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It is easy to compare players when they rack up the assists in the league over a season. They are in focus either for the sheer volume of assists accumulated or the lack of them.
Pundits are quick to form their opinions based only on that metric but that only scratches the surface of the contributions they have made. The true metric that decides how good they have been is counting the number of chances they have created.
Whether teammates put them away or not depends on various factors but the fact remains that having such players in the team vastly improves your chances of scoring a goal.
So, who are Europe's best creators in the league this season?
#10 Philipp Max (Augsburg)
Augsburg really haven't had a great season to write home about. They're 11th in the Bundesliga and look destined to stay there.
What is remarkable, though, is that their left-back Philipp Max is the team's best creator. The 24-year-old has created 75 chances in the league this season.
They usually play a 4-2-3-1 and, on rare occasions, he has played as a left wing-back when they switch to a back-three. But among the top 10 creators this season, he is the only player who plays as a defender.
Key Stat: Max leads the Bundesliga with 12 assists (ahead of James Rodriguez and Joshua Kimmich - 10 each)
#9 Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Judging by Barcelona's performances with and without Lionel Messi, it is quite clear that the Catalan club depends on their talisman's magic to unlock defences. When he is not busy finding the back of the net, Messi is busy creating chances for his teammates.
The Argentine forward leads the club's assist charts with 12 to his name. Nobody else has more than the 8 assists Jordi Alba has. 5 of Messi's assists have been for his strike partner Luis Suarez.
In all, Messi has created 76 chances in La Liga. Most of his chances have been short passes in and around the box. Only 5 chances were long passes to teammates.
Of course, Messi is in the running for the European Golden shoe with 29 goals - tied with Mohamed Salah of Liverpool. But give him a few games and he could easily move into the top 5 creators in Europe as well.
#8 Christian Eriksen (Tottenham Hotspur)
Tottenham Hotspur have been on the rise in recent seasons and most of that success is attributed to the goal-scoring exploits of Harry Kane and Dele Alli. However, Christian Eriksen only gets his due when he racks up the assists.
The Danish midfielder recently led his country to the FIFA World Cup with scintillating performances in the qualifiers but his performances for Tottenham usually go under the radar unless he gets on the score sheet.
Alli (10) has more assists than Eriksen (8). However, Eriksen has created 77 chances in the Premier League this season.
Add his 10 goals for Spurs in the league and the north London club will count themselves lucky to have a trio of players on fire as the season comes to a close.
#7 Luis Alberto (Lazio)
Lazio have had a very good season and have a very good chance of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League next season if they finish in the top four. They are currently third but both Roma and Inter are right on their heels.
Most of their success can be attributed to the attacking pairing up front. Ciro Immobile has 27 goals and 9 assists but right behind him is Luis Alberto. Lazio's 3-5-1-1 formation has brought out the best in the two with Alberto assisting Immobile 4 times.
In all, Alberto has 11 assists for Lazio in Serie A this season. However, he has created 77 chances for the capital club! The same as Eriksen, but in 245 fewer minutes.
If Lazio do qualify for the Champions League - for the first time in over a decade - they will have Immobile and Alberto to thank for getting them there.
#6 Benjamin Bourigeaud (Rennes)
In a Rennes team that includes yesteryear's perennial transfer target Yoann Gourcuff, not many expected Benjamin Bourigeaud to be the best creator in the side this season.
The club are in fifth place with no hope of qualifying for the Champions League but they still have a chance of qualifying for the Europa League.
Playing primarily on the right side of midfield, Bourigeaud has 6 goals and 7 assists in the league. However, he has created 79 chances in Ligue 1 so far this season.
Key Stat: Bourigeaud created 8 chances in a single game for Rennes when they played Amien in Ligue 1.
#5 Cesc Fabregas (Chelsea)
If your jaw is hanging open, you are not alone. Cesc Fabregas has had a season to forget at Chelsea this season. The Spaniard hasn't played as much as he would have liked and his form has dipped under Antonio Conte.
Of course, the entire Blues side has struggled but Conte has not been able to figure out his midfield this season with the Italian manager playing four different variations of a back-three formation to shoehorn midfielders into the lineup.
Fabregas only has 4 assists to his name this season - his worst return since Jose Mourinho's final season at Stamford Bridge. But the shocking statistic is the fact that he has still created 80 chances in the league!
The 30-year-old has not had that bad a season as many believe but with the entire team failing to come good, he has also suffered as a result. Spain boss Julen Lopetegui had even dropped him for the recent friendlies and it remains to be seen whether he makes the World Cup squad.
#4 Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli)
Judging by how laid back they were in their approach to the Champions League this season, it was evident that Napoli had only one goal on their mind this season - winning the Serie A crown.
Though they have hit a couple of bumps on the road, they trail Juventus by 4 points with seven games to go. Forward Dries Mertens is undoubtedly their biggest star (17 goals and 6 assists) but Lorenzo Insigne has been very instrumental playing on his left.
The 26-year-old has 7 goals and 9 assists in Serie A this season. But what is equally astonishing is that he has created 83 chances in the league.
If Napoli do manage to topple Juventus this season, Insigne's performances will have played a huge part in their title win. They haven't won the league since 1990 and that will be on the back of their minds in the home stretch of the season.
Key Stat: Insigne created 10 chances for Napoli against Chievo - the best any player in Serie A has managed this season.
#3 Mesut Ozil (Arsenal)
Like many other central attacking midfielders who regularly top the assists charts, Mesut Ozil has not had a great season on that front. The Arsenal man who recently extended his contract in return for club-record wages has only made 8 assists in the league this season.
But this is more a reflection of the players he has around him who have regularly failed to put away chances. Even his best partner in recent season Alexis Sanchez had a forgetful five months before his move to Manchester United.
Ozil has created 84 chances in the Premier League this season despite playing far fewer minutes than the likes of Eriksen, Alli, and Kevin De Bruyne.
This is a season where Arsenal have realised that the old formula wasn't working and have taken steps to address that by bringing in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
The hope for Gunners fans is that by the time the next season gets underway, they would have forged a good understanding to compete for the league title.
Key Stat: Since his debut in 2006, Ozil is the only player to have created over 1,000 goal-scoring chances in the league (1,006)!
#2 Dimitri Payet (Marseille)
Following his well-publicized exit from West Ham, Dimitri Payet has well and truly made Marseille his home with consistent performances that will only make Hammers fans wish he had never left as they hover over the relegation zone.
Of course, Florian Thauvin has been their best player this season with 16 goals and 10 assists - one of four players in Europe who is in double-digits for both.
Payet has also been instrumental in the no.10 role for the Ligue 1 club. 5 goals and 9 assists are a testament to that.
However, Payet has been very busy in the middle of the park. In all, he has created 98 chances for the club in Ligue 1.
Key Stat: Payet has 6 assists in the league in 2018 alone. No other player in Europe's top 5 leagues has more in this period.
#1 Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
Many questioned Pep Guardiola's move to use Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva together in midfield, wondering how he could deploy two natural no.10s. But the Catalan manager not only succeeded, he exceeded expectations.
City are runaway leaders in the Premier League and their partnership in midfield is what has been crucial to their success. While Silva has missed a few games for personal reasons, De Bruyne has consistently delivered and given City breathing room to take their foot off the gas in certain games.
Also read: David Silva - The family man and footballer balancing his priorities to help Manchester City
The Belgian midfielder has 15 assists in the Premier League this season. It is also the highest in Europe with PSG's Neymar coming closest (13 assists) prior to his potentially season-ending injury.
But what has elevated him to the very top is the fact that he is the only player to have created at least 100 chances in the league this season. With six games to go, De Bruyne has created 102 chances in the Premier League.
Key Stat: Since the 2015/16 season, no player in Europe's top 5 leagues has more assists than Kevin De Bruyne (42 assists).
All stats courtesy of WhoScored
