All 38 matchdays in La Liga came to an end yesterday. The 2017-18 season in the Spanish top flight concluded yesterday with Lionel Messi's Barcelona reclaiming the title that was snagged by Real Madrid last season, but that wasn't all that happened during the past ten months.
Great goals, records, historical teams not being able to avoid relegation, and the extended dominance of the two best players in the world marked the season that wrapped up yesterday. Have a look at those facts that stood out in the 2017-18 La Liga season.
1) Messi wins fifth Golden Boot
The Argentine ace dominated most stats in La Liga, and needless to say, his goalscoring tally wasn't topped by anyone. With his performances this year, "La Pulga" accomplished yet another record, as he became the first footballer in history to win five trophies of its kind.
2) Two legends bid farewell to their boyhood clubs
It isn't easy to say goodbye to the place where you've enjoyed the better part of your life, and two Spanish football icons did so on Sunday. Fernando Torres and Andrés Iniesta, two players that kicked off Spain's Golden Generation with their goals in international tournaments, ended their respective careers with Atlético and Barcelona. They will continue playing elsewhere, but fans from their former teams will never forget them.
Thanks for the memories and your football @Torres!
— LaLiga (@LaLigaEN) May 21, 2018
@atletienglish #LaLigaSantander pic.twitter.com/r1qPnqj6Dx
674 - Only Xavi Hernandez (767) has made more appearances for Barcelona than Andres Iniesta in all competitions (767). Era. pic.twitter.com/d8j2gfc9mv
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) May 20, 2018
3) Cristiano Ronaldo hits 450th-goal mark with Real Madrid
Yes, their domestic season wasn't as shining as last year's. CR7 struggled during the first half of the season, that's also true. Regardless, the Portuguese footballer returned to his top form in the second half of the season, scoring a ton of goals that saw him hit 50 goals between club and country for the eighth campaign in a row. Quite a remarkable feat!
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 50+ goals for club & country combined in each of the last 8 seasons:
— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) May 19, 2018
2017-18 - 50
2016-17 - 56
2015-16 - 57
2014-15 - 66
2013-14 - 62
2012-13 - 59
2011-12 - 69
2010-11 - 56#LaLiga pic.twitter.com/d1QeNL1Hmg
4) La Liga teams rack up over 1,000 goals
The Spanish top flight saw its teams scoring quite a few goals during the 2017-18 season. The final tally came to 1024 goals scored in the competition, with one Celta Vigo footballer claiming the honor of scoring the 1000th goal.
1000 - Maxi Gómez has score the 1000th goal in La Liga 2017/18. Milestone. pic.twitter.com/Hyl2pX5XiZ
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) May 19, 2018
5) Casemiro sets Top-5 leagues' record
It isn't usual to see a midfielder achieving a goalscoring milestone, but Casemiro needed just one game to set the standard in Europe. He needed a little help from his friends to do so, but after all, football is a game played by 11 people on each side...
44 - There were 44 passes in the build-up for Casemiro's goal for Real Madrid vs Deportivo (1st Matchay), the most before a goal in The Top 5 European League this season. Construction pic.twitter.com/SylRi6zqB9
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) May 21, 2018
6) Atlético cements their reputation as the best defense
Diego Simeone's crew has one of the best defensive units in the business, and their goalkeeper made good use of that once again. Slovenian shot-stopper Jan Oblak kept quite a few clean sheets, giving Los Colchoneros something to brag about besides their European title.
"For a third straight season....Jan Oblak! *Goalie with the least goals conceded*
Por TERCERA temporada seguida...
— LaLiga (@LaLiga) May 21, 2018
¡JAN OBLAK! pic.twitter.com/vEOQ5tv8xc
7) Barcelona's nearly-unbeaten season
Ernesto Valverde's side almost accomplished something no one has seen before in La Liga: an unbeaten season after 38 matchdays. True, Athletic and Real Madrid nailed that feat in the dawn of the Spanish top flight, but they didn't spend as many games unbeaten as Barcelona did. Will they manage to repeat such a brilliant season next year?
#LaLigaSantander 2017/18 pic.twitter.com/wvceFQUaEf
— LaLiga (@LaLigaEN) May 20, 2018