La Liga 2016/17 - Analysis of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Cristiano Ronaldo's scoring patterns

A detailed analysis done by noted football journalist Petter Velland has shown the patterns of scoring for the top scorers in La Liga, for which he has taken different parameters including where (home, away); when (1st half, 2^nd half), scored with (left, right, head), type of goal (free kick, penalty, build up, counter, set-piece), area scored from (0-5m, 5-16m, 16+), importance (winner, equaliser/lead, points won, % of team, min. per goal and last, but not least, teams scored against (top 7, 8-17, bottom 3)

Here are the most important, and interesting, takeaways from the same with respect to the top 3 scorers in La Liga, Luis Suarez and Cristiano Ronaldo:

The Where:

Player	Total	Home	Away	% Away
Lionel Messi	25	13	12	48%
Luis Suarez	21	11	10	48%
Cristiano Ronaldo	19	8	11	58%

The How:

Player	Freekick	Penalty	Build up	Counter	Set-piece
Lionel Messi	2	4	13	6	0
Luis Suarez	1	0	9	8	3
Cristiano Ronaldo	1	6	10	1	1

The Importance:

Player	Winner	Equ/Lead	Pts Won	% of team	Min/Goal
Lionel Messi	5	14	14	30.9%	81.96
Luis Suarez	2	11	6	25.9%	99.57
Cristiano Ronaldo	5	10	12	26.7%	101.05

The Scored against whom: (as per position in La Liga table)

Player	1-7	8-17	18-20	% against top teams
Lionel Messi	5	17	3	20%
Luis Suarez	2	16	3	9%
Cristiano Ronaldo	6	8	5	32%

While Leo Messi is miles away in terms purely of goals scored (both home and away) as well as points won, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored the most goals against the top 7 La Liga sides, more than anyone else in the league. He has also fared better away from home this season – the only player in the top 10 to have such a ratio.

Other interesting stats

- Highest % of team goals: 37.5%, Iago Aspas of Celta Vigo

- Most goals scored in the 1^st half: 10, Cristiano Ronaldo

- Most goals scored in the 2^nd half: 16, Lionel Messi

- Most no. of goals scored with right foot: 16, Luis Suarez (only Ronaldo with 14 gets into double figures on the right foot!)

- Most no. of goals scored with left foot: 21, Lionel Messi (only Aspas with 13 gets into double figures on the left!)

- Most no. of goals with headers: 5, Cristiano Ronaldo and Willian Jose (Real Sociedad)

- Most no. of goals scored within 5 metres: 5, Luis Suarez

- Most no. of goals scored between 5-16 metres: 16, Lionel Messi (Suarez and Ronaldo both have 15)

- Most no. of goals scored from beyond 16 metres: 6, Lionel Messi