open play with 65).

He has run the best attack in the league all season and he's been helping out defensively too. There's been no one on his level.

AM: Alex Baena (Villarreal)

Just after Pedri in the shot creating actions from open play ranks with 58 is Alex Baena, the little wizard of El Madrigal.

Despite losing his best target, striker Alexader Sorloth, to Atletico Madrid and despite playing for Villarreal, a club from a place the same size as Macclesfield... Alex Baena has continued to be a creative wizard.

Baena has 90 shot creating actions overall thanks to his 23 from open play, meaning he is a threat from multiple angles that is more than ready for a move to an elite club.

READ MORE: Arsenal to rival Barcelona and Spurs for Premier League defender

RW: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)

Lamine Yamal is 17 years-old and has more assists (9), successful take-ons (51) and tackles in the final third (10) than anyone else in La Liga this season.

He's a child and he is dominating grown men time and time again. The dribbling, the passing, the vision, the trivela crosses, the standing tall when Barcelona need him most.

The fact that every single time he hasn't started, Barcelona have dropped points. Did we mention he's 17? Good, because it's absolutely obscene.

LW: Raphinha (Barcelona)

Vini Jr. may have the hype, but while he's outplayed Kylian Mbappe he has in turn been outshone in La Liga this season by his compatriot Raphinha. It's not that Vini has been bad, but Raphinha has just been better.

More goals (11 to 8) more assists (9 to 6) and the Barcelona man has the most shot creating actions too (120). He's just been so dominant and has stood up when Barcelona needed him time and again, like the Clasico where Barcelona won 4-0 and he had a goal and an assist at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Vini tends to get better in the second-half of the season so keep an eye on this, but for now the spot has to belong to Raphinha.

ST: Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona)

36 years-old.

16 goals scored.

'nuff said.