FCBARCELONA.CAT

10.03.2010 11:30

Top scorers go head to head in the Camp Nou

Jesús Carrillo

The two highest scorers in the Spanish League will both be on the Camp Nou pitch this Sunday. Leo Messi, with 19 goals, and David Villa, with 17, are the two main candidates to lift the ‘pichichi’ trophy at the end of the season.

Messi is currently leading the ranking of goal scorers in La Liga with a two-goal advantage over Valencia’s David Villa. In addition, Messi has a superior percentage of chances converted into goals. He scores from 19% of his shots while for Villa it’s 17%. Messi has played 22 league matches, 19 in the starting eleven and 3 coming on off the bench. Villa has played 24 league matches, all of them from the starting line-up.

One hundred goal efforts

Messi has produced 100 shots on goal so far this league season while Villa has done so on 102 occasions. Messi has scored 14 of his goals with his left foot, 3 with the right foot and 2 with the head. Former Sporting and Zaragoza striker Villa has scored 11 goals with his right foot, 3 with his left and 3 with his head.

More stats

An analysis of their stats produces many interesting aspects. Apart from his 19 goals, Messi has provided 9 goal assists, received just one yellow card and been caught offside 6 times. Villa, on the other hand, has produced 2 goal assists, has been shown 4 yellow cards and been caught offside on 35 occasions.

Team and personal objectives

Strange though it may seem, Messi has never won the ‘pichichi’ trophy for the Spanish League’s top scorer. And, despite being one of Spain’s leading strikers in recent years, neither has Villa. So on Sunday evening they will both be trying to win the three points for their team as well as improving their personal chances of taking the ‘pichichi’ trophy at the end of the season.