With the 2022/23 La Liga season done and dusted, The Hard Tackle aims to pick out the Team of the Season.
The 2022/23 La Liga Team of the Season is dominated by Barcelona courtesy of their incredible run in the league. The Catalan giants, who finished second last time out after being 13 points behind Real Madrid, have managed to bounce back and win their first league title since 2019.
Xavi has transformed this team into a rock-solid defensive unit that gets the job done even in the most difficult of times. Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid might not have managed to get their hands on the silverware. But they had their share of success.
Meanwhile, Real Sociedad have done wonders in the 2022/23 season. They have managed to finish inside the top four and are all set to feature in the UEFA Champions League after 10 long years. While the team’s performance is what matters at the end of the day, we still have individuals who make things happen, players that lead by example and players that set the standards.
The selected XI is based on stats, impact on the overall team’s performances and consistency of the players. This La Liga campaign witnessed some exceptional individual performances and on the basis of their performances throughout the season, The Hard Tackle presents to you, the La Liga Team of the Season 2022/23.
Formation: 4-4-2
Goalkeeper: Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona)
Most clean sheets in a single LaLiga season:
◎ 26 – Deportivo (1993/94)
◉ 26 – Barcelona (2022/23)Marc-André ter Stegen can break the record on the final day. ⛔️ pic.twitter.com/MnewfEp5bV
— Squawka (@Squawka) May 28, 2023
Barcelona’s Marc-Andre ter Stegen gets the nod ahead of Alex Remiro in goal. The Real Sociedad shot-stopper has done wonders throughout the season. But his numbers and the impact that he has had on the team is second to ter Stegen, who has been a rock in the last line of Barcelona’s defence.
The German international did get a lot of help from an incredible back four. But he surely did his bit to deserve a spot in the XI. Up until the final matchday of the season, the 31-year-old featured in 37 matches and conceded just 17 goals.
He faced 91 shots on target and managed to save 77 of those. The German international had an 84.6% save percentage. His performances in goal played a major role in Barcelona dominating the title race and eventually winning it with a few fixtures still left.
Right-back: Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid)
Molina has done wonders in his very first season in the Spanish top flight. The 25-year-old arrived from Udinese Calcio ahead of the 2022/23 season and has put in some incredible performances for Diego Simeone’s team.
The Argentine World Cup winner has featured in 32 league fixtures and was involved in six goals. He found the back of the net on four occasions and created the remaining two goals.
The 25-year-old did his bit both in defence as well as attack. Throughout the season Molina only made one error that led to an opponent’s shot. He has dependable at the back and surely contributed towards attacks with mixed runs.
Centre-back: Eder Militao (Real Madrid)
Militao who joined Real Madrid back in the summer of 2019 and has gone from strength to strength over the past few seasons. The 25-year-old centre-back was at the peak of his powers in the 2022/23 season.
Despite being surrounded by senior pros, the Brazil international was the leader of their defence and he hardly put any foot wrong. Militao had a success rate of 78.6% when it came to challenges made against dribblers.
The 25-year-old has a total of 82 tackles plus interceptions and also had 101 clearances to his name. The Brazil international only made two errors leading to shots on goal.
Centre-back: David Garcia (Osasuna)
Osasuna are slowly starting to climb back to the top of La Liga. Los Rojillos, who had once finished in the top four back in the day, have slowly started to make moves again. After finishing 10th last time around, they are on the brink of European football ahead of the final matchday.
Their improved performances are a result of the impressive performances of their players. And, one of the most consistent performers in that setup is David Garcia. The 29-year-old has been a rock in the heart of the defence.
Garcia is third in La Liga with 151 clearances to his name. In his 31 league matches, he has not committed a single error that has led to a shot. The 29-year-old has been a very reliable player in the backline throughout the season.
Left-back: Alejandro Balde (Barcelona)
Barcelona announce Alejandro Balde has a partial tear of the ligament in his right ankle and will miss 6-7 weeks.
The 19-year-old made 44 appearances with six assists this season. pic.twitter.com/wA1lptAdhg
— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 28, 2023
Balde has taken the world by storm in his very first full season in the Spanish top flight. The 19-year-old has managed to keep veteran Jordi Alba on the bench for the majority of the season.
The La Masia graduate has played a huge role in helping Barcelona lift the La Liga title. The foundation of their success has been laid on their defence, and Balde has done his but in making them the best defence in the league. His performances have also captured the attention of several top clubs, including Chelsea.
The teenage sensation has also created numerous chances going forward and he has been a constant threat on the left flank. The Spain international has six assists and a goal in the 2022/23 La Liga season. No wonder Chelsea have been keen on signing him despite having two left-backs in the first-team squad.
Right Midfielder: Federico Valverde (Real Madrid)
The versatile Valverde will slot in as the right midfielder. The 24-year-old has featured as a central midfielder or a right-winger for Carlo Ancelotti throughout the season. His versatility is what makes him an important weapon to have.
The Uruguayan international started off the season in fine fashion, scoring goals at will and creating a few chances. While he might not have found the back of the net consistently at the back end of the season, the 24-year-old has surely left his mark.
Valverde has featured in 34 matches and has been involved in 11 goals. He has found the back of the net on seven occasions and also has four assists to his name. He is a complete midfielder who has contributed to the defensive as well as offensive dominance of Los Blancos.
Central Midfielder: Mikel Merino (Real Sociedad)
Mikel Merino is the first opposition player to score an open play goal against Barcelona at Camp Nou in LaLiga this season.
It's May and they've already won the title. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/xplpwubPrW
— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) May 20, 2023
Alex Remiro’s heroics in goal and Mikel Merino’s standout performances throughout the season were the base for the success that Real Sociedad have achieved in the 2022/23 season. They are back in the Champions League because of exceptional performances from the duo alongside others who have chipped in on a consistent basis.
Merino is second on the leaderboard for most assists (9) in the season. He has been involved in a total of 11 goals in his 32 outings. While he has surely done wonders when it comes to the attacking bit of things, the 26-year-old has also contributed to the defensive side of things. He has 96 tackles plus interceptions and 51 clearances.
It won’t be wrong to say that he has been the best midfielder in the league in the 2022/23 season. The 26-year-old has produced performances consistently and has been the mainstay of his team.
Central Midfielder: Pedri (Barcelona)
Pedri has been the talk of the town ever since he broke onto the scene at Barcelona. The 20-year-old has been the mainstay of his team in the 2022/23. Despite spending a decent amount of time on the sidelines due to injury, he has made quite an impact on the team.
The Spain international is someone who brings composure and has the ability to dictate the pace of the game. In the 26 matches played, Pedri has proven to be a vital contributor to his team’s success, scoring six goals and providing one assist.
Pedri’s performances have not only impressed fans and critics alike. But they have also established him as one of the best midfielders going around. While he still has a long way to go, the 20-year-old is off to a great start.
Left Midfielder: Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)
Vinicius Junior has been the mainstay of the Real Madrid team alongside Karim Benzema for the past two seasons. The Brazil international has had another exceptional season, and he has been one of the most dangerous wingers in the league.
The 22-year-old has 108 successful take-ons in the league. And, he has surely made those take take-ons count in front of goals. While his success rate is around 30%, the Brazil international surely does make life difficult for the defenders by trying to dribble past them at every opportunity he has.
The Real Madrid forward has ten goals and nine assists to his name in the 2022/23 season. 19 goal contributions in 32 outings seem to be decent returns from the Brazilian star.
Left Forward: Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona)
🚨 Lewandowski has now officially won this year’s Pichichi. #FCB 🔥✅ pic.twitter.com/53M43GfP9b
— Reshad Rahman (@ReshadRahman_) June 4, 2023
Lewandowski is all set to claim the Pichichi in his very first season in La Liga. The 34-year-old, who joined Barcelona ahead of the 2022/23 season, has settled it with ease and scored goals for fun.
While everyone expected Lewandowski to take some time to settle in, he has hit the ground running. The former Bayern Munich star has found the back of the net 23 times in his 33 outings and also has seven assists to his name.
Lewandowski has outscored the Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema to get his hands on the top scorer’s trophy and is one of the first names on the La Liga Team of the Season.
Right Forward: Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid)
Antoine Griezmann is the first Altético Madrid player to score 15+ goals AND provide 15+ assists in a single LaLiga campaign in the 21st century.
Griezy peasy. 🕺 pic.twitter.com/GAonRl3Izx
— Squawka (@Squawka) June 4, 2023
It was surely a hard decision to leave out Karim Benzema from the La Liga Team of the Season 2022/23. The Frenchman might have scored 19 goals in his 24 outings. But, he has not had the impact that Griezmann has had. And on top of that, the 35-year-old has missed quite a few games because of injuries.
While Atletico Madrid might not have had the best of season, the French World Cup winner was surely on fire. The 32-year-old had the most assists in the season and was joint fourth in the race for the Pichichi.
Griezmann created 15 goals and found the back of the net on 15 occasions. He had a total of 30 goal contributions in his 37 outings. The French international was the backbone of Diego Simeone’s team. And, he hardly put a foot wrong throughout the campaign.
Honourable mentions (The Bench)
Goalkeepers: Alex Remiro (Real Sociedad), Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)
Defenders: Arnau Martinez (Girona), Ronald Araujo (Barcelona), Fran Garcia (Rayo Vallecano), Jules Koundé (Barcelona)
Midfielders: Brais Mendez (Real Sociedad), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Dani Parejo (Villarreal), Frenkie de Jong, (Barcelona)
Forwards: Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Joselu (Espanyol), Rodrygo Goes (Real Madrid), Borja Iglesias (Real Betis), Vedat Muriqi (RCD Mallorca)
