| Soccer Statistics Corner: A look at Europe's top leagues |
| Written by Alessandro Nicolo | |
| Saturday, 08 December 2007 | |
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Here are some statistics for the Finals and Semi final balance for Champions League, UEFA Cup, Cup Winners Cup; Super Cup; Intercontinental Cup:
Note: Super Cup and Intercontinental Cup are one game finals. The rankings are as follows:
Finals:
Wins:
By percentage:
Semi-finals balance for Champions League, UEFA Cup, Cup Winners Cup: Champions League
Titles:
Finals:
Semi-Finals:
Spain led Europe between 1960-1966 and 2000 to the present
Total number of years leading:
Current coefficients: Final thoughts: The current coefficient figures reflect what has been going on this decade. Spanish clubs have performed best while French teams (Ligue Un) have had one of its strongest runs ever. The last time French clubs peformed decently well in Europe were in the 1950s with clubs like St. Etienne and Stade de Reims. Does this mean Ligue Un is stronger than the Bundesliga? Not necessarily. When measuring Europe’s top soccer leagues it always comes down to a debate that considers objectivity and style. Many people tend to gravitate toward debating on the aesthetic. Looking at the objective entails gathering the whole picture. Unfortunately, there is no way to measure “style” with any competence or objectivity. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. However, sports are based on results and the best way to see who does best is to tally up the facts and figures. Statistics tend to even out how we view leagues since they erase any misperceptions and allow for a concrete look at how they perform. Even then, it is not full proof. We are dealing with different cultures each of whom have an opposing interpretation of how to play the game. It is not perfect and nor should it be lest it takes away the joy in discussing and arguing about soccer! Considered above were the titles and finals as well as the semi-finals balance from five tournaments to reveal the overall strength of each league.
That being said, as the totals show, historically and in terms of titles Serie A has a slight edge over its La Liga and Premiership counterparts. In terms of coefficient dominance, La Liga has a slim lead on Serie A.
A statistic that does not show up here (and one may not consider it of great importance) is the number of different teams that have won and participated in the finals and semi finals from each league. The Premiership leads the way followed by the Bundesliga. La Liga and Serie are virtually similar with Serie A earning the slight nod. |
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| Last Updated ( Saturday, 08 December 2007 ) |