(1) BARCELONA
Across the five major leagues in Europe who are the table topping teams? And who are their staff performers so far in the 2013/14? It remains to be seen whether the teams topping the table today will go on to win the league, time will tell, but what cannot be denied is that all of them have earned their place at the top and deservedly so.
In this series of articles we beamed
the spotlight on these teams and their top players!
We start with the LA LIGA and it has been BARCELONA all the way though Athletico Madrid are breathing down their neck! And not to forget that Real Madrid is also lurking around the corner. Barcelona tops the table on account of superior goal difference and the game between this two teams may well be the decider of where the title heads. Gone are the days the la liga is a 2 horse battle, a 3rd horse has been added and its Athletico. This all the more makes Tatas' Barcelona all the more impressive. Though it hasn't been all tiki taka under Martino, but still the team is beautiful and effe ctive under Tata with a defensive solidity that was absent last year.
This term despite scoring 53goals Barca has only conceeded 12 and amassed 49 points in process. And if the current pace keeps up Barcelona may yet hit an historic 100+ points in 2013/14 season! Achieving a little more than they did last season!
Who has been Barcelona's top performers till dates...absent Lionel Messi?
ALEXIS SANCHEZ
Is having his best season in a Barca's shirt till date, one of the few Tata's miracles we have seen this season. In 12 appearances this term Sanchez has scored 11goals and assisted a further 3! He is the team joint top scorer in the league alongside Pedro. An amazing returns putting his goals+assist per game ratio of 1.17! Alexis has scored and assisted in every game he has played in this season! His stand out goal so far should be his delightful chip for Barca's 2nd goal against Madrid in the el classico.
FABREGAS..
Is coming to his own finally in a Barcelona shirt. He flirted with United during much of the summer, but under new boss Tata who has heavily rotated the squad this season, Cesc is finally playing regularly and he has not dissapointed! 15 games, 7goals and 10 assists tells Fabregas story to far. His goals+assist per game ratio also stands at 1.13, scoring or assisting in every game he has played in. With 2 key passes per game and 1 through ball per game, Fabregas is poised to rip more defence apart for Barcelona this season.
NEYMAR..
Barcelona summer signing and the crown prince to Lionel Messi throne has not been dissapointing so far! He can even dribble as much as Messi averaging 3.3 per game bettered only by Messi himself who records 4.2 per game! Selfishly he is adapting to Barcelona's philosophy. He hasn't 'care much about the goals' but they are coming in now. 12 appearances, 3 as a substitute, 6 goals and 8 assists is a fine story till date!
ALVES...
Remains solid at the back for Barcelona and equally a threat upfront! 3.2 tackles per game, a stat only bettered by Mascherano at 3.9. His reading of the game has been good too with an average interception of 2. A great passer who gets involved a lot completing an average of 65.5 passes per game at a success rate of 87.7%. Add to this 2goals and 1 assist. It may be hard for Barca to adequately replace Alves when he calls it quit.
XAVI
May be less influential compared to previous season but still remain the engine room of the team. Completing an astonishing 88.8passes per game at a pass success rate of 92.8%, he is still the chief orchestrator in Barca's midfield.
Its the new year and as it is with every new year all across Europe, the major league winners are decided during this period which represents the business end for the 2013/14 season. This is where it all begins to count! Title challenge may gain momentum as the days comes by or may stutter as a team battles with the demands of playing in many competitions with many fatigued players. This is the part of the year where history and destinies are made!
In this series of articles we beamed
the spotlight on these teams and their top players!
We start with the LA LIGA and it has been BARCELONA all the way though Athletico Madrid are breathing down their neck! And not to forget that Real Madrid is also lurking around the corner. Barcelona tops the table on account of superior goal difference and the game between this two teams may well be the decider of where the title heads. Gone are the days the la liga is a 2 horse battle, a 3rd horse has been added and its Athletico. This all the more makes Tatas' Barcelona all the more impressive. Though it hasn't been all tiki taka under Martino, but still the team is beautiful and effe ctive under Tata with a defensive solidity that was absent last year.
This term despite scoring 53goals Barca has only conceeded 12 and amassed 49 points in process. And if the current pace keeps up Barcelona may yet hit an historic 100+ points in 2013/14 season! Achieving a little more than they did last season!
Who has been Barcelona's top performers till dates...absent Lionel Messi?
ALEXIS SANCHEZ
Is having his best season in a Barca's shirt till date, one of the few Tata's miracles we have seen this season. In 12 appearances this term Sanchez has scored 11goals and assisted a further 3! He is the team joint top scorer in the league alongside Pedro. An amazing returns putting his goals+assist per game ratio of 1.17! Alexis has scored and assisted in every game he has played in this season! His stand out goal so far should be his delightful chip for Barca's 2nd goal against Madrid in the el classico.
FABREGAS..
Is coming to his own finally in a Barcelona shirt. He flirted with United during much of the summer, but under new boss Tata who has heavily rotated the squad this season, Cesc is finally playing regularly and he has not dissapointed! 15 games, 7goals and 10 assists tells Fabregas story to far. His goals+assist per game ratio also stands at 1.13, scoring or assisting in every game he has played in. With 2 key passes per game and 1 through ball per game, Fabregas is poised to rip more defence apart for Barcelona this season.
NEYMAR..
Barcelona summer signing and the crown prince to Lionel Messi throne has not been dissapointing so far! He can even dribble as much as Messi averaging 3.3 per game bettered only by Messi himself who records 4.2 per game! Selfishly he is adapting to Barcelona's philosophy. He hasn't 'care much about the goals' but they are coming in now. 12 appearances, 3 as a substitute, 6 goals and 8 assists is a fine story till date!
ALVES...
Remains solid at the back for Barcelona and equally a threat upfront! 3.2 tackles per game, a stat only bettered by Mascherano at 3.9. His reading of the game has been good too with an average interception of 2. A great passer who gets involved a lot completing an average of 65.5 passes per game at a success rate of 87.7%. Add to this 2goals and 1 assist. It may be hard for Barca to adequately replace Alves when he calls it quit.
XAVI
May be less influential compared to previous season but still remain the engine room of the team. Completing an astonishing 88.8passes per game at a pass success rate of 92.8%, he is still the chief orchestrator in Barca's midfield.
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