Lionel Messi 19/20 La Liga campaign stats DEBUNKED

How stats can fool you (A Thread)

I want to start off by saying I do not dislike/hate Messi in any shape or form. I simply think his campaign is overrated and overlooked just by his stats.

Most people see these stats without context and think it’s one of the best league campaigns ever. I’m here to debunk it.

Messi 19/20 La Liga stats

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🎖" title="Militärmedaille" aria-label="Emoji: Militärmedaille">33 games played
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="⚽️" title="Fußball" aria-label="Emoji: Fußball"> 25 goals
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🅰️" title="Invertierter quadratischer lateinischer Buchstabe A" aria-label="Emoji: Invertierter quadratischer lateinischer Buchstabe A"> 21 assists

These stats are insane without context.

Now let’s dig deeper. What teams did he score these against? How many from open play? How many game winners? Keep reading https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👁" title="Auge" aria-label="Emoji: Auge">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="⬇️" title="Pfeil nach unten" aria-label="Emoji: Pfeil nach unten">

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="➡️" title="Pfeil nach rechts" aria-label="Emoji: Pfeil nach rechts"> Below Top 10 Teams Goals

20/25 of Messi’s La Liga goals came vs below top 10 teams. That’s 80% of his goals. 80%. That’s insane.

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="➡️" title="Pfeil nach rechts" aria-label="Emoji: Pfeil nach rechts"> Top 10 Teams Goals

Out of the only 5 goals (FIVE) he scored vs t10 teams, only 2/5 were from open play.

- Goal vs Atletico
- Goal vs Granada
- Penalty vs Atletico
- Penalty vs Sociedad
- Freekick vs Sevilla

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="➡️" title="Pfeil nach rechts" aria-label="Emoji: Pfeil nach rechts"> Points won with goals

Messi only has 6 game winning goals. Incredibly poor considering most of his goals were against smaller competitors.

Neymar who’s only played half of Messi’s league games has more game winning goals.

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="➡️" title="Pfeil nach rechts" aria-label="Emoji: Pfeil nach rechts"> Stat-padding

How many goals came when the game was almost finished?

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="⚽️" title="Fußball" aria-label="Emoji: Fußball"> vs Sevilla (H). 4-0 in 78’ min
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="⚽️" title="Fußball" aria-label="Emoji: Fußball"> vs Valladolid (H). 4-1 in 75’ min
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="⚽️" title="Fußball" aria-label="Emoji: Fußball"> vs Mallorca (H). 5-2 in 83’ min
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="⚽️" title="Fußball" aria-label="Emoji: Fußball"> vs Eibar (H). 4-0 in 87’ min
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="⚽️" title="Fußball" aria-label="Emoji: Fußball"> vs Mallorca (A). 4-0 in 93’ min
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="⚽️" title="Fußball" aria-label="Emoji: Fußball"> vs Alaves (A). 5-0 in 75’ min

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🅰️" title="Invertierter quadratischer lateinischer Buchstabe A" aria-label="Emoji: Invertierter quadratischer lateinischer Buchstabe A"> Assists with context (1/2)

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="➡️" title="Pfeil nach rechts" aria-label="Emoji: Pfeil nach rechts"> 21 assists
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="➡️" title="Pfeil nach rechts" aria-label="Emoji: Pfeil nach rechts"> 15 open play assists
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="➡️" title="Pfeil nach rechts" aria-label="Emoji: Pfeil nach rechts"> 5 side pass assists
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="➡️" title="Pfeil nach rechts" aria-label="Emoji: Pfeil nach rechts"> 4 freekick assists
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="➡️" title="Pfeil nach rechts" aria-label="Emoji: Pfeil nach rechts"> 1 backwards pass assist
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="➡️" title="Pfeil nach rechts" aria-label="Emoji: Pfeil nach rechts"> 1 accidental assist
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="➡️" title="Pfeil nach rechts" aria-label="Emoji: Pfeil nach rechts"> 1 deflected assist that shouldn’t count

Messi is a great playmaker, but this 21 assist stat is overrated

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🅰️" title="Invertierter quadratischer lateinischer Buchstabe A" aria-label="Emoji: Invertierter quadratischer lateinischer Buchstabe A"> Assists with context (2/2)

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="➡️" title="Pfeil nach rechts" aria-label="Emoji: Pfeil nach rechts">Assists vs Madrid and Atletico - 0

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="➡️" title="Pfeil nach rechts" aria-label="Emoji: Pfeil nach rechts">Assists vs Top 10 - 5

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="➡️" title="Pfeil nach rechts" aria-label="Emoji: Pfeil nach rechts"> Assists vs Bottom 10 - 16

I couldve gone into more detail about his La Liga campaign outside of stats including his terrible el Clasico performances home and away when it mattered.

But the thread would be too long.

End of thread. Likes and retweets appreciated.