LaLiga has worst goal-per-game ratio in Europe's top leagues

Spain’s LaLiga is currently averaging the lowest amount of goals per game in over 30 years. Spanish outlet AS is reporting that top flight teams are combining to score just 2.42 goals per match. If this pace is continued until the end of the season, it would be the lowest number of average goals since the 1991/92 campaign.

LaLiga goal-per-game, overall scoring down across league

While these figures could reverse, as there are still 140 games to be played, the recent trend doesn’t look promising. Of the last five LaLiga matches, four of them ended in a shutout for one of the clubs.

League leaders Barcelona also have made it a habit to grind out 1-0 victories in LaLiga play. In fact, the Spanish giants have won nine total top flight matches this season with that scoreline.

There are currently only three Spanish sides with more than 40 league goals this season. The trio, Barca, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid, all currently occupy the top three places in the table. However, the Premier League has seven teams with at least 40 top flight goals.

Red cards on the rise in LaLiga

One particularly interesting factor in this low scoring is the amount of red cards this season in LaLiga play. The Athletic recently reported that Spanish top flight players have already racked up over 100 red cards this season.

This is compared to just 25 total red cards during the current Premier League campaign. The closest top European competition red card accumulation is Portugal’s Primeira Liga with 83. Players sent off tends to change matches completely. As a result, teams transition to a more defensive scheme.

According to AS, Germany’s Bundesliga currently leads the big European leagues with 3.16 goals per game. Eredivisie is second with 2.99, then Ligue 1 with 2.84, and the Premier League with 2.71. Serie A (2.52) and Primeira Liga (2.45) have a higher goal-per-game ratio than LaLiga as well.

PHOTO: IMAGO / Action Plus