LaLiga matchday 23: What the stats say

RC Celta de Vigo v Elche CF
13 February, 2021

Celta de Vigo have only lost two of their last nine LaLiga games against Elche (W3 D4), scoring exactly one goal in six of those nine matches.

After winning their first three home LaLiga games against Elche keeping a clean sheet in all of them, between 1969 and 1973, Celta de Vigo have won just one of their last five against them at home in the competition (D2 L2).

Celta de Vigo have lost just one of their last six LaLiga games at Balaídos under Eduardo Coudet (W4 D1) although they’ve failed to win in their last two such games (D1 L1).

Elche have failed to win in their last seven away LaLiga games (D3 L4) after winning in their first two on the road in the competition this season.

Elche are unbeaten in their last two LaLiga games played on Friday (W1 D1), they have never avoided defeat in three in a row on that day in the Top-flight, while Celta de Vigo have only won one of their last eight LaLiga games on Friday (D4 L3).

Elche are the only LaLiga side to have scored the same amount of goals in the first and second half this season (9 & 9), although they’ve collected a league-low four points with goals scored in the second halves this term.

Celta de Vigo have conceded 16.7 fouls per game in LaLiga 2020/21, their highest tally in a single LaLiga season since 2006-07 (17.8 fouls conceded per game on average).

Josan has been involved in three of Elche’s last four goals in LaLiga, two goals, both against Real Valladolid, and one assist in his last appearance vs Villarreal.

Elche’s Guido Carrillo has scored two goals in eight LaLiga appearances in 2020-21, one more than in the whole of last season in the competition as a Leganés player (one goal in 24 appearances).

Brais Méndez has scored four of Celta de Vigo’s last six goals at Balaídos in LaLiga, his highest tally at home in a single season in the Top-flight (4).

Granada CF v Club Atlético de Madrid
13 February, 2021

Granada have failed to win in their last 20 LaLiga games against Atlético de Madrid (D5 L15), failing to score in 13 of them, their longest current winless run against an opponent in the Top-flight.

Atlético de Madrid have collected at least one point in each of their last nine away LaLiga games against Granada (W5 D4) since a 0-1 defeat in November 1973.

Atlético de Madrid have just lost one of their last 12 away LaLiga games against Andalusian sides (W7 D4), 0-1 vs Real Betis in February 2019.

Granada have won just one of their last seven LaLiga games (D3 L3), 2-0 vs Osasuna in January, after winning three of their previous four in the competition (L1).

Atlético de Madrid have won their last four away LaLiga games, scoring at least two goals in each of them, they last won five in a row away from home in the competition in 2014 (5).

Granada have had five build up attacks (number of open play sequences that contains 10+ passes and either ends in a shot or has at least one touch in the box) in LaLiga this season, fewer than any other side.

Granada’s Roberto Soldado has been involved in three goals on aggregate in his last four home LaLiga games against Atlético de Madrid (two goals and one assist).

Atlético de Madrid’s Luis Suárez has been involved in 12 goals in seven LaLiga appearances against Granada (7 goals and 5 assists), scoring and/or providing an assist in five of them.

Atlético de Madrid’s Ángel Correa has been involved in seven goals against Granada in LaLiga (4 goals and 3 assists), more than against any other opponent in the competition but he has failed to score/assist in his two visits to Los Cármenes.

Atlético de Madrid’s Diego Simeone has managed 14 LaLiga games against Granada without defeat (W12

D2), only against Getafe has he managed more games in the competition without a defeat (GP16 W15 D1).

Sevilla FC v SD Huesca
13 February, 2021

Sevilla have won two of their three LaLiga games against Huesca (L1), including the only one at Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, 2-1 in October 2018.

Sevilla have won their last four LaLiga games, keeping a clean sheet in the last three, they last won five in a row in the competition in January 2017 (5).

Huesca won their last away LaLiga game, 3-1 vs Real Valladolid, they have never won two in a row away from home in the top-flight.

Huesca have failed to win in their three away LaLiga games against Andalusian sides (D1 L2), both teams scored in each of those three games.

Sevilla have conceded just 16 goals in their first 21 LaLiga games in 2020-21, their joint-lowest tally at this stage of a season (alongside 1984-85 and 2002-03).

Huesca have scored a league-high 28 per cent of their goals this season from headers (5/18), with three of them scored by Rafa Mir.

Sevilla’s Youssef En-Nesyri has scored in two of his three LaLiga appearances against Huesca, one goal for Leganés and the other with his current club, scoring the winning goal in each game (both 1-0).

Sevilla’s Youssef En-Nesyri’s 13 goals in LaLiga this season have won his side 11 points, only Atlético de Madrid’s Luis Suárez has won more point for his team (12 points with 16 goals).

Huesca’s Sandro Ramírez has been involved in three goals against Sevilla in LaLiga (two goals and one assist), his joint-highest tally against an opponent in the competition (alongside Granada and Villarreal).

Huesca’s José Rojo “Pacheta” lost his only previous meeting against Sevilla in all competitions, 0-2 as Numancia boss in LaLiga in May 2009.

FC Barcelona v Deportivo Alavés
13 February, 2021

Barcelona have avoided defeat in their last eight LaLiga games against Alavés (W7 D1), scoring 3.1 goals per game in this period, since a 1-2 defeat at home in September 2016 in Sergio Busquets’ 250th appearance in the competition.

At home, Barcelona have won 12 of their 15 LaLiga games against Alavés (D1 L2) and they have failed to score in just one, a 0-1 defeat in February 2000, the only time they have met in MD 23.

Alavés have conceded six+ goals in four different LaLiga games against Barcelona, more than against any other opponent: 0-6 in January 1932, 1-7 in January 1999, 1-6 in October 2002 and 0-6 in February 2017.

Barcelona have failed to score in just one of their last 56 LaLiga games at Camp Nou (W44 D9 L3), 0-0 vs Real Madrid in December 2019.

After their win against Real Valladolid in their last game (1-0), Alavés ended a six-game winless run in LaLiga (D2 L4) they last won two in a row in the competition in November 2019 (2).

Barcelona have had a league-high 144 shots on target this season, while only Elche (43) have made less shots on target in the competition this season than Alavés (55).

Barcelona’s Lionel Messi has scored 10 goals against Alavés in LaLiga, scoring in seven of his 10 appearances against them in the competition. He scored at least one goal in each of his last three games against the Basque side at Camp Nou (four goals on aggregate).

Barcelona’s Lionel Messi has provided just two assists in LaLiga in 2020/21, but he has an Expected Assist value (xA) of 6.56, the biggest difference between assists and xA in LaLiga this season (4.56).

Alavés’ Joselu has scored three goals on aggregate in his last five LaLiga appearances, as many as in his previous 22 games in the competition.

Alavés’ Abelardo Fernández has managed seven LaLiga games against Barcelona, failing to win in all of them (D1 L6), more games without a victory than against any other opponent in the competition.

Getafe CF v Real Sociedad
14 February, 2021

Getafe have won six of their last eight LaLiga games against Real Sociedad (L2), failing to score in just one of them, the most recent one (0-3 at Reale Arena in October 2020).

At home, Getafe have won their last three LaLiga games against Real Sociedad, all three at Coliseum under José Bordalás, they have never won four in a row at home against them in the competition.

Real Sociedad have won just one of their last 15 away LaLiga games against Madrilean sides (D3 L11), 2-0 vs Real Madrid in January 2019.

Getafe have only won one of their last eight home LaLiga games (D3 L4), 1-0 vs Huesca in January, but they have avoided defeat and kept a clean sheet in the last two (W1 D1).

Getafe have scored just 17 goals in their first 22 LaLiga 2020-21 games, their lowest tally at this stage of a season of the Top-flight (18 goals in 2014-15).

Real Sociedad have scored a league-high seven penalty goals this season and Mikel Oyarzabal has scored six of them, more than any other player in the competition, scoring all his six penalty shots.

Getafe’s Jaime Mata has scored three goals on aggregate in his last three LaLiga games against Real Sociedad, including a brace in his last appearance against them in the competition at Coliseum (June 2020).

Mikel Oyarzabal is the second Real Sociedad player to score 10 or more goals in four LaLiga seasons in a row in the 21st Century after Willian José (four seasons between 2016-17 and 2019-20).

Mikel Merino has scored in two of his four LaLiga appearances against Getafe for Real Sociedad (two goals on aggregate) and he has received a yellow card in three of those games.

Getafe’s José Bordalas has won seven of his nine managerial games against Real Sociedad in all competitions (L2), seven in LaLiga and two in Liga Smartbank, but none of these defeats were at home (W4).

Real Madrid v Valencia CF
14 February, 2021

Valencia are looking to complete a league double over Real Madrid for the first time since 1967/68 season, after winning 4-1 in the reverse fixture this term.

Real Madrid have avoided defeat in their last 12 home LaLiga games against Valencia (W7 D5), since a 2-3 loss in March 2008, and they have scored at least two goals in nine of them.

Valencia have failed to win any of their last nine away LaLiga games against Madrilean sides (D2 L7), losing their last four, their longest winless run away from home against such opposition in the top-flight since 1992 (GP15 D3 L12).

Real Madrid have won their last two games, as many as in their previous seven matches in all competitions (W2 D2 L3).

Valencia have just won two of their last 12 LaLiga games (D7 L4), vs Real Valladolid and Elche, both in January 2021, and they have scored exactly one goal in each of their last seven games in the competition.

Real Madrid have scored a league-high 10 headed goals this season. Only Huesca (28 per cent - 5/18) and Granada (27 per cent - 7/26) have a higher percentage of headed goals in the competition than the Whites this term (26 per cent - 10/39).

Only Sevilla (16) have gained more points through second-half goals in LaLiga this season than Real Madrid (15) and Valencia have lost a joint league-high 12 points with goals conceded in the second half (alongside Huesca and Osasuna).

Carlos Soler has been involved in 10 of Valencia’s last 18 goals in LaLiga (six goals and four assists) whilst he has scored five goals against Real Madrid in the competition, more than against any other opponent.

Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema has scored at least one goal in each of his last four LaLiga games against Valencia (five in total), his longest scoring run against them in the top-flight.

Valencia’s Javi Gracia has won just one of his seven managerial LaLiga games against Real Madrid (D3 L3), the last one, 4-1 in November 2020 as Valencia boss.

Levante UD v Club Atlético Osasuna
14 February, 2021

Levante have lost just one of their last five LaLiga games against Osasuna (W3 D1), 0-2 away from home in January 2020, after losing their previous four against them in the competition without scoring a single goal.

At home, Levante have won just one of their last four LaLiga games against Osasuna (D1 L2), 2-0 in March 2014.

Levante have avoided defeat in their last five LaLiga games (W2 D3), scoring exactly two goals in each of them. They have never scored two or more goals in six consecutive matches in the competition.

Osasuna have failed to win in their last 10 away LaLiga games (D4 L6) after winning four of their previous five away from home in the competition (L1).

Levante have collected a league-high 17 points and Osasuna have won a league-low 1 point after conceding the first goal of the game this season.

Osasuna have conceded one headed goal in LaLiga this season, the lowest tally in the competition and the joint lowest across the top five European leagues alongside Juventus (1), Lyon (1), Manchester City (1), PSG (1) and Spezia (1).

Osasuna’s Rubén García has scored in two of his three LaLiga games against his former team Levante, including one goal in his only visit at Ciudad de Valencia in the competition in September 2019.

Levante’s José Luis Morales has scored 10 goals in 21 appearances in LaLiga this season, more than double the amount he managed last term (four goals in 38 games). He is close to equalling his best goal tally in a single LaLiga campaign (12 in 2018-19).

Jorge de Frutos has provided a joint league-high six assists this season (alongside Atlético de Madrid’s Ángel Correa and Marcos Llorente and Celta de Vigo’s Iago Aspas), whilst he is the first Levante player to provide an assist in four consecutive games in LaLiga in the 21st Century.

Osasuna’s Jagoba Arrasate has only lost one of his five managerial LaLiga games against Levante (W1 D3), the last one, 1-3 at home in the reverse fixture this season.

SD Eibar v Real Valladolid
14 February, 2021

Eibar have won their last two LaLiga games against Real Valladolid, having failed to win in their previous three against them in the top-flight (D1 L2).

Eibar will be aiming to win back-to-back home matches against Real Valladolid in all competitions for the first time.

Eibar have lost their last two LaLiga games at Ipurua, conceding exactly two goals in each – they last lost three in a row at home in the competition in December 2019 (3).

Real Valladolid have collected just 20 points from their 22 LaLiga games this season; in the previous two campaigns in which they collected 20 points or fewer at this stage they were relegated: 19 in 2009-10 and 20 in 2013-14.

Real Valladolid have lost their last four away LaLiga games against Basque sides, failing to score in three of them, having gone unbeaten in their previous five matches against such opposition (W2 D3).

Eibar have lost a league-high 16 points in games where they’ve opened the scoring this season, winning only four of those 10 matches (D2 L4).

Eibar’s José Luis García “Recio” scored his only LaLiga brace against Real Valladolid in January 2014, as Granada player.

Real Valladolid’s Sergi Guardiola has scored three goals in LaLiga against Eibar, more than against any other opponent, scoring in three of his four appearances in the competition against them.

Kike García has been involved in five of Eibar’s last nine goals in LaLiga (three goals and two assists) scoring six goals in the competition this season, his best tally in the last three terms (three in 2018-19 and five in 2019-20).

Eibar’s José Luis Mendilibar has won his last two LaLiga managerial games against Real Valladolid, after winning only one of his previous five against them in the competition (D1 L3).

Villarreal CF v Real Betis
14 February, 2021

Villarreal have lost just two of their last 12 LaLiga games against Real Betis (W6 D4), with those two defeats coming away from home (in February 2018 and April 2019, both 1-2).

At home, Villarreal are unbeaten in their last eight LaLiga games against Real Betis (W6 D2), winning the last four, since a 0-1 defeat when the current Real Betis boss Manuel Pellegrini managed to Villarreal.

Villarreal have lost just one of their last 19 home LaLiga games against Andalusian sides (W11 D7), 2-3 in November 2017 against Sevilla, in Pau Torres’ first appearance in LaLiga.

Villarreal have drawn their last four LaLiga games, never previously drawing five on the bounce in the competition.

Villarreal have drawn 12 of their 22 LaLiga games this season, equalling the highest tally of draws for a team at this stage of a Spanish top-flight campaign (alongside other six teams).

Real Betis have avoided defeat in their last two away LaLiga games (W1 D1), last going three without defeat on the road in the competition in January 2020 (GP1 W1 D3).

Gerard Moreno has been involved in six goals in his last seven LaLiga appearances against Real Betis (five goals and one assist). The Villarreal player has scored at least one goal in each of his last three games in the competition (four in total).

Real Betis’ Loren Morón has failed to score in his last 11 LaLiga games, however, he did score his first brace in the competition against Villarreal, in February 2018.

Real Betis’s Manuel Pellegrini has lost just one of his six managerial LaLiga games against Villarreal (W3 D2), 1-2 away from home as Málaga boss in April 2012.

Villarreal’s Unai Emery is unbeaten in his five home managerial LaLiga games against Real Betis (W4 D1), with his sides keeping a clean sheet in each of the last three.

Cádiz CF v Athletic Club
15 February, 2021

Cádiz have won two of their last three LaLiga games against Athletic (L1), as many wins as in their previous 15 matches against them in the competition (W2 D5 L8).

Athletic have won two of their last four LaLiga games at Ramón de Carranza (L2), after winning only one of their previous nine games played there against Cádiz in the competition (D4 L4).

Athletic have failed to win in their last seven away LaLiga games against Andalusian sides (D2 L5), losing the last two without score a goal, since a 2-0 victory vs Real Betis in December 2017.

Cádiz have lost their last three LaLiga games, conceding at least three goals in each (11 goals conceded on aggregate) - they lost four in a row in the competition in December 2005 (4).

Athletic are winless in their last eight away LaLiga games (D3 L5), since a 2-1 victory vs Eibar in September 2020 – they last went nine games without a victory on the road in the competition in March 2017 (GP9 D2 L7).

Athletic are making 3.03 passes per sequence on average in LaLiga this season, their highest tally in the last five seasons.

Athletic’s last two LaLiga goals have been own goals (vs Barcelona and Valencia). They have benefited from three owns goals in the competition this season, their joint-highest tally in a season in the 21st Century (alongside 2002-03 and 2005-06).

Asier Villalibre has scored with his last two shots on target in all competitions, as many goals as with his previous seven shots on target for Athletic (2).

Cádiz’s Álvaro Negredo has scored six goals in 16 LaLiga appearances against Athletic, including a brace in April 2013 in the Sevilla’s victory 2-1 against them.

Athletic’s Marcelino García Toral is unbeaten in his six managerial games against Cádiz in all competitions (W4 D2), two in Copa del Rey and four in Liga Smartbank, whilst this will be his first meeting against them in LaLiga.