Matchday 9 - Player of the Round

Diego Alves (Almeria)

Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Markus Rosenberg and David Villa all helped themselves to braces at the weekend, young stars Antoine Griezmann and Iker Muniain were also in fine fettle for Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao respectively, but the star of matchday nine without a doubt was Brazilian goalkeeper Diego Alves, whose numerous interventions guaranteed Almeria a point at the Vicente Calderon against a frustrated Atletico Madrid side. The 25-year-old has been consistently one of the best keepers in La Liga for a couple of seasons now and if he continues in this vein it will not be long before he makes a move to a top European side, where his form is unlikely to go unnoticed by the Brazilian national set-up. In Alves - the first Brazilian goalkeeper to play in La Liga who continues to ply his trade in this unfashionable Andalusian city - I  think we are looking at the long-term replacement for Julio Cesar.