Friday, November 18, 2011

La Liga Opta Facts - November 19 - 21


Atlético de Madrid - Levante

Atlético Madrid have won five of their last six Liga meetings against Levante.

Levante have never managed to win at the Vicente Calderón in la Liga, registering five defeats and one draw, scoring one goal (Felipe Caicedo last season).

The Madrid side have picked up only one win in their last seven league outings.

A league-low three different players have scored for Atlético Madrid this season (Falcao, Adrián and Dominguez).

Levante have lost their last two Liga fixtures by a 2-0 score line.

Atlético have scored the joint-most headed goals this season in la Liga (five).


Barcelona - Real Zaragoza

Real Zaragoza have conceded 249 goals so far against Barça in the league, more than against any other Spanish team.

Real Zaragoza have managed to win just twice in 57 previous meetings at Barcelona's ground in La Liga: 1-0 in April 1961 and November 1965.

Barcelona have always scored in 23 home games against Real Zaragoza in the league since November 1986.

Pep Guardiola's side are unbeaten in their last 15 games, currently the longest run in La Liga.

At home their last defeat came in September 2010 vs Hercules (0-2); that was also the last game when the Blaugrana conceded more than a single goal at the Camp Nou.

The last player who managed to score against Barça at the Camp Nou was Corona (for Almeria back in April); since then, the Catalans have kept nine consecutive clean sheets at home in the league.

Barcelona boast the best defence of this competition (just six goals conceded, and eight games keeping the clean sheet so far).

Zaragoza have conceded the joint-most goals before half-time (12, alongside Osasuna).

Lionel Messi has scored eight goals in his last six appearances played in La Liga vs Real Zaragoza.

David Villa has scored just three goals in this campaign; last season, after 11 matchdays he had netted six.


Granada - Mallorca

Granada have won just one of their five home games in the league this season.

Fabri González's men have failed to score in their last three outings at the Nuevo Los Cármenes stadium in the league.

Granada have failed to score in eight of their 11 games this term in La Liga.

Granada's four goals this term in la Liga have been scored by four different players; they are the only team where no player has scored more than once.

Mallorca are on a run of six winless games in la Liga.

A league-high 50% of Mallorca's goals have been scored from the penalty spot this season (four out of eight).


Osasuna - Rayo Vallecano

Osasuna have only managed to win four of their 12 Liga encounters against Rayo.

Like Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético and Valencia, Osasuna have yet to lose at home this season in La Liga.

Raúl García has scored or assisted 57% of Osasuna's goals this season in La Liga (four goals and four assists).

Rayo Vallecano's only top-flight win at Osasuna's ground was recorded in January 2003.

Osasuna have conceded the most goals this season in la Liga (24).

Osasuna have scored a league-low three second-half goals this season in la Liga.


Racing v Malaga

Malaga are unbeaten in their last four visits to Racing in La Liga (two wins and as many draws).

In the previous 32 meetings between these two sides in La Liga were scored on average 2.7 goals per game.

Racing have won just one game so far in this campaign, right in their last game at home against Real Betis

Racing are alongside Sevilla the only two teams with four goalless draws in this La Liga campaign.

Malaga have picked up just 13 yellow cards so far - a league-low.

Only one of Malaga's last six goals was scored before the 60th minute of play.

Racing have netted just two goals at home soil so far, a joint-low alongside Granada in La Liga this season.

Malaga are alongside Real Madrid the only side yet to concede a goal in the last 15 minutes of play.

Manuel Pellegrini's side have conceded the highest percentage of goals in the first half (79%, 11 out of 14).


Real Sociedad v Espanyol

Real Sociedad have won just one of their last eight meetings against Espanyol in La Liga, and just one of the last four at home.

Only two of the 61 previous meetings between these two sides in San Sebastián have ended goalless.

The Basque side are currently bottom of La Liga table on eight points, and have taken just one of the last 21 available (as result of a goalless draw with Getafe).

Espanyol have managed to score more than a single goal just in one of the 11 games played so far in this campaign, as they beat 2-1 Athletic on match-day 3.

Espanyol have picked up the most yellow card so far in La Liga (40).

In their last away game against Malaga, Real Sociedad scored their first goal in the first half since match-day 1 against Athletic.

Real Sociedad have conceded the most goals in opening 15 minutes of each half (five).

Real Sociedad are the only side in La Liga to have lost more than a game (two) after scoring the first goal.

Espanyol are alongside Sevilla the team that picked up the most red cards in this campaign (four).


Sevilla FC - Athletic de Bilbao

Sevilla have won 11 of their last 14 league meetings against Athletic Bilbao.

Athletic have won only two of their last 33 trips to the Sánchez Pizjuán in la Liga.

Marcelo Bielsa's men are on a run of seven league matches without defeat.

Manu del Moral has scored four of Sevilla's last five league goals.

Sevilla have conceded a league-low one goal in the first half of games this season.

Bilbao have made the joint-fewest changes in their initial lineups this season in La Liga (16 alongside Levante)


Sporting de Gijón - Getafe

Getafe have lost their last two trips to El Molinon in la Liga, failing to score in the process.

Sporting are undefeated in the last four matchdays, winning twice and drawing twice.

Sporting have picked up a league-low five points at home this season.

Manolo Preciado's men have picked-up the joint-most points this season coming back from losing positions (five).

Getafe have picked-up a league-low one point on the road this term.

Sporting's David Barral is one of three Liga players to have scored 50% of their respective teams' goals this season (alongside Mallorca's Tomer Hemed and Atlético's Falcao).

Barcelona have won 10 of their last 12 meetings against Real Zaragoza in La Liga, including the last six.


Valencia - Real Madrid

The last four league encounters between Valencia and Madrid at Mestalla have produced 23 goals.

Real Madrid have won their last four Liga meetings against Valencia.

Real Madrid are on a run of seven consecutive wins in La Liga. An eighth consecutive victory would be their best run under Jose Mourinho's management in the league.

Real Madrid have scored 39 goals after just 11 matchdays, their second-highest tally at this stage of a season, after their 42 goals in 1950/51.

Away from home, Real Madrid have scored 15 goals and conceded just one this season in the league.

Karim Benzema has yet to score outside of the Santiago Bernabeu this season in La Liga.

Gonzalo Higuaín has netted seven goals in just seven Liga appearances against Valencia.


Villarreal - Betis

Villarreal's three wins in nine home games against Betis in the top flight have all been by a one goal margin.

The Yellow Submarine have only managed one win in their last seven Liga outings.

Betis are on a run of seven winless Liga matches.

Betis have failed to score in their last four Liga fixtures; they have never gone five consecutive top-flight games without finding the net.

Villarreal are unbeaten without star striker Giuseppe Rossi this season in the league, winning once and drawing once.

Muñiz Fernández has shown more red cards than any other referee in la Liga this season (seven).