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It’s Christmas Eve, and by now each and every one of you will be knee-deep in the “festive period”: your credit cards will be maxed out, the onset of gout is just around the corner, and your liver is the complexion and consistency of a duck pate that’s been sat in the sun too long.
So, to cheer your spirits and ease you through the final few days of gluttony and greed, The18 decided to pen a new – nay, improved – version of a classic Christmas carol. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, through the power of song we bring you a dozen footballing facts from the season in Europe so far.
All together now: On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me…
Twelve Goals In One Game
Numancia and Lugo, playing in Spain’s Segunda Division, produced a phenomenal display of defensive ineptitude last weekend as they recorded a 6-6 draw; the first time 12 goals have been scored in a Spanish professional fixture since 1955. The score was just one apiece at half-time.
Eleven Points a-Leading
Bayern Munich are currently 11 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga, are yet to lose a game and have conceded a Scrooge-like four goals after 17 fixtures; the lowest ever in the opening half of a Bundesliga season.
Ten Goals To The Good
With 25 goals in just 14 La Liga appearances, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored ten more goals than the man he calls The M**********r.
Totally normal Christmas going on with CR7 and Irina Shayk. Nothing to look at here. Move along. (Photo: @HelloMag | Twitter)
Nine Shiny Trophies
Pep Guardiola has won four league titles, three domestic cups and two Champions Leagues in just five full seasons as a top-flight manager at Barcelona and Bayern Munich. We haven’t even bothered counting the fistful of minor silverware (Supercups and Supercopas) he’s also collected.
Eight Games-a-Waiting
It took Luis Suarez eight games to break his La Liga scoring duck for Barcelona (though he did find the net a little sooner in the Champions League). He celebrated by biting Pedro’s neck.
Seven Spanish Hat Tricks
Messrs. Ronaldo and Messi already have seven hat tricks between them in all competitions this season
Six Points At Christmas
With just two wins and a draw in 16 Serie A fixtures, and having been docked a point for failing to pay players’ wages, Parma are nine points adrift of safety and a whopping 33 points behind leaders Juventus. They have the worst record of any team playing in Europe’s top leagues.
Fiiiiiiive Ballon D’Orrrrrs
If Leo Messi picks up the 2014 FIFA World Player of the Year award in January, it’ll be his fifth Ballon D’Or. The next best is Johann Cruyff with three.
What? Another one of these? I'm honored and, frankly, a little bored. (Photo: @AllFootballLive | Twitter)
Four Man-a-gers
Watford FC, playing in England’s Championship division, have already had four different managers in the 2014-15 season to date, including three in September alone.
Three World Cups
Tony Kroos has won three world cups in 365 days: the 2013 FIFA World Club Cup (21st December 2013) with Bayern Munich, the 2014 World Cup with Germany in June, and the 2014 FIFA World Club Cup (20th December 2014) with Real Madrid. Quite a year.
Two Gilded Gloves
Sunderland goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon has lost only two of the 15 Premier League games he’s played for Sunderland and Man City. Since taking over the gloves from Vito Mannone in November, Sunderland have conceded just four goals in eight Premier League games. Under Mannone, the Black Cats conceded 17 in nine.
And A Point From Their La-ast Thirty
Having recorded nine losses and a solitary draw in their last ten Premier League games, Leicester City have earned just a single point from a possible 30, scoring just five goals. This after beating Man United 5-3 back in September.
So...should we pack our things now, or wait until after the match? Photo: @FIFA | Twitter
Happy non-denominational, December-based holiday period one and all.
