Season Review 2019/20

Welcome

Welcome to Stats Perform’s Spanish La Liga season review for the 2019/20 league season.

Interactive and showcasing a host of detailed performance metrics, this report provides insight into the league’s standout performers, applying innovative frameworks produced by our team of AI scientists.

Within this review, we share a comprehensive breakdown of performance at the key ends of the pitch, as well as sharing detailed insight on team style, both in and out of possession. Detailed player analysis also features, with key metrics ranked across different positions.

Notable additions to our reviews this summer include details on the teams most effective at generating opportunities from high turnovers, together with insights into how each team approached the changes to the goal kick rule. We also apply metrics to highlight the ball carrying players who were effective at generating goalscoring opportunities through running with the ball.

These new features reflect Stats Perform’s ongoing commitment to further explore how performance data can inform a club’s decision-making across performance analysis, recruitment and long-term strategic planning.

We hope you find some interesting insights from this review.

Team

Expected Goals (For)

Overview

Key Points:

• Ranked by league position, this table outlines teams’ performances in front of goal, from both open play and set piece situations.

• Barcelona’s ability to generate high quality chances from open play was demonstrated by amassing an xG output of 54.4 from 383 shots. The league runners-up posted 37 fewer shots than champions Real Madrid, but the superior quality of their shot locations resulted in them posting a higher xG output, which they subsequently over-performed on by more than 11 goals.

• 29% of Alaves’ xG output came from set pieces, the highest ratio in the league. Barcelona sat at the other end of the spectrum, having generated 88% of their xG output from open play.

• Sevilla scored the most goals from set-pieces, having recorded the most shots and the highest xG in the competition. Their goals total was matched by rivals Betis, with both sides scoring roughly in line with what we would expect based on the quality of chances created.

• Only two teams, Barcelona and Celta Vigo, exceeded their xG from set pieces by two clear goals, with six teams underperforming by at least two goals. Lionel Messi scored 5 of Barcelona’s 12 set piece goals directly from free kicks, a tally of direct free kick goals better than any other player in the top five European leagues this season.

• Relegated Espanyol scored a large proportion of their total goals from set pieces, however they significantly underperformed in front of goal from open play, scoring 50% fewer goals than they perhaps would have expected to based on the quality of chances they created.

Expected Goals For

		Set Play : Total	Open Play			Set Play
	Team	xG Ratio	Shots	xG	Goals	SP Shots	SP xG	SP Goals
	Real Madrid	0.16	420	49.0	48	132	11.3	10
	Barcelona	0.12	383	54.4	66	105	8.0	12
	Atlético de Madrid	0.19	312	40.8	34	128	10.8	10