Top 10 players with most goals and assists in Europe's top 5 leagues.
By; Kadiri Toluwalase Akorede
As the 2018/19 season is already half way in Europe's top 5 leagues we take a quick look at the highest performing forwards with the most goals and assits combination.
#10. Luka Jović - 15 (1007 minutes)
With 12 goals and 3 assists in 15 matches in the Bundesliga this season, the young Serbian striker is the joint Bundesliga highest goals scorer. Having started the season as second choice striker, he has powered himself into the starting line up with strong performances, including bagging 5 goals in the 7-1 drubbing of Fortuna Dusseldorf, where he became the youngest player to score 5 goals in a game in the German top flight for Eintract Frankfurt.
The Eintract Frankfurt striker gets the nod over Robert Lewandowski having amassed more goals in fewer minutes than the Bayern Munich striker, despite having the same goals and assists contribution.
#9. Luis Suarez - 16 (1448 minutes)
The Uruguayan striker has not been at his usually prolific best so far this season, but makes the top 10 list having scored 12 goals in 17 games as well as weighing in with 4 assists to help Barcelona go 5 points clear of Atletico Madrid in La liga. Having begun the season slowly the Barcelona forward hit top form in October where he scored a hat trick and delivered a man of the match performance in Barcelona's 5-1 defeat of Real Madrid as well as laying on 2 goals to cap his most prolific month of the season. Although prolific in the league, but he is yet to to score in any other competition this season
#8. Neymar - 16 (1037 minutes)
The first ligue 1 entry and it's unsurprisingly the world's most expensive player, Neymar , who has continued to torment ligue 1 defenses picking up from where he left off last season prior to his injury. His numbers are impressive given Paris Saint-Germain coach, Thomas Tuchel, has deployed him in a slightly deeper role this season in the no 10 role, to help the Ligue 1 champions top of the league and unbeaten so far - one of only two sides to remain unbeaten in the top 5 leagues. His return of 11 goals is bettered only by Kylian Mbappé (13), Nicholas Pepe and Emiliano Sola (both 12). Also he's joint second in the assist chart and bettered only by Memphis Depay who leads the way with 7 assists to his name.
#7. Sébastien Haller - 17 (1362 minutes)
The second Bundesliga representative and team mate of Luka Jovic. Haller, alongside Jovic, are leading Frankfurt's push to qualify for the UEFA champions league for the first time since 1959. The uncapped French striker has weighed in with 9 goals and has assisted 8 (a league high) to his team mates to push Frankfurt up to 6th and just 4 points off 4th placed RB Leipzig who occupy the last CL place. However the 24 year old narrowly gets the nod ahead of Nicolas Pepe, Aubameyang and Fabio Quagliarella who are all tied on 17 goals plus assists combination, but the aforementioned trio having played more.
#6. Kylian Mbappé - 17 (927 minutes)
Having enjoyed a stellar 2018 club season and an even better showing in the world cup in Russia, the 20 year old world cup winner has been almost unplayable at times. He has scored a league high 13 goals and assisted a further 4 in 12 matches from just 9 starts. His form as been crucial to PSG's flawless season so far, who remain one of only two unbeaten teams in the Europe's top 5 leagues heading into the second half of the season.
#5. Nicolas Pépé - 18 (1697 minutes)
A surprise entry in the top 5 chosen ahead of Harry Kane who has been otherwise prolific in the current campaign. The French born Ivorian forward has already scored 13 goals in 19 Ligue 1 games for Lille, the same numbers he managed in 36 matches last season. The forward's contributions helping Lille sit second on 34 points and looking to qualify for the champions league. His form this season has alerted top clubs in Europe with Arsenal reportedly keen to signn the 24 year old and with such good numbers, it's not difficult to see why.
#4. Cristiano Ronaldo - 19 (1635 minutes)
The first and only representative of the serie A on the list and it's none but the 'goal machine' who has continued to bang in the goals following his shock move from Real Madrid to Juventus in the summer. The Juventus ace leads the scoring charts with 14 goals as Juventus remain undefeated in the league half way through the season. The 2017 Ballon d'Or winner has delivered when it mattered most ; coming off the bench to net a crucial equalizer in the 2-2 draw against Atalanta to preserve Juventus' unbeaten record, supplying a pair of assists in the 3-1 defeat of Napoli, amongst other stellar performances in the league this season. He is yet to reciprocate his league form in the CL though having scored just once in 5 matches.
#3. Eden Hazard - 19 (1585 minutes)
The first PL entrant and a well deserved one. The Belgian has picked up from where he left off in Russia and is currently enjoying one of his most prolific seasons for the Blues. The Chelsea attacker has allayed fears of a burn out with match winning performances in the 2018/19 season so far. With Spanish striker Alvaro Morata struggling for form and fitness this season, he leads the scoring chart for the Blues with 10 goals in 20 PL matches as well as assisting a joint league high 9 assists. His contibutions have been crucial to Chelsea's push for a return to the champions league under new boss Maurizio Sarri.
#2. Mohammed Salah - 20 (1759 minutes)
Salah exceeded expectations last season by scoring 44 goals in 52 club games following his summer move from Roma to Liverpool. However, the Egyptian attacker has shrugged off a slow start to the season to and has been back to his brilliant best to lead Liverpoolcs charge for a first PL title in over 3 decades. He has scored 13 league goals, bettered only by Harry Kane and Aubameyang - both 14, and assisted 7, inferior to Hazard and Fraser - both 9, to propel Liverpool 4 points clear in the PL. The 2018 CAF African player of the year form this season has certainly put to bed naysayers who believe he'll find it hard to replicate his 2017/18 scoring touch.
#1. Lionel Messi - 26 (1321 minutes)
The Argentine winger tops the list and is the second representative of La liga which is somewhat suprising giving the avalanche of strikers that ply their trade in the league.
The Barcelona winger continues to dazzle in the new season with his tally heads and shoulders above every other player in Europe's top 5 leagues as he remains the only player to record 10+ goals and assists ; 16 goals, 10 assists. A tally made even more impressive given he was out for a month due to a broken arm earlier in the season.
His match winning performances has helped the Catalan club go 5 points clear of title rivals Atletico Madrid. Having won the award for the highest goals scored in European league last season, the Barcelona ace is well on course to win a record sixth golden boot award should he keep up his already impressive scoring record.
Akorede Kadiri Toluwalase is a sports writer and enthusiast, he is also a poet, Corps member and Editor, sport desk, campus vapour
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