As we bring the 2022/23 season to a close before a brief summer break, it’s only right that we end the campaign with a recap of the past nine months of crazy action that saw Barcelona lift the LaLiga title, Real Madrid win the Copa del Rey and Sevilla win the Europa League.
There were plenty of twists and turns and it wasn’t all fairytale victories, as fans of Valladolid, Espanyol and Elche will tell you, but we have already picked out our favourite XI of the season over at
as you can see below.But now, it’s the turn of the individuals who have most stood out to us this season, whether the reason is good or bad…
Player of the Season: Antoine Griezmann (Atlético Madrid)
It’s easy to forget that at the start of this season Antoine Griezmann was limited to 30 minutes or less in each of his Atlético Madrid appearances. He ended the campaign with a rather symmetrical 16 goals and 16 assists, reflecting his all-round performances which have made him the engine of Diego Simeone’s team.
He recorded more key passes and more assists per 90 than anyone else in the competition, and ranked 12th for the highest number of shots per 90 too. All while tracking back and helping his team out defensively when the move broke down. Perhaps his even greater achievement this season has been not only to excel on the field, but to win over the Atleti fans who felt betrayed by his controversial move to Camp Nou.
Honourable mentions go out to Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona), Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid) and Mikel Merino (Real Sociedad).
Rookie of the Season: Gabri Veiga (Celta Vigo)
He may have made his debut before this season, but 2022/23 has been the campaign in which Gabri Vega has established himself as a star in the making. It’s a good job he did too, as he filled Iago Aspas’ shoes as Celta Vigo’s saviour to rescue them from the threat of relegation with the striker not getting any younger.
With 11 goals in LaLiga this season, Nico Jackson of Villarreal was the only player aged 23 or under to score more. The likes of Newcastle, Aston Villa, Real Madrid and Barcelona have all been linked, and it will be a miracle if he remains in the colours of his boyhood club come September.
Honourable mentions go out to Alejandro Baldé (Barcelona), Eze Abde (Osasuna) and Arnau Martínez (Girona).
Coach of the Season: Jagoba Arrasate (Osasuna)
“There were people cheering on Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final so that seventh place would qualify for Europe, but now it’s Osasuna who have finished seventh,” Jagoba Arrasate joked as his team celebrate qualification for the Conference League on the final day. The fact that the Pamplona-based club was even in contention for either method of qualifying for continental competition is testament to what he has achieved.
After three years flirting with European places before dropping away, Arrasate showed his team were made of sterner stuff this season, going all the way in the cup and securing that much-desired seventh place to return to European football for the first time in 16 years. All while only spending €1.8 million last summer, with the only fee paid for Moi Gómez.
Honourable mentions go out to Imanol Alguacil (Real Sociedad), Míchel (Girona) and Javier Aguirre (Mallorca).
Signing of the Season: Vedat Muriqi (Mallorca)
No-one could deny his impact on loan last season, but not even the most optimistic of Mallorca fans truly expected the Kosovan striker to return from Lazio permanently. But their dreams came true, and he ended the season with an impressive 15 goals. That’s 41% of all Mallorca’s goals this season, explaining why the phrase ‘Muriqidependencia’ has even been coined in La Palma.
Muriqi leads LaLiga with 11.95 aerial duels per 90 and has been pivotal to Javier Aguirre’s style of play. Providing the focal point to Mallorca’s attack, he has been the difference between Mallorca’s first top-half finish in 11 years and a relegation scrap.
Honourable mentions go out to Brais Méndez (Real Sociedad), Nahuel Molina (Atlético Madrid) and Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona).
Overperformer of the Season: Girona
Girona weren’t sure what league they would be playing in this season until 11pm on 19th June 2022. Despite having just a 57-day break between then and the start of the next season, Míchel has worked miracles and taken them to the brink of qualification for European football playing an attractive and engaging style of football.
Their transfer business was shrewd, with the likes of Taty Castellanos, Oriol Romeu, Rodrigo Riquelme and Miguel Gutiérrez all exceeding expectations, and it gave the coach a chance to build a team with real potential. Only Almería had more goals in their games this season, and the only teams to score more than Girona this season all ended the season in the top five.
Honourable mentions go out to Nico Jackson (Villarreal), Mallorca and Aleix García (Girona).
Underperformer of the Season: Diego Martínez (Espanyol)
Expectations were high for Diego Martínez as he left Granada after stunning Europe with the minnows, and his year-long sabbatical only served to add to the hype of where he could end up. Some were surprised to see him go for lowly Espanyol as his next job, but it seemed a statement of intent from the Catalans who had also brought in Joselu and had a promising young squad.
Only one win in his first eight matches in charge started to cause concern, but he would only go on to win nine of his 31 matches in charge, with nine draws and 13 defeats. Of those nine victories, three would come in the Copa del Rey, and only 13 of his 36 points at Espanyol came against teams in the top half. His dismissal was too little too late for the Catalans, and Martínez must shoulder much of the blame.
Honourable mentions go out to Ernesto Valverde (Athletic Club), Spain at Qatar 2022 and Sevilla.
Moment of the Season: José Luis Mendilibar getting his hands on silverware
You can love or hate Sevilla and their domination of the Europa League, but you simply can’t dislike José Luis Mendilibar. Always in charge of the underdogs and getting them to fight above expectations, nobody would have expected him to end this season in the Sevilla dugout back in August.
As he secured the Europa League trophy after a tense penalty shoot-out against Roma, it became his first trophy since winning Segunda with Valladolid in 2007 in only his seventh match in European competition. Watching him do head over heels on the pitch with a winners’ medal around his neck was the perfect reward for an old-school coach who makes Spanish football what it is.
Honourable mentions go out to Joaquín’s retirement match, Ángel Correa celebrating scoring from the bench and José Bordalás getting off the Getafe team bus to join the crowd in singing.