The toughest opponent to score against in the top 5 European football leagues

Written by Paul Kemp

Paul Kemp is an experienced sports writer covering Soccer, NBA and NHL. He also writes in depth reviews of sports betting sites based on his personal experience.

, | Updated: January 19, 2023

All 98 teams from the top five European leagues are listed in this section of SportingPedia, ranked based on their defensive records. We examine three separate defensive categories for each of the 98 clubs competing in the top divisions of football in England, Spain, France, Italy, and Germany, including goals conceded, clean sheets kept, and shots on target allowed. All five championships are at around the same point of the season, which gives us a solid foundation to compare their defensive performances.

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English Premier League
La Liga
Bundesliga
Serie A
Ligue 1
All 98 Teams

English Premier League

Team	Games Played	Clean Sheets	Goals Conceded	Shots on Target Faced	clean sheets as % of the team’s all games	Shots on target needed to score against the team	Goals conceded per game
Newcastle	19	11	11	64	58	5.8	0.58
Arsenal	18	9	14	55	50	3.9	0.78
Manchester City	18	7	18	49	39	2.7	1.00
Chelsea	19	6	21	89	32	4.2	1.11
Manchester United	19	8	22	76	42	3.5	1.16
West Ham	19	3	25	82	16	3.3	1.32
Everton	19	4	26	103	21	4.0	1.37
Brighton	18	5	25	69	28	2.8	1.39
Liverpool	18	4	25	88	22	3.5	1.39
Tottenham	19	5	27	85	26	3.1	1.42
Aston Villa	19	4	27	84	21	3.1	1.42
Crystal Palace	19	4	27	84	21	3.1	1.42
Wolverhampton	19	5	27	85	26	3.1	1.42
Fulham	20	5	29	112	25	3.9	1.45
Brentford	19	6	28	112	32	4.0	1.47
Leicester	19	6	33	90	32	2.7	1.74
Leeds	19	3	33	95	16	2.9	1.74
Nottingham	19	6	34	97	32	2.9	1.79
Southampton	19	1	34	80	5	2.4	1.79
Bournemouth	19	4	41	98	21	2.4	2.16

La Liga

Team	Games Played	Clean Sheets	Goals Conceded	Shots on Target Faced	clean sheets as % of the team’s all games	Shots on target needed to score against the team	Goals conceded per game
Barcelona	16	12	6	41	75	6.8	0.38
Real Madrid	16	3	16	59	19	3.7	1.00
Atletico Madrid	17	5	16	54	29	3.4	0.94
Villarreal	17	7	13	71	41	5.5	0.76
Real Sociedad	17	6	18	61	35	3.4	1.06
Betis	16	7	13	63	44	4.8	0.81
Athletic Bilbao	17	8	17	52	47	3.1	1.00
Valencia	16	3	18	64	19	3.6	1.13
Rayo Vallecano	17	6	20	64	35	3.2	1.18
Espanyol	17	2	26	75	12	2.9	1.53
Osasuna	17	6	16	56	35	3.5	0.94
Mallorca	17	6	16	59	35	3.7	0.94
Girona	17	0	27	72	0	2.7	1.59
Celta	17	5	28	70	29	2.5	1.65
Valladolid	17	3	25	74	18	3.0	1.47
Almeria	17	1	26	97	6	3.7	1.53
Getafe	17	6	24	81	35	3.4	1.41
Sevilla	17	1	26	91	6	3.5	1.53
Cadiz	17	5	28	101	29	3.6	1.65
Elche	17	0	35	109	0	3.1	2.06

Bundesliga

Team	Games Played	Clean Sheets	Goals Conceded	Shots on Target Faced	clean sheets as % of the team’s all games	Shots on target needed to score against the team	Goals conceded per game
Bayern Munich	15	6	13	52	40	4.0	0.87
Freiburg	15	8	17	65	53	3.8	1.13
Union Berlin	15	5	20	62	33	3.1	1.33
Wolfsburg	15	5	20	72	33	3.6	1.33
RB Leipzig	15	4	21	58	27	2.8	1.40
Borussia Dortmund	15	6	21	68	40	3.2	1.40
Hoffenheim	15	4	22	69	27	3.1	1.47
Hertha Berlin	15	2	22	63	13	2.9	1.47
Eintracht Frankfurt	15	2	24	57	13	2.4	1.60
Borussia Monchengladbach	15	3	24	90	20	3.8	1.60
Mainz	15	4	24	62	27	2.6	1.60
Bayer Leverkusen	15	4	26	71	27	2.7	1.73
Augsburg	15	2	26	98	13	3.8	1.73
Werder Bremen	15	2	27	82	13	3.0	1.80
Stuttgart	15	1	27	76	7	2.8	1.80
Koln	15	1	29	64	7	2.2	1.93
Schalke	15	2	32	89	13	2.8	2.13
Bochum	15	2	36	101	13	2.8	2.40

Serie A

Team	Games Played	Clean Sheets	Goals Conceded	Shots on Target Faced	clean sheets as % of the team’s all games	Shots on target needed to score against the team	Goals conceded per game
Napoli	18	7	14	49	39	3.5	0.78
Milan	18	4	20	63	22	3.2	1.11
Juventus	18	12	12	61	67	5.1	0.67
Inter	18	6	24	71	33	3.0	1.33
Lazio	18	10	15	58	56	3.9	0.83
Atalanta	18	6	20	62	33	3.1	1.11
Roma	18	6	16	54	33	3.4	0.89
Udinese	18	5	21	63	28	3.0	1.17
Torino	18	3	20	70	17	3.5	1.11
Fiorentina	18	4	24	61	22	2.5	1.33
Bologna	18	2	29	84	11	2.9	1.61
Monza	18	5	27	76	28	2.8	1.50
Lecce	18	2	20	77	11	3.9	1.11
Empoli	18	6	22	82	33	3.7	1.22
Spezia	18	3	28	96	17	3.4	1.56
Salernitana	18	3	35	109	17	3.1	1.94
Sassuolo	18	5	28	57	28	2.0	1.56
Sampdoria	18	2	31	91	11	2.9	1.72
Verona	18	1	31	97	6	3.1	1.72
Cremonese	18	3	32	106	17	3.3	1.78

Ligue 1

Team	Games Played	Clean Sheets	Goals Conceded	Shots on Target Faced	clean sheets as % of the team’s all games	Shots on target needed to score against the team	Goals conceded per game
PSG	19	10	14	69	53	4.9	0.74
Lens	19	9	13	64	47	4.9	0.68
Marseille	19	6	16	71	32	4.4	0.84
Monaco	19	6	26	101	32	3.9	1.37
Rennes	19	4	20	64	21	3.2	1.05
Lille	19	5	25	63	26	2.5	1.32
Lorient	19	3	29	98	16	3.4	1.53
Clermont Foot	19	4	27	91	21	3.4	1.42
Lyon	19	3	23	79	16	3.4	1.21
Nice	19	4	20	70	21	3.5	1.05
Reims	19	6	23	87	32	3.8	1.21
Toulouse	19	4	34	107	21	3.1	1.79
Nantes	19	6	24	91	32	3.8	1.26
Troyes	19	1	40	106	5	2.7	2.11
Montpellier	19	3	40	109	16	2.7	2.11
Strasbourg	19	1	34	104	5	3.1	1.79
Brest	19	2	34	100	11	2.9	1.79
Ajaccio	19	3	34	82	16	2.4	1.79
Auxerre	19	2	41	99	11	2.4	2.16
Angers	19	2	41	109	11	2.7	2.16

All 98 Teams

Team	Games Played	Clean Sheets	Goals Conceded	Shots on Target Faced	clean sheets as % of the team’s all games	Shots on target needed to score against the team	Goals conceded per game
Barcelona	16	12	6	41	75	6.8	0.38
Newcastle	19	11	11	64	58	5.8	0.58
Juventus	18	12	12	61	67	5.1	0.67
Lens	19	9	13	64	47	4.9	0.68
PSG	19	10	14	69	53	4.9	0.74
Villarreal	17	7	13	71	41	5.5	0.76
Arsenal	18	9	14	55	50	3.9	0.78
Napoli	18	7	14	49	39	3.5	0.78
Betis	16	7	13	63	44	4.8	0.81
Lazio	18	10	15	58	56	3.9	0.83
Marseille	19	6	16	71	32	4.4	0.84
Bayern Munich	15	6	13	52	40	4.0	0.87
Roma	18	6	16	54	33	3.4	0.89
Mallorca	17	6	16	59	35	3.7	0.94
Osasuna	17	6	16	56	35	3.5	0.94
Atletico Madrid	17	5	16	54	29	3.4	0.94
Athletic Bilbao	17	8	17	52	47	3.1	1.00
Manchester City	18	7	18	49	39	2.7	1.00
Real Madrid	16	3	16	59	19	3.7	1.00
Nice	19	4	20	70	21	3.5	1.05
Rennes	19	4	20	64	21	3.2	1.05
Real Sociedad	17	6	18	61	35	3.4	1.06
Chelsea	19	6	21	89	32	4.2	1.11
Atalanta	18	6	20	62	33	3.1	1.11
Milan	18	4	20	63	22	3.2	1.11
Torino	18	3	20	70	17	3.5	1.11
Lecce	18	2	20	77	11	3.9	1.11
Valencia	16	3	18	64	19	3.6	1.13
Freiburg	15	8	17	65	53	3.8	1.13
Manchester United	19	8	22	76	42	3.5	1.16
Udinese	18	5	21	63	28	3.0	1.17
Rayo Vallecano	17	6	20	64	35	3.2	1.18
Reims	19	6	23	87	32	3.8	1.21
Lyon	19	3	23	79	16	3.4	1.21
Empoli	18	6	22	82	33	3.7	1.22
Nantes	19	6	24	91	32	3.8	1.26
Lille	19	5	25	63	26	2.5	1.32
West Ham	19	3	25	82	16	3.3	1.32
Wolfsburg	15	5	20	72	33	3.6	1.33
Union Berlin	15	5	20	62	33	3.1	1.33
Inter	18	6	24	71	33	3.0	1.33
Fiorentina	18	4	24	61	22	2.5	1.33
Monaco	19	6	26	101	32	3.9	1.37
Everton	19	4	26	103	21	4.0	1.37
Brighton	18	5	25	69	28	2.8	1.39
Liverpool	18	4	25	88	22	3.5	1.39
Borussia Dortmund	15	6	21	68	40	3.2	1.40
RB Leipzig	15	4	21	58	27	2.8	1.40
Getafe	17	6	24	81	35	3.4	1.41
Tottenham	19	5	27	85	26	3.1	1.42
Wolverhampton	19	5	27	85	26	3.1	1.42
Clermont Foot	19	4	27	91	21	3.4	1.42
Aston Villa	19	4	27	84	21	3.1	1.42
Crystal Palace	19	4	27	84	21	3.1	1.42
Fulham	20	5	29	112	25	3.9	1.45
Hoffenheim	15	4	22	69	27	3.1	1.47
Hertha Berlin	15	2	22	63	13	2.9	1.47
Valladolid	17	3	25	74	18	3.0	1.47
Brentford	19	6	28	112	32	4.0	1.47
Monza	18	5	27	76	28	2.8	1.50
Lorient	19	3	29	98	16	3.4	1.53
Espanyol	17	2	26	75	12	2.9	1.53
Almeria	17	1	26	97	6	3.7	1.53
Sevilla	17	1	26	91	6	3.5	1.53
Sassuolo	18	5	28	57	28	2.0	1.56
Spezia	18	3	28	96	17	3.4	1.56
Girona	17	0	27	72	0	2.7	1.59
Mainz	15	4	24	62	27	2.6	1.60
Borussia Monchengladbach	15	3	24	90	20	3.8	1.60
Eintracht Frankfurt	15	2	24	57	13	2.4	1.60
Bologna	18	2	29	84	11	2.9	1.61
Celta	17	5	28	70	29	2.5	1.65
Cadiz	17	5	28	101	29	3.6	1.65
Sampdoria	18	2	31	91	11	2.9	1.72
Verona	18	1	31	97	6	3.1	1.72
Bayer Leverkusen	15	4	26	71	27	2.7	1.73
Augsburg	15	2	26	98	13	3.8	1.73
Leicester	19	6	33	90	32	2.7	1.74
Leeds	19	3	33	95	16	2.9	1.74
Cremonese	18	3	32	106	17	3.3	1.78
Nottingham	19	6	34	97	32	2.9	1.79
Toulouse	19	4	34	107	21	3.1	1.79
Ajaccio	19	3	34	82	16	2.4	1.79
Brest	19	2	34	100	11	2.9	1.79
Strasbourg	19	1	34	104	5	3.1	1.79
Southampton	19	1	34	80	5	2.4	1.79
Werder Bremen	15	2	27	82	13	3.0	1.80
Stuttgart	15	1	27	76	7	2.8	1.80
Koln	15	1	29	64	7	2.2	1.93
Salernitana	18	3	35	109	17	3.1	1.94
Elche	17	0	35	109	0	3.1	2.06
Montpellier	19	3	40	109	16	2.7	2.11
Troyes	19	1	40	106	5	2.7	2.11
Schalke	15	2	32	89	13	2.8	2.13
Bournemouth	19	4	41	98	21	2.4	2.16
Angers	19	2	41	109	11	2.7	2.16
Auxerre	19	2	41	99	11	2.4	2.16
Bochum	15	2	36	101	13	2.8	2.40