Chukwueze, Barcelona duo snubbed for LaLiga team of the season nomination

LaLiga has released a 47-man nomination list for a place in the team of the season, and the list conspicuously omits Villarreal's winger Samuel Chukwueze and Barcelona's defensive duo of Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen.

The list includes five goalkeepers, 13 defenders, 18 midfielders, and 11 forwards who enter a voting round.

15 players will be picked from the 47, one goalkeeper, four defenders, three midfielders, three forwards, and three honourable mentions. The voting will be done by fans, the players themselves, and a panel of experts.

The Nigerian winger is having what is arguably his best season in the yellow of Villarreal, scoring six goals and notching five assists so far this season. 

He has played as both a winger and a wide midfielder this season on the right-hand side, and he was snubbed in favour of 18 other midfielders and 11 forwards.

Players who could be seen to have taken Samu's place on the list are Rayo Vallecano's Isi Palazon and Athletic Club's Nico Williams, both of whom occupy similar positions as Chukwueze on the pitch and made the midfield shortlist.

Barcelona duo Ousmane Dembele and Raphinha, who also predominantly play on the right wing, made the shortlist for forwards.  

Barcelona are currently the best defence in Europe's top five leagues, with 24 clean sheets so far this season. 

Their near imperviousness this season has been aided by the centre-back partnership of Araujo and Christensen, both of whom did not make the 13-man shortlist of defenders.  

However, Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde, who played predominantly as right-back and left-back for Barcelona this season, made the list.