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Goalscream

Monday, June 8, 2015

Lionel Messi tops Champions League scoring and assist charts... all the best stats from Europe's elite competition

Barcelona are the newly-crowned kings of Europe and unsurprisingly Luis Enrique's men dominate this season's statistics in the competition as they surged towards their fifth European Cup.
The Catalan club beat Juventus 3-1 in the Champions League final on Saturday, courtesy of goals from Ivan Rakitic, Luis Suarez and Neymar, to complete their quest for the Treble.
Lionel Messi may have failed to add to his tournament tally in the Berlin showpiece but the Barca superstar has enjoyed another stellar term among Europe's elite.
Barcelona are the newly-crowned Champions League winners after beating Juventus 3-1 in Saturday's final
Barcelona are the newly-crowned Champions League winners after beating Juventus 3-1 in Saturday's final
Barca forward Neymar scored their third in injury-time to secure the club's fifth European Cup
Barca forward Neymar scored their third in injury-time to secure the club's fifth European Cup
Lionel Messi dominates the tournament statistics following another stellar season from the 27-year-old
Lionel Messi dominates the tournament statistics following another stellar season from the 27-year-old
The 27-year-old proved the most devastating player in an attacking sense once more as he topped the scoring and assist charts.
Messi netted 10 goals in 13 appearances to share the tournament's golden boot with team-mate Neymar and Real Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo.
The diminutive forward drew a blank in his last two games in the competition but his brilliance was encapsulated by his sublime double in Barcelona's 3-0 semi-final first-leg win over Bayern Munich last month.
In terms of assists, Barca's No 10 leads the way with five.
Andres Iniesta, Barcelona captain on Saturday, and Porto midfielder Hector Herrera also managed five assists.
But it's just not the productivity of Messi that underlines his widely-regarded status as the best player on the planet.
Messi (right) failed to get on the scoresheet on Saturday to add to his tournament tally of 10 goals in 13 games
Messi (right) failed to get on the scoresheet on Saturday to add to his tournament tally of 10 goals in 13 games
Messi (right) produced a glorious chip to give Barca a 2-0 first-leg, semi-final lead against Bayern Munich
Messi (right) produced a glorious chip to give Barca a 2-0 first-leg, semi-final lead against Bayern Munich
Messi's perennial rival Cristiano Ronaldo also scored 10 goals for Real Madrid this seasonĀ 
Messi's perennial rival Cristiano Ronaldo also scored 10 goals for Real Madrid this season 
He tops the lists of dribbles attempted (150), chances created (36) and total shots (48). Neymar was his closest challenger for dribbles, adrift on 89.
Another factor in Enrique's side's success this season has been the ability of the full backs to provide an extra attacking outlet.
Dani Alves has been revitalised on the right while Jordi Alba continues to provide menace at left back. The duo sit second and third respectively in terms of touches made throughout the Champions League this term with 1,133 and 1,067 respectively.
Only Messi had more with 1,211.
While Barca have changed the way that football has been played in recent years, with their tiki-taka style, surprisingly none of the Nou Camp stars make the top three in terms of passes made.
Xavi and Iniesta, who Sir Alex Ferguson once compared to as a 'carousel', don't make the top 10 list of completed passes, which is headed by Xabi Alonso (868).
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who has been a staunch supporter of possession-based football, has the most accurate passer in his ranks. Despite the midfield talent of Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey and Santi Cazorla, it's left back Nacho Monreal who leads the list in the Champions League - although the Gunners only reached the last 16.
The 29-year-old produced a passing accuracy of 96.89 per cent - the minimum requirement to make the list was 200 and Monreal made 225 - with Real Madrid duo Asier Illarramendi (95.33 per cent) and Toni Kroos (95.07) close behind.
Arsenal's Nacho MonrealĀ produced a passing accuracy of 96.89 per cent before they crashed out
Arsenal's Nacho Monreal produced a passing accuracy of 96.89 per cent before they crashed out
Beaten finalists Juventus reached their first final since 2003 on the back of a solid defensive foundation and this has been reflected in the tournament stats.
Three of the back five that started for the Italian giants on Saturday - Gianluigi Buffon, Leonardo Bonucci, and Stephan Lichtsteiner - all feature in the top 10 of minutes played this season, with keeper Buffon and Bonucci leading the way with 1,170.
Giorgio Chiellini, who missed the Berlin showpiece due to injury, was clearly missed by Massimiliano Allegri as his team failed to contain the attacking trident of Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez.
The centre back made the third most interceptions (32) and clearances (67) in the tournament and his defensive nous would have been a welcome addition to Juve as they went in search for their first Champions League title since 1996. 
Juve missed the defensive nous of centre back Giorgio Chiellini on Saturday - who was absent due to injury
Juve missed the defensive nous of centre back Giorgio Chiellini on Saturday - who was absent due to injury
The centre back (right) made the third most interceptions (32) and clearances (67) in the tournament this term
The centre back (right) made the third most interceptions (32) and clearances (67) in the tournament this term
The Italian giants' star midfielder Paul Pogba was unable to inspire his side to Champions League glory


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