FCBARCELONA.CAT

07.05.2007 10:39

Eto'o has best strike rate in Europe

Sergi Nogueras

With his goal against Real Sociedad, Samuel Eto'o has now scored 10 goals in 14 league matches. It’s a rate of return that cannot be matched by any striker in the main European leagues.

Samuel Eto'o is back in the kind of form he was showing before he fell injured on 27th September. His 10 goals in 14 league matches give him an average of 0.71 goals per match and a goal every 102 minutes, making him the most effective striker in the main European leagues. In the Spanish league, neither Kanouté (Sevilla) nor Van Nistelrooy (Real Madrid) can match his record. Kanouté has scored 19 goals in 29 matches (0.65 per match), that’s one every 121 minutes, while Van Nistlerooy has scored 21 in 31 matches (0.67), one every 132 minutes.

European rivals

If we look at the other major leagues, the story is much the same. Samuel Eto'o’s nearest rival is Greek striker Fanis Gekas of Bochum in the Bundesliga, who has scored 21 goals in 30 matches (0.70 per match). Next comes Roma striker Totti in the Serie A with 22 in 32 matches, an average of 0.68. Didier Drogba, of Chelsea, top scorer in the Premier League has averaged 0.54 goals per match while Steve Savidan of Valenciennes, top scorer in the French league, has an average of 0.41.

4 before the injury, 6 afterwards

Before succumbing to his knee injury, Samuel Eto'o had scored 4 goals in the opening 4 league games of the season. Since making his comeback, the Cameroon international has maintained an excellent score rate with 6 goals in 10 matches, even more impressive if we remember that he only played for 5 minutes in one of these matches, against Osasuna on the day of his comeback.

All in open play

Samuel Eto'o has scored all 10 goals in open play, 9 with his right foot and just one with his left – his first goal after a five-month layoff, against Athletic Bilbao. On two occasions he’s scored two goals in the same match – against Osasuna in the Camp Nou and against Recreativo in the Nuevo Colombino.