We continue to run through our ‘Hot or Not’ series and this time we travel to Spain to analyze those that fit the bill, except a faimilar face or two.

The 2018-19 La Liga season is about to run down the final stretch. The title is essentially secured, but with movement available elsewhere in the table. Let’s take a look at arguably the best player of all time, and others who are shining in La Liga as of recent times.



Hot:

Lionel Messi, 31, FC Barcelona



One of the greatest players of all time is showing why his is just that – great. Barcelona sit atop the La Liga table this season, are in the Copa Del Rey finals and are into the semi-finals of the Champions League, no doubt due to the influence of 31-year-old forward, Lionel Messi. The Argentine is the top scorer in Europe this season, even after missing a lengthy amount of time due to an arm injury.



He has played in 49 games in all competitions (including friendlies, club and international) and has 47 goals and 17 assists. In La Liga alone he has played in 29 games for 2366 minutes and has 33 goals and 12 assists. In his Champions League run so far, he has been involved in eight games for 657 minutes and has 10 goals and three assists. His offensive output is ridiculous, but expected from this man based on his record-breaking history.



Just in this last ten games in all competitions, he has 12 goals and three assists, along with six man-of-the-match awards. Over this season, he is averaging 5.3 shots per game, 2.9 key passes per game, four completed dribbles per game as well as an 82.5 percent pass completion rate from an average 57.3 passes per game. The five-foot-seven forward is very quick on the ball, seeing the game way ahead of anyone else, even before he receives the ball. His play style is predictably unpredictable. He often mixes his play up by doing lay-offs, one-two passes, dribbling, crossing, or shooting himself. Often this season, his favorite choice is when he plays a diagonal, left-footed pass to Jordi Alba who makes runs down the left flank and Messi bursts into the box to receive the ball back from Alba.



These numbers are similar through all seasons, if not better than past seasons even though he is aging. His influence for Barcelona is evident, as when he doesn’t play they often look like a totally different team. Over many years, Lionel Messi has single handedly won games and trophies for Barcelona. Holding over 60 acknowledged records, Lionel Messi is one of, if not the greatest, of all time and an eye should always be on him when he is in a game. Everyone is blessed to be around in his career, and only once his career is over will people truly realize how remarkably lucky they were to see him play.



#Messi this season:



UCL Top Scorer ✔

La Liga Top Scorer ✔

La Liga Top Assister ✔

Barca Top Scorer ✔

Barca Top Assister ✔

Most Goals – 45

Most Assists – 18

Most Free-kick Goals – 7

Most Hat-tricks – 4



T H E B E S T ! ? ❤ pic.twitter.com/Pt6F9MgeXb — #ALFREDO..!!!???? (@acab2006) April 16, 2019

Raúl García, 32, Athletic Bilbao



Raúl García has been a game changer for Athletic Bilbao as of recent times. After the club has had a shaky start to the season, finding themselves in the relegation zone around January, they were in danger of dropping out of the top flight in Spain for the first time in their history. Raúl García’s recent form has pushed them way up the table, along with improvements elsewhere in the team.

Raúl García has appeared in 28 games this season for 2003 minutes. On the season he has seven goals and three assists as an attacking central midfielder. Of those seven goals, five have come in the last 10 matches, where he has also received man-of-the-match honors in three of those 10 games. The 32-year-old is not shy of a tackle and has a high defensive workrate for an attacking center midfielder. His physical style of play has really shown in the past few games. He may be a little too physical, picking up four yellow cards in the past seven games, but as long as results are coming, no one can complain too much.



Six wins, two draws, and two losses make up the record of the past 10 games Raúl García has played in. Offensively, he is shooting, on average, 2.3 shots per game. He also is averaging 0.9 key passes per game from an average of 26.5 passes per game. His strength and aerial ability has him winning a team high 5.6 duels per game.



Sitting only three points off of a Europa League Playoff spot, Raúl García and Athletic Bilbao will not be looking back at the rough start to the season and aim to finish in a european competition. These last few games running down the stretch of the season will be important, and as long as García keeps contributing on and off the ball, Athletic Bilbao may have what it takes to break into the top six.



GOAL ATHLETIC BILBAO 3-1 Rayo.



It’s been a brilliantly mad game, but Rayo have finally been put out of their misery.



Alberto disappointingly beaten by a Raúl García sledgehammer from a tight angle.



Athletic really could be 6-1 up. pic.twitter.com/fEVXDNAKEv — Brendy Boyle (@BrendyBoyle) April 14, 2019

Karim Benzema, 31, Real Madrid



After losing legendary player and great coach Zinedine Zidane and one of the all time greats of the sport Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid had a rough start to the season and are yet to recover fully. Zidane has recently returned as head coach after a short break from last season where he coached Madrid to a third consecutive Champions League trophy. Despite a huge down year, Real Madrid find themselves in third place, with Karim Benzema being a particular highlight to the season.



The forward has eight goals and three assists in the past ten matches as well as three man-of-the-match honors. The target man is great at holding up the play so his teammates can join the play, but just as good as passing and heading the ball and finding the little spaces in the box to score. In all competitions this season, Benzema has 28 goals and seven assists in 49 appearances or 3206 minutes.



In the league this season, the 31-year-old forward has played 2618 minutes, scoring 18 goals and adding five assists. He averages about 3.2 shots per game, 1.5 key passes per game and 1.3 dribbles per game. The key passes come from his 33.2 average passes per game, of which he completes 83.2 percent of all passes this season. Benzema has stepped up to fill the shoes left by Ronaldo and has helped his team to victory on numerous occasions.



Being 10 points ahead of dropping into Europa League, but 13 points off of the title, Real Madrid’s season is all but over. The remaining games are for the players to show that they deserve a spot on next years iteration of Zidane’s team. I think Benzema is safe based on recent performances. Expect him to continue his form throughout the last few games and carry it into next season.



Not:

Carlos Bacca, 32, Villarreal



Carlos Bacca has not been playing up to the standards he has set for himself in past seasons. With only two goals and two assists in the past ten games in all competitions and only five goals and one assists in the league all season, his performances have been subpar. After being a regular starter throughout his career, he has taken a backseat this season, starting eight games and being a substitute in 19, for a total of 1006 minutes.



Last season for Villarreal, he had 15 goals and six assists in 30 starts and five sub appearances. Even before his move to Villareal, he played at AC Milan where he scored 13 league goals in 2016/17 and 18 league goals in 2015/16. Going back to his Sevilla days, he had 20 league goals in 2014/2015 and 14 league goals in 2013/14. Consistently, the forward has scored double digits except for this season.



This season, he is averaging one shot per game, where as in the past he averages closer to two shots per game. He is averaging 8.1 passes per game this season with a 69.5 percent completion rate, whereas in the past he averages around 15 passes at around 75 percent completion rate.



Age may be catching Carlos Bacca. Often reliant on his physical attributes to get him past defender, he may be slowing down while competition around him is increasing. Villarreal find themselves only two points ahead of the relegation zone, in 15th place. If they hope to stay up this season, they better hope Bacca can rekindle his goal-scoring ability, or they may have to look elsewhere for help.



He does have a highlight from this season though, scoring against the top team in the league earlier this season.

Carlos Bacca with the 4-2 for Villarreal against Barcelona. What an insanely wild game…. To get away from relegation by beating Barça, and to do it all without Daniele Bonera… — Matteo Bonetti (@TheCalcioGuy) April 2, 2019

Andrés Guardado, 32, Real Betis



Real Betis lost five of the last seven games in which Andrés Guardado has started, and have dropped from sixth to ninth in the table in that time. The central midfielder is not all to blame for the losses, but his form is dipping and it is evident in the way the team is playing. With only one assist in the past ten games, and only three assists all season, the midfielder is not helping offensively.



Looking through the statistics, he is averaging 0.8 shots per game in the league, as well as 0.8 key passes per game. He is averaging 48.3 passes per game with a 88.7 percent completion rate. Defensively, he is averaging 0.9 tackles per game and 0.8 interceptions per game. Judging based purely on statistics, he is not getting involved enough offensively or defensively to make a significant influence on the game. He is making a good amount of passes with a high success rate, but with only 0.8 key passes, it is evident he is rarely to never making a risky pass or defense splitting pass. Looking at his 0.9 tackles per game and 0.8 interceptions per game, he is not challenging dribblers enough or working to cut off passing lanes. Going back to his last team, PSV Eindhoven, he was making 2.2 tackles and 1.7 interceptions in 2016/17 season, so he is known to have the ability.



Real Betis has dipped in form, and Guardado is a leading player that has dipped in form as well. Essentially safe from relegation, the team only can look forward. They are six points off of the Europa League Playoff spot. If the 32-year-old center midfielder can start influencing one side of the play, it will allow his teammates to focus on the other and may be the much needed boost to push them back into the top six. The play is coming down to the wire this season, it will be important to play well as many teams are fighting to get into the top six and stay out of the bottom three.



??? Our field-level camera was focused on the @RealBetis' two Mexican stars during the Seville Derby – Diego Lainez pre-match and Andres Guardado wearing the armband on the pitch.



Full segment ?https://t.co/NNSlUv7wiS pic.twitter.com/p7KWVYCO78 — beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) April 16, 2019

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