Although FC Bayern once again dropped points in their 2-2 draw against FC Augsburg, the German record champions are number one in Europe in one remarkable statistic. A recent study by the CIES Football Observatory shows that no other team from the 32 European leagues analyzed allows as few opponent shots on goal as the Munich side.
This statistic is likely to come as a surprise to some, especially after the Augsburg game. After all, Bayern conceded a goal just eight seconds into the match, inadvertently setting a new negative record. Manuel Neuer’s costly mistake set up Robin Fellhauer’s lightning-fast goal.
But while individual mistakes have recently led to unnecessary goals conceded, the overall defensive statistics speak for themselves. Vincent Kompany’s team rarely allows its opponents to get shots on goal.
Bayern leads Europe by a wide margin
According to data from the International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES), Bayern allows an average of just 4.9 opponent shots per game.
This puts the record champions in first place in a Europe-wide comparison. No other club from the 32 leagues analyzed has a lower figure.
The gap between Bayern and the competition is particularly striking. In second place is the Ukrainian club FK Kharkiv, which allows an average of 5.84 shots on goal. Panathinaikos Athens from Greece rounds out the top three with 6.12.
The Munich team also stands out when compared to Europe’s top clubs. Among the five major European leagues, only FC Barcelona, alongside Bayern, makes it into the top ten.
The Catalans rank tenth, allowing an average of 6.68 shots on goal. Other European heavyweights such as Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Paris Saint-Germain do not appear in the top 10.
Kompany’s style of play pays off defensively
The statistics underscore just how well Vincent Kompany’s style of play works in principle. With high pressing, plenty of possession, and an attacking defense, the Bayern coach aims to thwart opposing attacks as early as possible.
As a result, the Munich team manages to keep their opponents away from their own penalty area for long stretches of the game. The few shots on goal they’ve allowed are clear evidence of this.
However, the recent 2-2 draw against Augsburg also highlights the limitations of these statistics. Even if a team allows only a few scoring chances, individual mistakes and a failure to capitalize on opportunities can cost crucial points.
For Kompany, the ranking is likely a validation of his tactical approach. The key now will be to translate that defensive stability into results in the upcoming top-tier matches against RB Leipzig, Arsenal, and Borussia Dortmund.
FC Bayern tops the rankings by a wide margin. Behind them are mostly clubs from smaller European leagues.
These are the top ten teams in the CIES ranking
- FC Bayern (Germany): 4.90
- FK Kharkiv (Ukraine): 5.84
- Panathinaikos (Greece): 6.12
- FK RFS (Latvia): 6.19
- Dinamo Moscow (Russia): 6.27
- Vitória Guimarães (Portugal): 6.34
- Hajduk Split (Croatia): 6.50
- LNZ Cherkasy (Ukraine): 6.51
- Benfica Lisbon (Portugal): 6.58
- FC Barcelona (Spain): 6.68