10 most efficient forwards in Europe

#6 Carlos Bacca – Sevilla and AC Milan – 20.97%

Carlos Bacca’s efficiency in front of goal has made top clubs sit up and notice

For years, Carlos Bacca has confounded statisticians everywhere – the Colombian has always remained an outlier when it comes to xG (expected goals) mapping, and thus his presence in the list of most efficient strikers in Europe is not all that much of a surprise.

Bacca would have been further higher up the list had penalties been taken into account – he’s taken 16 of them over the last three seasons (8 for Sevilla, 8 for AC Milan), and scored 12. What’s very telling about the kind of striker Bacca is, is that the Colombian has taken only 186 shots over three seasons – where most strikers average around 220-250.

Very few of his shots are blocked, which points to the face that Bacca probably never shoots unless there is a great chance for a goal, perhaps explaining why clubs have never made their interest permanent in the AC Milan striker. A conversion rate of 20.97% is nothing to frown upon though, and Bacca will still retain his efficiency in front of goal, especially given Milan are rejuvenating their midfield.

SeasonShots On TargetShots Off TargetShots BlockedTotal ShotsGoalsConversion %2014/1536178611422.952015/16352218751621.332016/172417950918.00Total9556351863920.97