LALIGA INSTITUTIONAL
Transparency
Pressroom
FUNDACIÓN LALIGA
Sponsors
Audiovisual rights
LALIGA Business school
Work with us
LALIGA WITH SPORT
Aficiones Unidas
LALIGA FC FUTURES
LALIGA Grassroots
This video illustrates how recoveries can be distinguished not only in terms of their effectiveness, but also their quality. Barcelona record the fourth-most advantageous recoveries in the league, i.e. situations that involve a numerical advantage and where the side in possession has more players ahead of the ball than the opposition.
Given the importance of build-up play in the system deployed by Xavi’s troops, the team’s set-up at the start of the attacking transition is key. This video shows how the Barcelona players react in these situations. It’s worth pointing out that 15% of the Catalan giants’ recoveries put them at an advantage.
Real Madrid are the LaLiga Santander front runners for the number of carries leading to shots, with four per game to their name. Carries can be analysed from a whole host of angles, but in this case we’re keen to look at their outcome, i.e. shots.
There’s no question that Ancelotti’s charges are capable of making the most of these actions, as illustrated in our Clip of the Week. The players’ ability to go past their man, their skill level and decision-making ability are key to the success of such actions, which can reap rich rewards for the capital club.
As we can see in this clip, Simeone’s boys post an average of two carries that lead to shots per game. Indeed, this is one of Atleti’s favourite tactics to pose a threat on goal. If we dive deeper and take a look at what the Wanda Metropolitano-based outfit do in possession, we learn that they feature amongst the league’s top five teams for the number of players per possession (almost three), whilst they find themselves amongst the division’s leading five teams for the number of dangerous possessions per match (4.6).
When it comes to possession, there are a whole host of aspects that we can analyse, with one of them being the degree of danger created. When we speak of dangerous possessions, we’re referring to those that end in a goal or a goalscoring opportunity. This video features a dangerous possession put together by Manuel Pellegrini’s charges. Betis excel in this department and lie second in the LaLiga standings for the number of dangerous possessions (5.7 per outing).
The Real Madrid players ensure that their team balance enables them to consistently produce and improve on their statistics as the games goes on. As we can see in the latest instalment of Clip of the Week, the Blancos record more dangerous possessions than any other side in the league (6.76 per game) and, crucially, they make them count.
Villarreal CF
CA Osasuna
SUN 17.10.2021
16:30
Season 2021/2022
Estadio de la Cerámica
RC Celta
Sevilla FC
SUN 17.10.2021
14:15
Season 2021/2022
Estadio ABANCA Balaídos
RCD Espanyol de Barcelona
Cádiz CF
MON 18.10.2021
19:00
Season 2021/2022
RCDE Stadium
FC Barcelona
Valencia CF
SUN 17.10.2021
19:00
Season 2021/2022
Spotify Camp Nou
RCD Espanyol de Barcelona
Cádiz CF
MON 18.10.2021
19:00
Season 2021/2022
Matchday 9
RCDE Stadium
Matchday 9 of the LaLiga Santander campaign serves up an intriguing tussle between two teams that are separated by a mere two points in the league standings. The hosts, Espanyol, come into the clash as one of the top four sides when it comes to preventing opposition attacks from ending in a goal. What’s more, when teams do manage to break through the Catalans’ backline, they are confronted with an in-form Diego Lopez, who has helped Los Pericos to claim a place amongst the league’s top four sides in the save percentage stakes. At the opposite end of the field, the Barcelona-based side appear to be particularly fond of playing crosses into the near post. Indeed, Vicente Moreno’s charges lie second in the division’s standings for the percentage of crosses that land in the near post area. That said, the real hallmark of Espanyol’s game is reflected by the fact that they have secured a spot amongst the league’s top three teams for distance gained per possession. The Catalans’ fast transitions and limited number of passes mean that they rarely lose the ball in dangerous areas. These strategies combine to make Espanyol a defensively solid unit with a well-defined strategy when it comes to posing a threat in the final third.
This round of fixtures sees the boys from Barcelona come up against a Cadiz side who have remained faithful to the blueprint that saw them retain their top-flight status last time round. The Andalusians lie top of the long ball standings, whilst they currently occupy second spot for the number of through balls played. The visitors’ preference for this passing style proves that they’re a direct side who waste little time in making inroads into the final third. This playing style has placed Los Amarillos ahead of the rest of the division in terms of the percentage of short possessions.
If there’s one thing that the Cadiz squad are clear on it’s the team’s playing style, which involves regaining possession before launching transitions at breakneck speed, without stringing too many passes together. As a result, Alvaro Cervera’s men register the fewest players involved in each possession of all of the LaLiga Santander sides. Once they win the ball back, which they usually do in their own half, they seek out the direct running of their widemen or target man, Alvaro Negredo, as they aim to take the most direct route to the opposition’s goal. This tactic means that the Andalusians are also the team who bypass the most opposing players per pass.
Meanwhile, when on home soil, Espanyol have one of the five smallest convex hull areas in the division when out of possession. The hosts are also hot on the tails of their Matchday 9 opponents in the distance gained per possession standings, where they feature amongst the division’s top three sides.
Once again this season, the Espanyol frontman has turned in some truly exceptional performances. Raul de Tomas is the proverbial fox in the box and his qualities make him a real thorn in opposition backlines. He currently leads the way in the team’s goals and dribbling charts and features amongst the league’s top 10 players for shots on target. He has three goals and an assist to his name in his eight outings so far this term. Opposition defenders are well aware of his pedigree and aim to curb the danger at source. Indeed, he is the Espanyol player with the smallest average distance to an opponent when receiving the ball under pressure (3.33m). Meanwhile, he leads the way amongst Los Pericos’ frontmen in terms of high-intensity actions, i.e. the number of runs made at above 28km/h over a distance of at least 10m.