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Five favourites to finish top scorer in La Liga this season

An enthralling start to the La Liga season has seen a familiar two-horse title race emerge at present, Barcelona and Real Madrid once again leading the way despite both suffering from respective troubles so far this season.

Atletico Madrid and Sevilla are slightly further back and seeking to close the gap, whilst at the other end it has been a sorry start to the season for Leganes who currently prop up the rest of the division.

The annual race for the Pichichi award is an equally close run competition at present, with three stars of the division currently separated by just three goals as they bid to be crowned as the top scorer in Spanish football.

So for those you looking for a safe and reliable website featuring all the latest football predictions, we’ve decided to profile some of the La Liga’s leading marksman. Here are the bookmaker’s five favourites to finish as top scorer this season…

Willian Jose – 50/1

Those unfamiliar with Spanish football will likely have heard the name of Willian Jose in recent weeks, Tottenham having been linked with a move for the Brazilian forward as Jose Mourinho seeks to bring attacking reinforcements to north London this month.

Mourinho’s reported interest comes in a player who had been somewhat of a late bloomer, the 28-year-old having enjoyed a nomadic existence in the early part of his career before finding a home at Real Sociedad in recent years.

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He has reached double figures in each of his three seasons at the Basque club, whilst he is on course to once again do so this season after hitting eight goals in 20 La Liga appearances this term.

Whether he remains at Sociedad beyond the window remains to be seen, but he has proven himself as a consistent goalscorer in Spain’s top flight in recent years.

Alvaro Morata – 50/1

The Spain international is enjoying his football once more in his homeland having returned from a difficult spell in English football with Chelsea, scoring seven times from just 15 La Liga starts so far this season.

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Atletico have fallen off the pace in the title race and currently trail leaders Real Madrid by 13 points, and will need Morata to continue firing if the club are to close the gap that has opened up to the summit.

The 27-year-old has never been a prolific goalscorer – his best top flight tally being 15 with Real Madrid four seasons ago – and his shortest odds of 50/1 to reflect that, whilst Diego Simeone’s pursuit of Paris Saint-Germain’s Edinson Cavani this month raises doubts over whether he will be an automatic starter to lead the line for the rest of the season.

Antoine Griezmann – 40/1

Is Griezmann beginning to truly find his feet at Barcelona?

The French forward initially struggled to find his position following his £108m move from Atletico Madrid in the summer, but there is a growing feeling that the 28-year-old could begin to thrive in the absence of Luis Suarez – the Uruguayan having been ruled out for four months with a knee injury.

Griezmann starred when handed greater responsibility at Atletico, and whilst Barcelona’s play fundamentally revolves around Lionel Messi, the summer signing could start to fire in tandem alongside the Ballon d’Or holder.

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Two goals in the Copa Del Rey recently were a sign he’s beginning to adjust to life in Catalonia, Griezmann having scored 11 goals in all competitions so far – seven of those strikes coming in La Liga

His odds of 40/1 reflect the gap he has to bridge in the race for the Pichichi, but having scored 94 La Liga goals over the past five seasons, has the pedigree to challenge.

Karim Benzema – 7/2

For so long regarded as one of the most selfless forwards in world football, Karim Benzema has stepped out of the Cristiano Ronaldo-sized shadows at Real Madrid in some style since the Portuguese superstar’s departure for Juventus.

The Frenchman has shouldered the added responsibility as Real’s attacking focal point, enjoying his best goalscoring season for seven seasons last term with 30 goals in all competitions, whilst he is well on course to surpass that this time around with 17 for the campaign so far.

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Of that tally, 12 have come in La Liga, Benzema currently the second-highest scoring player in the division and playing a hugely influential role in Zinedine Zidane’s side’s pursuit of the title.

The 32-year-old has spent over a decade at the Bernabeu and scored 238 goals in all competitions, though he is arguably playing the finest football of his career at present as is the key figure in a new-look side’s pursuit of further silverware this season.

Lionel Messi – 1/6

Messi’s continued brilliance is reflected in his odds with the bookmakers, the Barcelona legend currently leading the race with 14 La Liga goals as he seeks a fourth successive Pichichi trophy and seventh of his remarkable career.

The all-time leading goalscorer in the history of La Liga, Messi continues to make the extraordinary ordinary, his ability to produce mesmerising moments of magic having become routine.

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His incredible goalscoring exploits have seen Messi score 25+ La Liga goals in each of the past ten seasons, an achievement that is unlikely to ever be matched.

The mercurial 32-year-old remains the best talent in world football and the reigning Ballon d’Or winner is rightfully the odds-on favourite to finish as La Liga’s top scorer this season.

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