Monday, March 19, 2012

La Liga Opta Facts - Week 29 (20-22 March)


Osasuna - Getafe

The last two league meetings between Osasuna and Getafe in Iruña have ended goalless.

The rojillos have only managed to score in two of their seven matches at home to Getafe in the top flight.

The side from Navarre are without a league win over Getafe since December 2008 (D3 L3 since then).

Osasuna have not kept a clean sheet in any of their last eight league games at home, though they have won their last three.

The azulones have conceded in all but one of their 14 away games this season in LigaBBVA (except at Real Sociedad).

Luis GarcĂ­a's men have won their last two league games: they haven't won three in a row all season.

Just two of Getafe's last 16 league goals against Osasuna have been scored by foreign players (Uche in May 2009 and Cata DĂ­az in October 2009).

Osasuna have won every LigaBBVA match in which they have opened the scoring at home this season (seven).

Osasuna have scored the fewest goals thanks to substitutes in the league this season (one).

The azulones have scored in their last five league games: they have not scored in six in a row since January 2011.

MendĂ­libar's men have scored the highest proportion of their goals in the first half in LigaBBVA this season (66%).


Barcelona - Granada

Barcelona have won all 17 matches at home to Granada in the top-flight.

Barcelona have played more games at home to Granada without ever dropping a point than any side against any other in Primera.

After Granada (17 games) CĂłrdoba have played the most top-flight games at Barcelona without ever winning (eight matches).

Overall, the nazaríes have only won four LigaBBVA matches against Barça, the last one coming in 1971/72 (D4 L27).

Barcelona have won all but one of their league games at home this season (0-0 vs Sevilla), and are unbeaten in 31 at the Nou Camp (W28 D3).

Guardiola's men are on their best run of league wins since February 2011 (five).

Granada are, along with Betis, the only side not to have drawn away from home in Primera this season.

The Andalucian side have only kept one clean sheet in their 13 top-flight away games this season (vs Athletic in November 2011).

By scoring against Sevilla (his 150th in La Liga), Messi equalled his goal tally from last season in the league (31).

Barcelona have conceded the joint-fewest goals from inside the box in the league this season (18), while Granada have scored the fewest in this way (19).


Sporting GijĂłn - Mallorca

Sporting have won their last three league games against Mallorca.

The Sportinguistas have scored exactly once in all five of their league games under Javier Clemente.

Mallorca are on a run of four away games without a win in the league (D1 L3).

Both of the islanders' away wins in the league this season have been by a 1-0 scoreline.

The rojiblancos are unbeaten in their last four on home turf (W2 D2).

All but one of Sporting's last 13 goals against Mallorca in the top-flight have come in the second half.

Sporting have kept the fewest clean sheets in LigaBBVA this season (three).

Mallorca have scored the lowest proportion of their goals in the last 15 minutes of league games this season (7%, 2/28).

Since Clemente took over at Sporting (five games) they have averaged 4.6 yellow cards per game in the league: previously they averaged 2.4.

CaparrĂłs and Clemente have met five times in the league, with the former winning three compared to just one for his opposite number.


Atlético de Madrid - Athletic de Bilbao

Athletic have won five of their last eight league meetings with Atlético (L3).

Athletic have scored exactly one more goal than the previous match in their last four league meetings with the rojiblancos (0, 1, 2, 3).

None of the last 12 league meetings between Atlético and Athletic have ended in a draw.

The Basque side have won on three of their last four league visits to the Vicente CalderĂłn.

Athletic have kept just one clean sheet in their last 22 league away games (exception was vs Getafe, Jan 2012).

Bielsa's men have won just one of their last seven league games on the road (D3 L3).

Toquero has scored more goals against Atlético than any other side in La Liga (three).

Falcao (17) has already scored more goals than Diego Forlán (16) managed in his debut league season with Atlético.

The Basque side have conceded the most goals to penalties in LigaBBVA this season (six).

Atlético have made the fewest substitutions in the league this season (74).


Valencia - Real Zaragoza

Real Zaragoza are without a win at Mestalla in the league since it changed its name from the Estadio Luis Casanova (last win in Jan 1993), drawing six and losing 10 of 16 visits since.

Valencia have scored in all but one of their 13 league matches at home this season (except 0-1 vs Real Sociedad).

Valencia have conceded twice in each of their last two league games at home (D1 L1).

The maños have picked up just one win in their last 14 league games on the road (2-0 at Espanyol).

Zaragoza have scored in the fewest LigaBBVA matches this season (14).

Real Zaragoza's opponents have picked up fewer yellow cards than any other side's in Liga BBVA this season (57).

Six of Valencia's last eight league goals have come in the first-half.

There has been a red card in four of the last six league meetings between these two sides.

Roberto Soldado is the only Spanish player to score more than one hat-trick in LigaBBVA this season (2).


Real Sociedad - Levante

Erreala have only won one of their seven top-flight meetings with Levante (D2 L4), this coming in March 2007.

The donostiarra have never lost in the top-flight against Levante at home (W1 D2), scoring exactly once in each game.

The txuri-urdin are on a run of four straight league wins at home, their best run since February-April 2005 when they managed five.

A clean sheet in this match would be the first time Real Sociedad have kept four consecutive shut-outs at home in the top-flight since 1998/99.

The Basque side have alternated between a win and a defeat in each of their last 10 league games, losing to Getafe last time out.

Levante have not kept a clean sheet in any of their last eight league games on the road (W1 L7).

13 of the 18 goals scored in top-flight games between Real Sociedad and Levante have come in the second half.

Rubén Suárez has come on as a substitute more often than any other player in LigaBBVA this season (19).


Villarreal - Real Madrid

Real Madrid have won eight of their last nine league meetings with Villarreal (L1), scoring at least three goals in the last four.

The Madrid side have averaged three goals per game in their last four league games at El Madrigal.

The Yellow Submarine have only lost one of their last nine league games at home (W4 D4), losing to Getafe.

Against Málaga José Mourinho's side's run of 11 straight league wins came to an end.

The merengues are unbeaten in 11 on the road in the league (W10 D1) and are seven matches off their record of games without defeat on the road (18).

Real Madrid have won their last 10 league games on the road, their best-ever streak away from home, and two short of Barcelona's all-time record set last season.

Aside from a Xabi Alonso penalty, Real Madrid's last 24 league goals against Villarreal have been bagged by foreigners.

27 points from 27 games is Villarreal's lowest-ever points total at this stage of a season in Primera.

Real Madrid have picked up the most points after conceding first in La Liga this season (21).

Kaká has scored more La Liga goals against Villarreal (5) than any other side.

José Mourinho has a win % of 80% with Real Madrid in Liga BBVA, slightly lower than Manuel Pellegrini's record with the merengues (81.6%).


Racing de Santander - Sevilla FC

Sevilla managed their joint-biggest away win in Primera two seasons ago at El Sardinero: 5-1 in May 2010.

Sevilla have lost on just one of their last eight league visits to Santander (W4 D3).

Racing are without a win in five at home in the league, their poorest run this season (D3 L2).

The hispalenses have not kept a clean sheet in any of their last seven away games in the league.

The verdinegros have had three players sent off in their last four league games at home to Sevilla.

José Antonio Reyes is yet to score since returning to Sevilla (11 league games).

Manu del Moral's brace in the first meeting this season means that he has scored more goals against Racing in Primera (2) than any other side.

Sevilla, Sporting GijĂłn and Real Zaragoza have picked up the joint-fewest points in La Liga in 2012 (nine).

MĂ­chel has picked up fewer points per game in the league this season as Sevilla manager (1.17), than Marcelino (1.23).

Clos GĂłmez has awarded the most penalties in Primera this season (seven) and the most to away side (four).


Real Betis - Espanyol

Betis have only won one of their last 11 top-flight meetings with Espanyol (D6 L4).

The Andalucians have only won one of their last 13 league matches at home to Espanyol.

The last four league meetings between Real Betis and Espanyol at VillamarĂ­n have ended in a draw.

The verdolagas are on a run of four league games without a win (D1 L3).

Pepe Mel's side have managed to score in their last eight games at home in the league.

The periquitos have managed just one win in their last eight league games on the road (D4 L3).

The last time Real Betis had three players sent off in a top-flight game was against Espanyol in April 2007.

Real Betis have lost the most matches by a single-goal margin in LigaBBVA this season (10).

The verdiblancos have picked up the most points thanks to goals scored in the last five minutes of league games this season (nine).

Espanyol's last seven league goals on the road have all been bagged by different players.


Málaga - Rayo Vallecano

If Málaga beat Rayo, it would be their best-ever run of straight wins at La Rosaleda in Primera (five).

The franjirrojos have drawn none of their last 15 league games (W7 D8).

Málaga CF have never lost at home to Rayo in Primera (W2 D2), scoring twice in each match.

Just one of Rayo's last 12 league goals has come in the first half.

Michu is the top-scoring midfielder in La Liga this season (13).

Rayo have won all four league matches in which Diego Costa has scored.

Santi Cazorla has scored the most goals from direct free kicks in La Liga this season (four).

Only Cani and Ă–zil have been subbed off as often as Piti in La Liga this season (17 times).

Málaga have received the fewest yellow cards in the league this season (51).

Málaga's last nine league goals have all come in the second half.

Málaga (71%) and Rayo (70%) have scored the highest proportion of their goals in the second half of La Liga games this season.

Pellegrini's men have won every league game in which they have opened the scoring in the league this season (eight).