The 2015/16 has just about crossed the halfway mark and the tables in the top 5 leagues in Europe have thrown up a few surprises. Defending champions have lost their way while a few teams have exceeded expecations to rise up the table and cement themselves among the elite.
The numbers don’t lie. Half a season is more than enough to convince fans that a sudden rise in the table is no flash in the pan. Having played all teams at least once in the league, we can take a good look at which teams have the best goals per game ratio in Europe.
There is no surprise for the top spot. La Liga giants Real Madrid have had a turbulent season both on and off the pitch. But they have been banging in goals regularly. The forward trio of ‘BBC’ – Karim Benzema (16), Gareth Bale (13) and Cristiano Ronaldo (16) – have been their top goalscorers. Their next highest is James Rodriguez with only 3.
But it is hard to claim that Los Blancos are the best attacking team when they have struggled to score in big games while simultaneously trouncing minnows with as many as five, eight or even 10 goals in a match. Even Ronaldo’s numbers this season don’t reveal what they hide – he was nothing but a flat-track bully in the first half of the season. The Ballon d’Or runner-up has failed to score a single goal against the other top four teams (Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Villarreal).
In second place is Bundesliga’s resurgent Borussia Dortmund. Under new boss Thomas Tuchel, Dortmund have returned to where they belong among the top teams after a disastrous 2014/15 season when they finished seventh. Leading from the front is their in-form striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who has scored 18 goals, followed by Marco Reus with 8.
They are closely followed by Bayern Munich who look all set to march towards a record fourth consecutive league title. Pep Guardiola’s side already have a lead of 8 points at the halfway stage, thanks in part to the goalscoring exploits of Robert Lewandowski (15) and Thomas Muller (14). What also makes the two German sides stand out is that they have played lesser games than teams from the other leagues due to the Bundesliga having only 18 teams.
Barcelona are fourth and are second in the table with a game in hand owing to their participation in the FIFA Club World Cup in December. While the trio of ‘MSN’ was not in operation all season due to Lionel Messi’s injury, Luis Suarez (18) and Neymar (16) have stepped up in his absence to ensure results went their way as they climbed to the top of the table.
In France, first-placed Paris Saint-Germain have probably never had it easier than his season. Their domination is such that second-placed AS Monaco are closer to the relegation zone than the league leaders! Zlatan Ibrahimovic (16) and Edinson Cavani (10) have been leading the way with new signing Angel Di Maria seamlessly fitting into the side to provide 6 goals and 9 assists so far.
Napoli have toppled the established order in Italy as they lead Serie A with two points. Thanks to Gonzalo Higuain, they topped the league in the winter ad in the past 12 years, the winter champions have always won the title.
Surprisingly, the hustle-bustle of the Premier League sees only one team in the top 10. Manchester City may have scored the most goals in England so far but they are only in third place in the league. What is also worth noting is that Serie A, a league once known for its defensive-minded teams, has four teams in the top 10 when you look at the goals per game ratio.
Premier League table toppers Arsenal (37 goals at 1.68 per game) and La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid (30 goals at 1.5 per game) don’t make the top 10.
| # | Club | League | Position | Matches | Goals | Goals/Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Real Madrid | La Liga | 3 | 20 | 57 | 2.85 |
| 2 | Borussia Dortmund | Bundesliga | 2 | 17 | 47 | 2.76 |
| 3 | Bayern Munich | Bundesliga | 1 | 17 | 46 | 2.71 |
| 4 | Barcelona | La Liga | 2 | 19 | 50 | 2.63 |
| 5 | Paris Saint-Germain | Ligue 1 | 1 | 21 | 51 | 2.43 |
| 6 | Napoli | Serie A | 1 | 20 | 41 | 2.05 |
| 7 | Borussia M'Gladbach | Bundesliga | 4 | 17 | 34 | 2.00 |
| 8 | Manchester City | EPL | 3 | 22 | 43 | 1.95 |
| 9 | Juventus | Serie A | 2 | 20 | 37 | 1.85 |
| Fiorentina | Serie A | 4 | 20 | 37 | 1.85 | |
| AS Roma | Serie A | 5 | 20 | 37 | 1.85 |
