Real Madrid: The best player of the season from each top 10 La Liga side so far

4. Sevilla CB Jules Kounde

Sevilla have been a joy to watch – or a terror, from Real Madrid’s perspective – under former Real manager Julen Lopetegui. Youssef En-Nesyri is having an exceptional season as one of Europe’s top breakout strikers and is in the Pichichi race, but it is impossible to deny that Jules Kounde, squarely on Los Merengues’ transfer radar, is Sevilla’s best player.

There’s a case to be made that Kounde has been the league’s best center back this season, even above Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane. Kounde is remarkably consistent, and he wins in so many ways. He may be shorter, but he is intelligent in the air, just as he is brilliant at reading passes “on the ground”. Precise with his own distribution, Kounde is a 22-year-old with the brightest of futures.

3. Barcelona RW Lionel Messi

The easiest pick on this list. Whereas there are multiple options for other clubs, Barcelona’s best player is always Lionel Messi no matter what. We can say whatever we want about him from a Real Madrid perspective, but we cannot deny how impactful Messi is.

After a slump to start the season, Messi is back in vintage form. He has scored in each of his last six La Liga matches, including a brace in half of those games. That’s incredible, and it’s no wonder why Messi is back in a tie with former teammate Luis Suarez in the Pichichi race with 16 goals of his own. At this rate, you’d have to back him to claim the title for yet another season.