Pichichi

A new season of the Primera Division beckons and this year, it promises to be a gluttonous feast of attacking football following the arrivals of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the decision of players like Sergio Aguero and David Villa to remain in Spain.

With so many attacking talent on display, Goal.com puts La Liga’s top hit-men under the microscope and predicts who will emerge the sharpest shooter at the end of the campaign.

Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

'CR9' will be wearing a famous number in the white shirt of Real Madrid, one traditionally assigned to a striker, but he will most likely be deployed out on the wings, although there’s every chance that he could be utilised as a second striker as the season progresses.

Unfortunately for the Portuguese, he has to depend on the entire newly assembled Los Blancos side clicking into gear right from day one. Yet, if the ex-Red Devil fails to dazzle, he will almost undoubtedly have to shoulder the blame single-handedly and be held accountable for any sub-par displays.

But once you’ve scored 42 goals in one season, you’re expected to replicate that kind of form regardless of where or when you play or at which team. And that is a burden Ronaldo will have to carry for the rest of his playing career.

He’s still one of the bookies’ favourites to linger around the top of the scoring charts but whether or not he becomes the Pichichi, all will be revealed in about nine months’ time.

Prediction: 20-23 goals

Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Barcelona)

Barcelona’s answer to Cristiano. ‘Ibacadabra’ will have massive shoes to fill as he attempts to live up to the legacy that is Samuel Eto’o. The Swede has to prove his worth to the fans as well as to his new team-mates, who have showered the Cameroonian with endless praise.

On paper, the Swede should have no issues fitting in. His style, his technical abilities and his mentality go hand in hand with Pep Guardiola’s footballing philosophies. But then again, no one had expected Thierry Henry to face any problems either when he moved from Arsenal.

All the pressure will be on the €66 million Ibrahimovic to impress and he has nowhere to hide as he remains Barcelona’s only mega signing so far. The only advantage that he might have over the other contenders – and rival defenders – is his height and strength in the air. And when you have team-mates like Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Daniel Alves who can provide pin-point crosses in their sleep, you would fancy your chances of scoring a goal or two.

Prediction: 17-19 goals

David Villa (Valencia)

After Ronaldo and Ibrahimovic, David Villa generated the biggest hype in the Spanish transfer market. And he has a lot to live up to in the 2009-10 season.

First of all, he has to win back the Che faithful, following allegations that he had tried to force a Mestalla exit. Next he must carry his irresistible form with the Spanish national team to Valencia to cement his place in La Furia Roja ahead of the 2010 World Cup. And now that he has become a global phenomenon, he will have to prove that he can perform under the media glare and constant transfer speculation, something that he hasn’t had to deal with until this summer.

For ‘El Guaje’ to become La Liga’s top scorer, he must rely on the club putting a swift end to their off-field nightmare so he can focus fully on the football pitch. He will also be hoping that Juan Mata and David Silva will stay fit and in-form throughout the season to supply him with ammunition.

Prediction: 29-31 goals (Pichichi)

Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid)

'El Kun' was supposed to be Atletico Madrid’s superstar forward, but he was completely overshadowed by strike partner Diego Forlan last season. But after all the transfer hoopla surrounding him this summer, he will be eager to prove to Atleti, as well as to Argentina coach, Diego Maradona, that he can be the leading man in any team’s attack.

With a €60 million buy-out clause around his neck, you just feel that this is the season Aguero will grown and mature from a great striker to a world class finisher. And there’s no better way to demonstrate that than by becoming the top scorer in a league chock full of attacking lustre.

Prediction: 22-24 goals

Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

In fact, not only was Aguero overshadowed by Forlan, he was also completely eclipsed by his Argentine compatriot, the majestic Messi.

'El Mesias' was in sizzling scoring form in La Liga before the second half of last term and at one stage, he even looked on course to beat Cristiano’s 42-goal-a season haul from the previous campaign. Should Ibrahimovic struggle to adapt at Barca in his first season, expect Guardiola to quickly install Messi as one of the side’s main frontman, even though he functions best out wide. And now that Eto’o has left, the Argentine will no longer have to share penalty duties.

If he can waltz away with the Ballon d’Or and the FIFA World Player gong, the Pichichi award will be the perfect cherry on top of the cake.

Prediction: 27-29 goals

The Challengers

Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)

The French Fenomeno will be the one who will very likely lead Madrid’s attack but the youngster will have to get used to playing for one of Europe’s superpowers – something that Ronaldo is already very familiar with – and accustomed himself with the extra cynical kicking and prodding from opponents as well as ultra defensive rivals.

One thing for sure is that Benzema will not be starved of top class service. However, if he struggles to impose himself in the opening few weeks, he could find himself being benched, especially with so many other options on the Santiago Bernabeu bench.

Prediction: 14-15 goals

Diego Forlan (Atletico Madrid)

Last season’s Pichichi and European Golden Shoe winner will attempt to become the first player since Hugo Sanchez over a decade ago to become the country’s top scorer two seasons in a row.

Like Aguero and Villa, Forlan was also heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid and Barcelona and all eyes will be on the 30-year-old with the €35m release clause to see how he responds to those rumours.

He’ll be hoping to pick up where he left off last season when he scored 13 times in the last 10 games. Also expect to see his almost psychic partnership with Kun Aguero continue to blossom in the new term.

Prediction: 18-20 goals

Luis Fabiano (Sevilla)

‘O Fabuloso’ was in red-hot form for Brazil, not just in the Confederations Cup, but throughout last season’s international football calendar.

He will be eager to show that he can be as lethal for Sevilla as he is for the Selecao. And he will also be out to prove to a certain AC Milan that he is worth more than the €14 million the Italians were willing to pay.

But how well the Brazilian ace performs in front of goal will depend a lot on what kind of football coach Manolo Jimenez will play and what kind of service he will receive from the likes of Jesus Navas, Diego Perotti, Diego Capel and Didier Zokora.

Prediction: 18-20 goals

The Potential Surprises

Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao)

The giant Navarran has a decent but not spectacular scoring record for Athletic over the last two seasons. But he has improved and progressed significantly over the past year and the call-up to the national side as well as a few transfer links to some of Europe’s big guns have given him a confidence boost.

If he wants to keep his place in the Spanish squad for the World Cup, he will have to increase his 14 goal tally from last term.

Prediction: 17-19 goals

Frederic Kanoute (Sevilla)

The Malian international outscored Luis Fabiano in the league last season by a full 10 goals, even though it was the Brazilian who stirred up a storm in Sevilla in the summer trade period.

But Kanoute is more than happy with his low profile. However, a possible sojourn to the African Nations Cup in early 2010 could see him lose ground on his counterparts in the Pichichi race. But if he can show the same kind of form that Forlan did in the latter stages of the campaign, there’s no reason why he can’t challenge for the top scorers honours.

Prediction: 18-20 goals

Nilmar (Villarreal)

Villarreal’s record signing doesn’t have the most phenomenal goalscoring record, netting just 19 times in 35 appearances for Corinthians in the last two campaigns and, even worse, scoring just twice in 32 games for Lyon between 2004 and 2006.

But that is precisely what will make him a surprise and if can fly under the radar, he could be a real hidden threat to opposing defences.

Prediction: 11-13 goals

Like a nudey Penelope Cruz in an Almodovar film, Spain's bestest big guns are on display in la Liga and set to stun.

The so last century Premier League can stick its Owens, Heskeys and Crouches where the sun don't shine as a pumped-up Primera is about to enjoy the predatory prowess of Kaká and Cristiano, Benzema and Ibrahimovic, Villa and...er...Manucho - the former Manchester United man who has promised a 40-goal haul for Real Valladolid this season.

But the main man in line to win this season's Pichichi prize of Spain's top scorer must once again be the unfashionable-for-many Diego Forlán.

For those set to scoff, sneer and hark back to the Atlético striker's less-than-successful Manchester United's days, then go sit on the silly step - Forlán is a bona-fide, flowing-locked genius.

Not only was Forlán the top forward in Spain last season but the rojiblanco also claimed the European Golden Boot prize with 32 league goals. Nine of those arrived during an astonishing five-match run at the end of Atlético's last campaign.

It was a series of strikes that hauled his flagging and failing side into fourth place and Champions League contention for a second year in a row. Forlán had single-handedly saved his side's season and become the continent's most fantastic forward to boot.

As Forlán's father, Pablo, claims, "Diego now has the maturity that he didn't have at 22", What he has also found in his time in Spain is the luck that was so lacking during a wretched spell at Old Trafford, a spell where the Old Trafford fans saw talent and application from the forward but no sign of a finishing product.

The striker registered just ten league goals in 62 appearances for United in stark contrast to the 102 his has racked up in five years with Villarreal and Atlético.

The Uruguayan's goal against Liverpool at Anfield in a friendly a fortnight ago showed how far the striker has come since his move to la Primera and Villarreal in 2004.

It was a classic example of Forlán's greatest skill - the ability to strike the ball early and hard from distance, often without a first touch, enabling him to catch goalkeepers by surprise. The fact that he is two-footed makes him even more of a threat.

Although Forlán professes to be completely happy in the Spanish capital remarking that "my quality of life here is spectacular," there were still rumours in the air over the summer that Barcelona had lined him up as their back-up to Zlatan Ibrahimovic should that move have failed. Many suggest that he should have been first choice.

At the age of 30, the £25 million buy-out clause for the striker would have been a hefty purchase, but Forlán may have been a better bet to match the 30 league efforts managed by Eto'o in the last campaign. There are doubts that the Cameroon player's Swedish replacement will do the same.

The potential move helped to raise questions over Forlán's long-term future at his current cash-strapped club. Talks have stalled over a deal keeping the player at the Vicente Calderón club until 2013 with rumours suggesting that off-the-pitch relations with his striking partner Kun Agüero are not the greatest, nor with the notoriously dysfunctional leadership at the club.

But any top four English clubs looking to pick up Forlán this summer - or his Argentinean teammate - then time is about to run out. Both are in action on Wednesday night in the Champions League qualifier against Panathinaikos which will leave the pair cup-tied until next summer.

And that's a bit of a shame, as it would have been fascinating to see whether a Forlán in the form of his life would have enjoyed the same stunning success he has had in Spain during a second spell in England.

Or whether he is a footballer, like David Villa, who suspects that his style of play is best suited to la Liga, where more space and time is afforded to forwards.

Instead, Spain's top striker is about to kick off a campaign where he is set to show some of la Liga's more expensive and high-profile imports that Diego is still The Daddy.

Messiah wrote:i think it will be forlan again and maybe then he will start to get the respect he derserves from some on here

The-Frank-Tavern wrote:cant see villa unless he moves, valencia will be average

The-Frank-Tavern wrote:couldnt cut it at ure .

Calidad wrote:Higuain was Real top goal scorer last season, so he is worth atleast a shout.

No other obvious omissions.

Alberto Aqglenani wrote:

Calidad wrote:Higuain was Real top goal scorer last season, so he is worth atleast a shout.

No other obvious omissions.

Higuain has a famous new team mate, he will be lucky to get double figures