La Liga round-up: Moroccan wonderkid among top rated performers

Real Madrid have cut Barcelona’s lead at the top of the table to just six points after the Spanish leaders could only manage a 0-0 draw with Athletic Club on Sunday night. There was also a shock at the foot of the table, as SD Huesca recorded a second straight victory, this time triumphing away to Girona.

Here we round up the top five WhoScored rated players from gameweek 23 in La Liga.

5. Victor Laguardia (Alaves) – 8.60 rating

Alaves kept pace with fifth-place Getafe in the race for the Europa League spot with a 2-0 win over Levante on Monday night. Centre-back Victor Laguardia headed in a corner midway through the first half to give Alaves the lead and they never looked back. The 29-year-old had another shot on target during the match, while helping his side keep a clean sheet with 16 clearances.

4. Jony (Alaves) – 8.85 rating

Jony assisted Laguardia in Alaves’ 2-0 win over Levante and then scored in second half stoppage time to wrap up all three points for Abelardo Fernandez’s side. It marked the first time Jony has scored and assisted in the same league game all season. The 27-year-old created four more goalscoring opportunities, while completing five dribbles.

3. Ezequiel Avila (SD Huesca) – 8.89 rating

After scoring one goal in his first 18 league matches this season, Ezequiel Avila has now netted three times in his last two outings. The 25-year-old scored both of Huesca’s goals in a surprise 2-0 win away to Girona and now the La Liga strugglers have cut the gap between themselves and safety to six points. Avila scored two goals from three shots, while also winning three aerials. The Argentine also helped his side keep a clean sheet with five clearances, as many as his previous 15 games combined.

2. Jaime Mata (Getafe) – 8.90 rating

Getafe are now only two points off fourth after beating strugglers Celta Vigo 3-1 and Jaime Mata played a direct hand in all three goals for Jose Bordalas’ side. Mata scored a penalty before half-time before scoring and assisting after the interval. Mata hit the target with three of his five attempts on goal, while also winning five aerial duels in a dominant centre-forward display.

1. Youssef En-Nesyri (Leganes) – 9.87 rating

Leganes striker Youssef En-Nesyri is the most in-form player in Europe’s top five leagues, according to our unique algorithm. The 21-year-old scored a hat-trick at the weekend to take his tally for the season to eight. He has scored seven of those goals in his last six outings for the Spanish side and won the WhoScored Man of the Match award in their last three games.