Analysis
One question per piece, answered with data and charts.
- Messi's 17 seasons in one map: winger, false nine, playmaker
Where Lionel Messi received the ball in every La Liga season for Barcelona shows three roles: a right winger until 2009, a false nine who lived in the middle, and finally a playmaker who started more of his work in his own half.
- Barcelona had the ball. How did Real Madrid win El Clásico?
Barcelona attempted 62% of the passes and outshot Madrid 18 to 10, but Madrid created twice as many big chances, and Kylian Mbappé finished two of them.
- Two ways to go unbeaten: how Arsenal and Leverkusen protected their leads
Arsenal's Invincibles and Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen both went a league season unbeaten and both finished on 90 points. Arsenal managed games once they were ahead; Leverkusen kept attacking, won every match they led and took nine extra points after the 75th minute.
- Did the red card beat Milan, or had Bournemouth already won?
Bournemouth did their best work in the 27 minutes of 11 against 11. The red card gave them the ball, but it did not give them more chances.