Fact Check: Best Stats from this Weekend's (11-12 Feb) European Footballing Action

Another stats-filled weekend of European Football came to a close as the world waits with bated breath for the return of the UEFA Champions League.

In England, league leaders Arsenal dropped points for the second successive game, whereas Manchester City put their foot down and pummeled Aston Villa. Manchester United secured a vital win against Leeds United and strengthened their bid for a top-four finish, while Londoners Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur dropped crucial points.

In Spain, Real Madrid were out of action to participate in the Club World Cup. Barcelona took complete control of the title race in their absence by beating Villareal and pulling 11 points clear at the top. Atletico Madrid maintained their lead in the race for the top-four with a win over Celta Vigo.

In Italy, Napoli decimated Cremonese to continue their march towards the Serie A title. Meanwhile, Juventus beat Fiorentina and Milan came back to winning ways following three successive league defeats. Inter, Roma, and Atalanta occupy the remaining three spots in the top-four.

In Germany, Bayern Munich looked in good touch during their win over VfL Bochum, while Dortmund registered a comprehensive win over Werder Bremen. Union Berlin made an inspiring comeback against RB Leipzig to register their fifth consecutive victory, and they remain only a point behind the Bavarians.

In France, PSG were brushed aside by Monaco in a game where both Messi and Mbappe were out injured. With Marseille gaining three crucial points in the title race, they still have a shot at the Ligue 1 title.

So, without further ado, here are the best stats from this weekend's European footballing action:

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Best Stats from this Weekend's European Footballing Action (League-wise)

Premier League

• Pep Guardiola became the 29th manager to reach the 250 games landmark in the Premier League. Moreover, his 184 wins are the most for any manager in their first 250 games in charge in the PL.
• David de Gea has played 400 PL games for Manchester United so far, tying Gary Neville for third-most all-time for the club. Only Ryan Giggs (632) and Paul Scholes (499) have played more PL games for United than the Spaniard.
• Brentford have scored 15 goals from set-pieces in the PL this season, more than any other club in the league.
• Their draw against Brentford was only the second time that Arsenal dropped points after having taken the lead in a game in the Premier League this season.
• Chelsea have drawn three consecutive PL games for the first time since 2012 under Andre Villas-Boas.

LaLiga

• Barcelona have kept 16 clean sheets in La Liga this season, the most for any club in Europe's top five leagues. Juventus are second in the stats with 14 clean sheets.
• Stefan Savic has been shown a red card in three of his past five appearances for Atletico Madrid.
• Atletico have won 74 matches with a 1-0 scoreline since Simeone took charge of the club in 2012.
• Pedri has won 10 points for Barcelona by scoring six times in the league, level with Borja Iglesias as the most for any player in La Liga this season. Terrific stats from someone who has just turned 20.
• Barcelona have won their last eight games in all competitions, keeping a clean sheet in six of those matches.

Serie A

• Napoli have accumulated 59 points in the first 22 games of the Serie A season. Only Inter (2006/07) and Juventus (2018/19) managed to gather more points (60) in the first 22 games of a Serie A campaign. Napoli continue to generate record-breaking stats.
• Victor Osimhen has been directly involved in 21 league goals this season. Only Haaland (29) and Neymar (22) have been directly involved in more goals than the Nigerian.
• Juventus have kept 14 clean sheets in Serie A this season, more than any other club in the league.
• AC Milan have played 3000 games in Serie A, becoming only the fourth club after Juventus, Roma, and Inter to reach that figure.
• Victor Osimhen has scored in his last six Serie A appearances. The last player to reach this streak in a single season was Gonzalo Higuain (2016). The Nigerian continues to produce stats beyond expectations this season.

Bundesliga

• Union Berlin have won five consecutive Bundesliga games for the first time in their club's history.
• Thomas Muller has played 428 Bundesliga games for Bayern Munich, surpassing Gerd Muller to become the club's record appearance maker.
• Borussia Dortmund's substitutes have scored ten league goals this season, the most for any club in Bundesliga.
• Union Berlin have scored six goals for corner kicks this season, the most for any club in the league.

Ligue 1

• PSG has lost all seven of their recent games when they have been down by multiple goals.
• PSG have lost two consecutive matches for the first time since March 2022.
• Marseille have won their last five away games in Ligue 1, the best such streak this season across Europe's top five leagues (alongside Barcelona).

Stats courtesy of ESPN & WhoScored.