Champions League: Group stage in numbers
Goals, assists, passes and more...
Thursday 11 December 2014 12:32, UK
After 96 group-stage matches, 16 teams have progressed to the Champions League knockout phase, eight parachuted into the Europa League and eight more were eliminated from European competition all together.
Here, we round-up some more key numbers from the Champions League group phase…
Top scorer
Nine - Luiz Adriano (Shakhtar Donetsk)
Eight - Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Five - Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Jackson Martinez (Porto), Sergio Aguero (Man City), Edinson Cavani (PSG), Mario Mandzukic (Atletico Madrid), Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
Luiz Adriano equalled Cristiano Ronaldo’s group-stage record of nine goals, despite failing to score in Shakhtar Donetsk’s games against Athletic Bilbao and being suspended for their Matchday 6 trip to Porto. The Brazilian was prolific in Shakhtar’s double-header with BATE, scoring five in the thumping 7-0 win in Belarus before netting a hat-trick on home turf as the Ukrainian side triumphed 5-0.
Most assists
Four - Koke (Atletico Madrid), Cesc Fabregas (Chelsea)
Three - Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Pajtim Kasami (Olympiakos)
Chelsea topped the scoring charts in the group stages and Cesc Fabregas - who scored two himself - set up four of their 17 strikes. The former Arsenal and Barcelona man teed up two in Chelsea’s group-winning 5-0 success at Schalke. Koke, meanwhile, produced a hat-trick of assists in Atletico’s 5-0 win over Malmo and, like Fabregas, also chipped in with two goals during the group stage.
Most attempts on target
18 - Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
12 - Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
11 - Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Luiz Adriano (Shakhtar Donetsk)
Five goals from six Champions League matches is hardly a poor return, but Cristiano Ronaldo will perhaps feel he could have had a few more, given he notched 18 attempts on target during the phase. The Portugal star only failed to score against Liverpool at the Bernabeu, although he came close on several occasions, registering six efforts on goal in that match.
Most passes completed (player)
461 - Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus)
455 - Xabi Alonso (Bayern Munich)
450 - Toni Kroos (Real Madrid)
410 - Cesc Fabregas (Chelsea)
358 - Isco (Real Madrid)
While Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini tops the rankings, it is pass masters Xabi Alonso, Toni Kroos and Cesc Fabregas who catch the eye, given much of their passing goes on further up the field. The remarkable success rates (92%, 95% and 90% respectively), sustained throughout the group stage, is testament to their accuracy, while the sheer number of passes made demonstrates how much of their team’s play goes through them.
Most passes completed (team)
4039 - Bayern Munich (64% avg. possession)
3862 - Barcelona (63% avg. possession)
3580 - Real Madrid (56% avg. possession)
Most goals scored
Chelsea – 17
Bayern Munich - 16
Real Madrid - 16
Porto – 16
Fewest goals scored
APOEL – 1
BATE – 2
Benfica – 2
Most goals conceded
BATE – 24
Galatasaray – 19
Malmo – 15
Fewest goals conceded
Monaco – 1
Real Madrid - 2
Chelsea – 3
Atletico Madrid - 3
Most goals in a game
Roma 1-7 Bayern
BATE 0-7 Shakhtar Donetsk
Schalke 4-3 Sporting
Standout stats
- Benfica had three players sent off in the group phase
- Galatasaray collected the most yellow cards (18)
- Bayern Munich had more attempts on goal than any other team (123)
- Real Madrid hit the woodwork five times
- Shakhtar Donetsk scored 15 goals – all from inside the box
- Four of Anderlecht’s eight goals were headers
- Monaco's Danikel Subasic kept five clean sheets – only conceding once, to Benfica's Anderson Talisca
