Today, we are looking at some categories in terms of statistics. English Premier League club Arsenal come on top especially when it comes to goal scoring records. Meanwhile, Zilina seem to have done everything to become this season's worst team in the Champions League.
For the top assists category, though, there have been a few surprises. The world's most popular winger, Cristiano Ronaldo, can't yet boast of any remarkable assist record in Europe this year. However, patriotic Portuguese fans will be happy to know that it is one of Cristiano Ronaldo's fellow countryman, Carlos Martins, who seats on top of the assists table.
Now the race for this season's Champions League Golden Boot is also interesting with Lionel Messi in contention to retain his title. But the Argentine is yet to win the battle of the goals against his biggest challenger and ex-Barcelona team mate, Inter Milan's Samuel Eto'o.
Champions League Statistics – The Biggest Winners vs The Biggest Losers: Marseille And Arsenal, Braga And Zilina
Well, some teams just don’t have what it takes to defeat the experience of their opponents and thus avoid humiliation. That was exactly the case for Sporting Braga and Marseille a few weeks ago. On match-day 1 of the Champions League, Arsenal were 6-0 winners at the Emirates Stadium against Braga; that was actually quite a way for the Portuguese side to come down to earth after stunning Celtic and Sevilla on their road to the group stages of the Champions League.
The Gunners had no mercy. They fired on all cylinders at the pleasure of their fans and in the name of entertaining football. So Arsenal’s 6-0 victory over Sporting Braga is the biggest home win that a team has ever recorded in this season’s Champions League. It also makes Braga the biggest away losers so far.
However, Arsenal's demolition of the Portuguese outfit doesn’t come as the competition’s overall biggest win. The team that holds this record ahead of match-day 5 is none other than French side Olympique Marseille. Earlier in November, they traveled away from the Stade Vélodrome in France to make fun of MSK Zilina in Slovakia on a 7-0 score line. Well, it will be hard for other Champions League contenders to equal or surpass Arsenal and Marseille’s emphatic victories.
Champions League Statistics – The Three Big Seven: Inter Milan, Benfica, Spurs, Marseille And Co.
Inter Milan and Tottenham Hotspur, Benfica and Olympique Lyon, and MSK Zilina and Marseille all contributed in creating something remarkable: the 3 Champions League matches with the most goals scored this season. Coincidentally, in each of these 3 games, 7 goals were scored in total.
Here, we’re talking about Inter Milan’s dramatic 4-3 victory against Tottenham Hotspur at the San Siro. Benfica’s vital 4-3 home win against Olympique Lyon and Marseille incredible 7-0 trouncing of Zilina complete this section of records. Goals and more goals; that’s what the public likes to see the most, isn't it?
Champions League Statistics – The Top Four Assist Leaders: Who Are They?
Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Nani, Xavi, and Gareth Bale are the kind of players whom we think about as key players on the pitch who are experts at creating goal scoring opportunities for their team mates. However, none of them have their name among the Champions League’s assists leaders.
Instead, Benfica’s Carlos Martins tops the standings with 5 assists. Inter Milan’s Samuel Eto’o, Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere, and Emmanuel Culio contest against each other for the second spot behind Carlos Martins. These three players have each made 3 assists.
However, expect this list of top 4 assists leaders to witness a change sooner rather than later. Fact: 17 players wait behind Martins and company – each with 2 assists. 3 of these 17 players are FIFA Ballon d’Or contender Wesley Sneijder, rising star Gareth Bale, and Real Madrid’s Mesut Özil.
Champions League Statistics – Goals Galore: Arsenal All The Way!
No team in the Champions League has been able to emulate Arsenal’s flow in attack this season. The Gunners have hit the best marks in these three following categories: most goals scored, highest goals scored average, and highest goal difference.
Arsenal have netted 15 times already in only 4 matches and they boast of a 3.75 goal/match average. Meanwhile, they’ve also got the highest goal difference (+11) thanks to their rather good defensive record.
Champions League Statistics – Defense: The Best And The Worst – From Man UTD To Zilina
There’s one team that is yet to concede a Champions League goal this term, and it’s Manchester United. Yes, the Red Devils haven’t found their best form in front of goal in Europe. However, the important thing is that they haven’t been conceding at the other end of the pitch. Better luck for Rangers and Valencia who will provide Manchester United with their last two group stage matches!
Whereas Arsenal have celebrated 15 good goals, Zilina have moaned at 15 separate occasions. The club from Slovakia is really feeling the heat in Europe’s most prestigious competition. Zilina are arguably the worst team in the Champions League this season – having allowed 15 goals in 4 matches. Their humiliating run is set to extend itself with a match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge next on their agenda.
Champions League Statistics – The Best Strikers: Eto’o, Anelka, Messi And Co.
So many players have netted either 2 or 3 goals in the Champions League. But there are a few that really seem to have found their scoring boots. Actually, Inter Milan’s Samuel Eto’o tops the top scorers’ standings with 7 goals. He is 2 ahead of Chelsea’s Nicolas Anelka and Barcelona’s Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, Eto’o has a 3-goal advantage over Spurs’ impressive Gareth Bale and Bayern Munich’s Mario Gomez. Who will win the Champions League’s Golden Boot? Well, it seems as if the Cameroonian is on course to dethroning his former team mate at Barcelona, Lionel Messi, from this award…
