The big names turned up Tuesday in the Champions League. Lionel Messi scored a valuable away goal at Stamford Bridge, while Robert Lewandowski led a 5-0 rout against Besiktas‘ dispirited 10 men.
Here’s a look at the most interesting numbers from the first legs of each tie:
0: Chelsea is yet to lose a match this season when Willian hits the back of the net. He’s tallied in nine matches across all competitions – seven of them ending in victories and two in draws.
5: Besiktas allowed as many goals in a single match against Bayern as it did in its previous six group-stage matches combined.
6: Willian’s opener against Barcelona was his sixth Champions League goal from outside the box since the start of the 2013-14 season. No player has scored more in that span.
7: Domagoj Vida‘s dismissal for a last-ditch tackle on Lewandowski was Besiktas’ seventh sending-off offence of the campaign. Three of those red cards came in a fiery September derby against Fenerbahce.
9: By virtue of a slick equaliser versus Chelsea, Messi scored his first goal against the Blues in nine appearances.
14: Jupp Heynckes has …read more