'The Players With The Most Man Of The Match Awards This Season

No one will be surprised to find that Lionel Messi has been man of the match more times than anyone else in Europe's top five leagues so far this season, but there's some surprising names on the list.

It's not been a vintage season for Barcelona this season so far, and arguably not even for Messi, but once again their superstar leads the way when it comes to carrying his team.

Stats experts WhoScored give a rating to every player for every game and ten times this season Messi has outscored the other 21 players on the pitch, meaning no one else has as many man of the match performances as him.

1. Lionel Messi - 10 Man of the Match, 8.67 average rating.

2. Neymar - 8, 8.66.

=. Cristiano Ronaldo - 8, 7.91.

=. Ciro Immobile - 8, 7.75.

Immobile is Europe's leading marksman in the race for the Golden Shoe. Image: PA Images

=. Timo Werner - 8, 7.69.

=. Joselu - 8, 7.33.

7. Dimitri Payet - 7, 7.71.

=. Karim Benzema - 7, 7.57.

9. Jadon Sancho - 6, 7.97.

Sancho has been linked with a return to England and has been in supreme form again this season. Image: PA Images

=. Kevin de Bruyne - 6, 7.90.

=. Josip Ilicic - 6, 7.86.

=. Angel di Maria - 6, 7.78.

=. Adama Traore - 6, 7.75.

Adama Traore has been unplayable this season. Image: PA Images

=. Luis Alberto - 6, 7.67.

=. Sadio Mane - 6, 7.51.

=. Marcus Rashford - 6, 7.34.

=. Emiliano Buendia - 6, 7.32.

Norwich's Buendia is one of the more surprising names on the list. Image: PA Images

=. Nabil Fekir - 6, 7.31.

=. Denis Bouanga - 6, 7.06 .

Denis Bouanga is one of the lesser known players to appear. Image: PA Images

So far this season Messi has 14 goals and 11 assists in La Liga, as Barca battle for the title with rivals Real Madrid, but despite being instrumental he's unlikely to win another Golden Shoe this season.

The only six time winner is well down in 13th and is currently 12 goals behind Lazio's Ciro Immobile, who has helped put the Italian's third in Serie A and just three points behind Inter and Juventus.

For Barca fans it's scary to think how far away from Real they'd be without Messi, with the recent rumours it could soon be their reality.

source https://www.sportbible.com/football/top-10s-stats-the-players-with-the-most-man-of-the-match-awards-this-season-20200213