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A lot of goals have been scored in Europe's top five leagues this season, and we are only halfway past the ongoing campaign. Despite the pandemic and its consequences, 'Expect the unexpected' has indeed been this season's theme.
In the Premier League, defending champions Liverpool have visibly struggled and currently find themselves in fourth place - ten points adrift of league-leaders Manchester City. Plagued by injuries to key players, goal-shy Liverpool's title defence is almost in tatters, and even a top-four finish could be a challenging proposition for them.
La Liga has also thrown up a few surprises; the usual suspects - Barcelona and Real Madrid - have struggled to cope with leaders Atletico Madrid, who currently hold an 8-point lead at the top and have a game to spare. Though Barcelona have scored the most La Liga goals this season - led by the irrepressible Lionel Messi - they are unlikely to mount a title challenge.
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AC Milan have seemingly laid siege in the Serie A, as they hold the top spot on the table, holding off the likes of Inter Milan and Juventus. The Bianconeri, powered by Cristiano Ronaldo's goals, have had an indifferent campaign and find themselves in third places, seven points off the league summit.
Ligue 1's defending champions - Paris Saint-Germain - have also failed to assert their dominance in the league; they are third in the division, albeit just three points shy of league-leaders Lille, who were not expected to sit atop the table 24 games into the season.
However, Bayern Munich are the only defending champions in Europe's top 5 divisions who are topping their league table. The Bavarian giants have scored a whopping 58 goals, which is 17 more than any other club in the division. Bayern are also seven points clear of second-placed RB Leipzig, who have scored only 35 goals.
Top ten goal-scorers in Europe's top five leagues in 2020-21
With surprises galore across the board, the usual goal-scorers have been joined by a few others in the top echelons of the goal-scoring charts.
On that note, let us have a look at the ten most prolific goal-scorers in Europe's top five leagues as on 8th February 2021.
#10 Ciro Immobile (Lazio) - 14 goals in 19 games
Lazio are the only team to have won all of their last five matches in Serie A. Their success is directly attributable to the form of their main striker, Ciro Immobile. who has scored goals galore this season after a 36-goal campaign in 2019-20.
The 30-year-old has been one of the most prolific strikers in the world in the past few years, and this season has been no different.
In 19 Serie A appearances for Lazio this season, Immobile has scored 14 goals and assisted three more, helping Lazio to fifth place in the league table.
#9 Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan) - 14 goals in 11 games
The fact that he is 39 years old seemingly means nothing to AC Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who continues to enthrall the world with his fabulous footballing abilities.
Throughout his career, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has delivered goals with remarkable consistency, and age truly is just a number for the Swedish superstar.
In only 11 appearances for AC Milan in the 2020-21 Serie A, Ibrahimovic has already scored 14 goals, doing so at an incredible conversion rate of more than a goal per game.
There is little doubt that Zlatan Ibrahimovich's rich goal-scoring form will be crucial for AC Milan holding off serial winners Juventus and win their first league title in a decade.
#8 Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund) - 14 goals in 15 games
Winner of the 2020 Golden Boy Award, Erling 'goal' Haaland is already widely considered to be one of the best strikers in the world at the age of just 20.
Since moving to Borussia Dortmund in January 2020, Haaland has scored a staggering 38 goals in only 40 appearances across competitions.
In the ongoing season, Haaland has scored 22 goals in 22 as many matches in all competitions; 14 of them have come in 15 Bundesliga games, along with four assists.
#7 Romelu Lukaku (Inter Milan) - 14 goals in 20 games
Inter Milan's record signing Romelu Lukaku has been among the goals ever since his arrival at the club last season.
The 27-year-old could well be on course to register his best single-season goal tally this campaign; he has already scored 20 goals in 27 matches across competitions for Inter Milan.
In the league, Lukaku has made 20 appearances and registered 14 goals and three assists as Inter continue to breathe down the necks of league-leaders AC Milan.
#6 Luis Suarez (Atletico Madrid) - 16 goals in 17 matches
Within less than five months of his move to Atletico Madrid, Luis Suarez has ostensibly made Barcelona rue their decision of letting him go.
The 34-year-old has scored 16 goals in 17 La Liga matches this season, equalling his goal tally in the league last season, which he conjured from 28 games.
Suarez's goals have undeniably aided Atletico Madrid to hold onto top spot in the La Liga table. His continued good form could help the Rojiblancos lift their first league title in seven years.
#5 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) - 16 goals in 22 games
Despite Liverpool's struggles this season, Mohamed Salah has continued to find the back of the net, much like he has throughout his stint at the club.
The 28-year-old has scored 16 goals in the 2020-21 Premier League and is the club's leading goal-scorer by far. In fact, Salah has scored more than twice as many goals as anyone else for Liverpool this campaign.
Liverpool will hope that Salah continues to deliver as they try to confirm a top-four spot at the end of the season.
#4 Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain) - 16 goals in 20 games
Arguably one of the best players in the game at the moment, Kylian Mbappe has had a goal-rich campaign. The 22-year-old is only two goals shy of becoming Paris Saint-Germain's third-highest goal-scorer of all time.
Mbappe has made 20 appearances in the ongoing Ligue 1 season, scoring 16 goals and assisting six as PSG look to recoup first place in the league.
#3 Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus) - 16 goals in 17 games
Cristiano Ronaldo truly seems to be ageing like fine wine, as he recently became the sport's all-time leading goal-scorer.
Currently playing his third season for Juventus, the 36-year-old has already scored 88 goals in all competitions for the Italian giants.
This season, Ronaldo has scored 23 goals in 24 matches across competitions, with 16 of them coming in just 17 league appearances.
Seven points short of league-leaders AC Milan, Juventus will seek to win a tenth-consecutive Scudetto, with Ronaldo likely to play a key role in their quest.
#2 Andre Silva (Eintracht Frankfurt) - 17 goals in 19 games
Andre Silva moved from AC Milan to Eintracht Frankfurt on a two-year loan spell in September 2019.
During his short stint with the Bundesliga side, the 25-year-old has been absolutely prolific, scoring 34 times and making ten assists in 58 matches across competitions.
In the ongoing Bundesliga season, Andre Silva has scored 17 goals and made three assists in 19 matches. No doubt, Frankfurt are not regretting making his move permanent last year.
#1 Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich) - 24 goals in 19 games
Arguably the hottest striker in the game at the moment, Robert Lewandowski has seemingly continued from where he left off last campaign.
After scoring a staggering 55 goals in 47 matches across competitions, helping Bayern Munich to their second continental treble, Lewandowski has been at it again, scoring goals seemingly for fun.
Lewandowski has already scored 29 goals and assisted seven in 27 appearances across competitions.
In the Bundesliga, the Poland international has plundered 24 goals and provided six assists in just 19 league matches.
Robert Lewandowski is already seven clear of the next-most prolific goal-scorer in the continent's top five leagues this season as he has his eyes firmly on the European Golden Boot and Gerd Muller's record of 40 Bundesliga goals.
