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With half the campaign now in the books, here’s a look back at some of the most memorable moments of the season so far and who leads the collective and individual standings at this stage.
The top teams
League leaders Real Madrid
Real Madrid have been the best team so far, and they comfortably lead the league table at the halfway stage. Over their first 19 matches of the campaign, Los Blancos took 46 points, helped by a seven-match winning streak between October and December. Carlo Ancelotti hasn’t won LaLiga Santander before, but he has lifted league titles in Italy, England, Germany and France. It’s so far so good for the veteran coach as he seeks an elusive Spanish league championship.
Success in Seville
The two clubs from Seville have had a very good start to the season as well, with Sevilla sitting second and Real Betis third after the opening 19 matchdays. Julen Lopetegui and Manuel Pellegrini have each done a terrific job so far this season and both clubs will hope to qualify for next year’s Champions League. They’ve never both finished inside the top four, but that could change this term.
Rayo Vallecano and the best home record in Europe
The clear dark horses so far this season have been Rayo Vallecano. Although they came into 2021/22 as a newly promoted side, having come up as an afterthought through the LaLiga SmartBank playoffs, they have spent most of the season inside the top half of the table. This is largely down to their home record, having won eight and drawn one of their nine matches to have taken place in Vallecas. Across Europe’s top five leagues, only PSG have a record to match.
The top players
Benzema and his quest for a first Pichichi
Karim Benzema is the undisputed leader at Real Madrid and the Frenchman leads the Pichichi standings for the league’s top scorers, with 15 goals at the halfway stage of the campaign. He has never won this prize during his 12 years in Spain, despite winning almost every other accolade, so 2021/22 could finally be the year that Benzema ends the season as the league’s top scorer.
Bono’s grip on the Zamora Trophy
The Zamora Trophy is the award given out each season to the goalkeeper with the best goals conceded per game record. At the halfway point of 2021/22, it’s Sevilla’s Bono who leads this ranking with just 10 goals conceded in 16 appearances, an average of 0.63 per game. The Moroccan is looking to take the prize from five-time winner Jan Oblak, who claimed it last season.
Two vastly improved players
Several players have taken major strides in 2021/22, stepping up and taking on greater responsibility for their teams. Vinícius is a clear example, with the Brazilian having been key to Real Madrid’s league-leading attack and having scored 10 goals already. That’s more than in his previous three seasons combined. Another player to have kicked on is Real Betis striker Juanmi, who claimed the December Player of the Month prize and who sits second in the Pichichi table with his 11 goals.
The top goals
Villarreal’s team move
Many great goals have already been scored in LaLiga Santander this sereason but one stands out: a beautiful team move that was finished off by Gerard Moreno in Villarreal’s 5-2 win over Alavés, with the striker converting after a mazy dribble by his teammate Samuel Chukwueze and a one-two through the air with midfielder Dani Parejo.
Griezmann’s run and finish
Antoine Griezmann’s return to Atlético de Madrid has been one of the big storylines of the season, and he has already made an impact back in the capital. The Frenchman scored an extra special goal for Atleti during a trip to face Valencia, picking the ball up inside his own half, running to the edge of the opposition penalty area and blasting in to the top corner.
Vinícius’ six-pointer
Another unforgettable striker was the laser finish from Vinícius in the final minutes of Real Madrid’s November meeting with Sevilla. The score was locked at 1-1 in this top-of-the-table clash, but the Brazilian’s special strike won the six-pointer of a match for Real Madrid, sending the Bernabéu crowd wild with delight as Los Blancos triumphed 2-1.
