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Using data from Opta, we analyzed Lionel Messi’s performances and other standout statistics from the first three days of the Champions League.
It was by no means a vintage start to the season for Lionel Messi.
The six-time Ballon d’Or winner failed to force a departure from Barcelona at the end of 2019-20 and in his nine appearances in all competitions this season he has yet to record a goal in open play.
His only goal in LaLiga came from the penalty spot, as did his three in the Champions League as Ronald Koeman’s team navigated encounters with Ferencvaros, Juventus and Dynamo Kiev to reach the halfway point of the group stage with a record 100 percent.
Messi may not be at his best, but the 2020-21 Champions League is on track to set a record for the most goals per game in the history of the competition.
Remains a key creator
Messi’s three goals may have come from the point of view, but it still has a major impact.
The Argentine has given two assists and is creating an average of 4.3 opportunities every 90 minutes; his previous record was 2.9 in 2011-12 and 2018-19, which were also the two seasons in which he posted his best minutes per goal (70 and 71 respectively).
In fact, only the Borussia Monchengladbach forward Alassane Plea (6) has been involved in more Champions League goals this season than Messi, while Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich (10) is the only other player to have scored double digits for the opportunities created.
Although Messi’s three big chances have been on penalties each, he has still attempted 5.7 shots every 90 minutes, not far from his high of 6.9 in 2011-12.
He may not be being so clinical, but there is no doubt that Messi continues to show a great influence on Barça’s attack.
Goals, goals, goals
However, not everyone has been struggling to achieve goals.
In the first 48 games of the competition there have been 156 goals, which is equivalent to an average of 3.25 per game, which would represent a record in the modern era. The existing record of 3.24 goals per game was set last season and four of the last five seasons have seen the highest averages.
Of the goals in this year’s competition, 22 have started from the penalty spot. That works out in almost one every two games (0.46). The maximum in a Champions League campaign was set last season at 0.31.
However, red cards per game (0.15) is one of the lowest, with just five fewer previous seasons on average. The lowest mark of 0.08 was recorded in 1992-93.
Pressing high and playing
In European football, it is certainly fashionable to press high, play from behind and maintain possession. Nobody has mastered that like Pep Guardiola.
Manchester City and Real Madrid have recorded the highest turnovers, defined as the number of sequences that start in open play and start 40 meters or less from the opponent’s goal, with 27, more than double the total managed by Liverpool of Jurgen Klopp (12), and both have seen eight of them finish in a shot and two in a goal.
Atalanta has tested more efficient to make the goalkeeper work when he regains possession at most 40 meters from the rival goal. However, even though six of his 15 big turnovers ended in a shot, none resulted in a goal.
City have started their open play sequences from an average of 49 meters from their own goal, further ahead of any other team in the competition, and lead the way in open play sequences of at least 10 passes with 82. Only Madrid (61), Borussia Dortmund (64) and Barça (77) have had more than 60 sequences of this type.
Guardiola’s team has also recorded 22 competition-leading cumulative attacks, which are open play sequences of at least 10 passes that end in a shot or include a touch in the opponent’s area.
Pass teachers
It is perhaps not surprising, therefore, that City center-back Ruben Dias has the highest passing accuracy (96.2 percent) of any player have attempted at least 200 passes.
However, the fact that the next most accurate player in that category is Ferencvaros midfielder Ihor Kharatin may surprise some.
Source: m.allfootballapp.com
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