Jordi Alba, Europe's top defender for assists
Jordi Alba is still creating both chances and goals. In Sunday’s 2-1 win at Elche it was his pass that set up Ferran Torres for the equaliser, already his seventh league assists this season, and ninth in total.
Most assisting defender of the decade
Since Alba came to Barça in 2012, no defender in Europe’s top five leagues can match his 55 assists. He is followed by Andrew Robertson with 48, Trent Alexander-Arnold (44), both of the Premier League, his team-mate Dani Alves (38) and Real Madrid’s Marcelo (37).
82 assists in total
Counting all competitions, the Barça defender’s tally rises to 82 assists, which are around eight per season and goes to show that he is a player who not only contributes to defensive duties, but also be the attack.
His most prolific campaigns have been 2018/19 (15 assists in all competitions), 2020/21 (13) and 2017/18 (11). So with nine already and three months of football still to be played, this is on course to be his best season ever.
He has also scored 24 goals of his own in that time, including two this season, both in February, against Atlético Madrid and Napoli, meaning he has directly contrinuted to 106 goals in total.
23 receivers
The players that have benefited most from Alba’s passes have been Leo Messi (23) and Luis Suárez (20). They are followed by Griezmann (6), Ansu Fati (5), Neymar Jr and Coutinho (3), Memphis, Frenkie de Jong, Pedro, Alexis Sánchez and Xavi (2), and one each for Aubameyang, Braithwaite, Dembélé, Mingueza, Paco Alcácer, Pedri, Piqué, Sergi Roberto, Arda Turán, Vidal, Villa and now, following Sunday, Ferran Torres.
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