LaLiga left-backs – Who are the best LBs in Spain?

Truth be told, this is perhaps not a golden era of LaLiga left-backs, with relatively few players making a big impression in the role during the 2024/25 season.

Below, we’ve ranked the best LaLiga left-backs according to their average L15 scores (last 15 matches) on Sorare’s scoring matrix. This is an advanced scoring system which ranks players out of 100 and takes into account a range of actions such as blocks, tackles and clearances, whilst deducting points for errors such as misplaced passes.

To feature in the rankings below, players must have appeared in at least eight of their last 15 eligible fixtures. That includes LaLiga games, and where relevant international and European club fixtures. Domestic cup matches are not scored. They must have predominantly featured as a left-back or left-wing-back during the 2024/25 season to be involved and still play for teams who will be in LaLiga 2025/26.

LaLiga left-backs – Top 5 ranked by their Sorare scores

5. Jose Luis Gaya, Valencia – 50

Our look at the five best left-backs in LaLiga right now according to their fantasy scores, starts at Mestalla with Jose Luis Gaya. The Valencia captain has been one of the few bright lights during a pretty dark era at the club, with the 30-year-old frequently earning international recognition despite playing for a team that has largely struggled in recent years.

Once seen as the natural heir to Jordi Alba at left-back for Spain, Gaya’s development has been thwarted to some extent by regular injuries. Despite being clearly Los Che’s first-choice left-back, he has been limited to less than 24 starts in four of the last six LaLiga seasons because of that.

4. Yuri, Athletic Club – 51

Born only a year after Alba, Yuri Berchiche is perhaps unfortunate to have never featured for the Spanish national team, despite enjoying a strong club career that saw him represent the likes of PSG and Real Sociedad, before moving to Bilbao in 2018.

Despite hailing from Gipuzkoa, Yuri was on Athletic’s books as a youngster and as his career nears its end, it’s his time at San Mames that he will be best remembered for. Now 35, Yuri has established himself as one of the best LaLiga defenders in terms of his consistency over the past few years, and despite growing competition for the role, he’s likely to continue to be Ernesto Valverde’s first-choice left-back as Athletic return to the Champions League next season.

3. Iñigo Lekue, Athletic Club – 51

Yuri faces competition from both Adamo Boiro and Iñigo Lekue at left-back at San Mames. Boiro is seen as the future and he did make 13 starts in LaLiga last season compared to Lekue’s eight, but it’s the 32-year-old who has registered the better numbers, at least over the past few months.

Capable of operating on either side at full-back, Lekue has been a useful squad player throughout his career at his hometown club, and he has clocked up more than 200 Athletic appearances, despite rarely being a first-choice pick. He put in some really solid defensive performances towards the end of the 2024/25 season, with Los Leones keeping clean sheets in all of his final five starts.

2. Carlos Romero, Villarreal (on loan at Espanyol in 24/25) – 53

With an L15 average of 53 in a team that only survived on the final day, Carlos Romero is one player who has certainly enhanced his reputation in 2025. Owned by Villarreal, Romero spent the entire season at Espanyol, making 28 starts in LaLiga.

By the end of the season, he was the undisputed first-choice pick for Manolo Gonzalez and a key part of a relatively strong back four that helped steer the Catalan club to safety. The 23-year-old still has two years to run on his deal at Villarreal and he’ll return to the Yellow Submarine this summer, although he’ll face stiff competition from Sergi Cardona should he remain at the Ceramica for the 2025/26 season.

1. Fran Garcia, Real Madrid – 56

The best LB in LaLiga right now is Fran Garcia according to Sorare’s L15 scores. That perhaps says as much about the lack of serious competition as it does Garcia’s own brilliance, with many Madridistas still unconvinced he has what it takes to be the club’s long-term solution in the position.

The Real Madrid left-back does have bundles of energy which allows him to get up and down the flank, and an injury for Ferland Mendy has resulted in him playing a lot of football in recent months. The 25-year-old ended up starting 63% of Madrid’s games in LaLiga 2024/25, but it remains to be seen how Xabi Alonso’s arrival may end up impacting the Spaniard, with Real Madrid continuing to be linked with a move for Benfica’s Alvaro Carreras.

Top 10 best LaLiga left-backs right now according to Sorare

Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde, Javi Galan of Atletico Madrid and Villarreal’s Sergi Cardona are some of the other leading Spanish left-backs of this generation. All three were regulars for top-five clubs last season and will get the opportunity to show what they can do on the Champions League stage next term.

The Real Betis duo of Ricardo Rodriguez and Romain Perraud complete the top 10. The pair were rotated throughout last term by Manuel Pellegrini as Betis juggled a long Conference League run with their league commitments.

You may also be interesting to check out the best right-backs in LaLiga according to Sorare. To start playing LaLiga fantasy football, sign up to Sorare and start building your collection for the 2025/26 campaign.