The best and worst defences in Europe’s top 5 leagues

Written by Paul Kemp

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 23, 2025

We have already passed the halfway point in Europe’s top five leagues — the Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga, Serie A, and Ligue 1. With title races heating up and relegation battles intensifying, Sportingpedia, inspired by Sir Alex Ferguson’s famous quote, “Attack wins you games, defence wins you titles” set out to identify the best and worst defences in Europe’s top 5 leagues. To do this, we analyzed the number of league matches each team has played and their total goals conceded to calculate their average goals conceded per game. Notably, four Spanish clubs rank among the top 10 defences, while Ligue 1 boasts six teams in the top 20. It comes as little surprise that Atletico Madrid and Napoli top the rankings for best defences, conceding just 0.65 and 0.67 goals per match, respectively. However, the standout inclusion is Real Sociedad, occupying the third spot – a testament to their defensive resilience despite not being title contenders. The report also reveals the 10 clubs who concede more than 2 goals per game on average, including 3 representatives from the Premier League, Ligue 1, and the Bundesliga and 1 from Serie A.

Key Takeaways:

• Atletico Madrid (0.65 goals per match) and Napoli (0.67 goals per match) boast the best defensive records in Europe’s top 5 leagues
• Despite being 7th in La Liga, Real Sociedad has the third-best defence in Europe, conceding just 0.70 goals per game
• Getafe (16th in La Liga, 0.85), Lens (7th in Ligue 1, 1.00), and Milan (8th in Serie A, 1.05) demonstrate remarkable defensive resilience despite their mid-table standings
• Six Italian, five Spanish, and five French clubs feature among Europe’s best 20 defences, only 1 German
• Holstein Kiel holds the worst defensive record across Europe’s top 5 leagues and is the only team conceding more than 2.5 goals per game
• Wolfsburg, Freiburg, Werder Bremen, Brest, and Brentford surprisingly rank among the worst defences, despite their relatively high positions in the league standings
• Six Premier League sides among the 20 worst defences in Europe’s top 5 leagues
• 10 teams concede more than 2 goals per game on average
• Best defences in the Premier League: Liverpool, Arsenal, Nottingham Forest
• Best defences in La Liga: Atletico Madrid, Real Sociedad, Getafe
• Best defences in Serie A: Napoli, Juventus, Inter
• Best defences in Bundesliga: Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt
• Best defences in Ligue 1: PSG, Lille, Lens
• Worst defences in the Premier League: Wolverhampton, Southampton, Leicester
• Worst defences in La Liga: Valladolid, Las Palmas, Alaves and Espanyol
• Worst defences in Serie A: Verona, Lecce, Parma
• Worst defences in Bundesliga: Holstein Kiel, Bochum, Heidenheim

It is no surprise that teams like Napoli (0.67 goals conceded per match), Bayern Munich (0.83), Real Madrid (1.00), Atletico Madrid (0.65), Inter (0.90), PSG (0.89), Arsenal (0.95), Liverpool (0.95), and Nottingham Forest (1.00) — all occupying top positions or competitive spots in their respective leagues—boast exceptional defensive records. Their solid backlines have played a crucial role in securing their positions at or near the top of the table. These teams combine defensive stability with strong offensive capabilities, creating a balanced approach that has kept them competitive both domestically and in European competitions.

However, the real standout defensive performers come from teams positioned lower in the standings. Real Sociedad (7th in La Liga, 0.70), Getafe (16th in La Liga, 0.85), and Athletic Club (4th in La Liga, 0.90) deserve special mention for their impressive defensive organization. Real Sociedad, in particular, has the third-best defensive record in Europe, conceding just 0.70 goals per match. However, their struggles in scoring have likely cost them higher placement in La Liga. Similarly, Lens (7th in Ligue 1, 1.00), Toulouse (7th in Ligue 1, 1.06) Juventus (5th in Serie A, 0.81), Fiorentina (6th in Serie A, 1.05), Milan (8th in Serie A, 1.05) showcase remarkable defensive stability but remain outside the top four. These teams appear to have issues converting their defensive efforts into victories, suggesting that their offensive output might need improvement. Getafe’s defensive record, at 0.85 goals per match despite being 16th in La Liga, is particularly noteworthy. It highlights a team that excels at containing opponents but struggles offensively, leaving room for improvement to climb the standings.

The teams with the worst defences in Europe’s top 5 leagues are primarily those occupying positions in the lower half of their respective standings. Holstein Kiel (17th in the Bundesliga, 2.56 goals conceded per match), Montpellier (18th in Ligue 1, 2.39), Wolverhampton (17th in the Premier League, 2.32), Southampton (20th in the Premier League, 2.27), Verona (18th in Serie A, 2.24), Bochum (18th in the Bundesliga, 2.22), Leicester (19th in the Premier League, 2.18), Heidenheim (16th in the Bundesliga, 2.11), St. Etienne (16th in Ligue 1, 2.11), and Le Havre (17th in Ligue 1, 2.06) all feature among the most defensively vulnerable sides. These are the 10 teams across Europe’s top 5 leagues who concede more than 2 goals per game on average. Similarly, Valladolid (20th in La Liga, 1.95) and Ipswich Town (18th in the Premier League, 1.95) find themselves at the bottom of their leagues due to their inability to contain opposition attacks.

Surprisingly, some higher-ranked teams also feature among the worst defences. Wolfsburg (7th in the Bundesliga, 1.78), Freiburg (8th in the Bundesliga, 1.89), Werder Bremen (9th in the Bundesliga, 1.89), and Brest (9th in Ligue 1, 1.72) all rank within the top half of their respective leagues despite conceding goals at a high rate. Brentford (11th in the Premier League, 1.77) and Augsburg (12th in the Bundesliga, 1.83) also demonstrate weaker defensive records than expected for mid-table sides, highlighting vulnerabilities that could affect their standings if not addressed.

Premier League

League leaders Liverpool and runners-up Arsenal boast identical defensive records, conceding an average of 0.95 goals per match this season. Mirroring the league standings, Nottingham Forest holds the third-best defence in the Premier League, allowing exactly 1 goal per game. While it is no surprise to see Liverpool and Arsenal at the top, the presence of Nuno Espirito Santo’s team among those with best defences highlights their reliance on defensive solidity rather than luck, which has been key to their success.

Southampton, sitting at the bottom of the table in 20th place, faces the highest relegation risk due to their porous backline, which concedes 2.27 goals per match. However, they are not the Premier League’s worst defensive performers. Wolverhampton, conceding 2.32 goals per game, maintains a precarious position above the relegation zone. Leicester City completes the trio, averaging 2.18 goals conceded per match, making them the only other team in the league to concede more than 2 goals per game.

La Liga

Atletico Madrid, under Diego Simeone, continues to excel defensively and leads Europe’s top five leagues with the best defensive record, conceding just 13 goals in 20 matches—an average of 0.65 goals per game. Surprisingly, Real Sociedad holds the second-best defence in La Liga and the third overall in Europe’s top leagues, conceding only 14 goals. Despite their strong defensive performances, Sociedad’s league position suffers due to their lower goal-scoring numbers. Another Basque side, Athletic Bilbao, claims the third-best defence in La Liga, further emphasizing the region’s defensive strength.

At the bottom end of La Liga’s defensive rankings, Valladolid struggles the most, conceding 39 goals in 20 matches — an average of 1.95 goals per game. Unsurprisingly, they sit in 20th place, facing relegation. Las Palmas, despite sitting higher in 14th place, has also faced defensive challenges, allowing 33 goals in 20 games, for the second worse rate in La Liga, conceding 1.65 goals per match. Alaves and Espanyol, both conceding 32 goals (1.6 per match), find themselves in precarious positions, with Espanyol in the relegation zone at 18th and Alaves just above it in 17th.

Serie A

Napoli boasts the best defence in Serie A and the second-best across Europe’s top 5 leagues, conceding only 14 goals in 21 matches for an impressive average of 0.67 goals per game. This defensive strength has been a cornerstone of their campaign as league leaders. Juventus follows with 17 goals conceded in 21 matches, averaging 0.81 goals per game. Inter secures the third spot, allowing 18 goals across 20 matches, with a solid average of 0.9 goals per game. These teams’ defensive consistency has kept them at the top end of the table.

Verona has the most porous defence in Serie A, conceding 47 goals in 21 matches for a troubling average of 2.24 goals per game. Parma and Lecce share the second-worst defensive record, with both teams conceding 36 goals across 21 matches for an average of 1.71 goals per game. These defensive vulnerabilities have left them in a precarious position near the relegation zone.

Bundesliga

Bayern Munich boasts the best defensive record in the Bundesliga, conceding just 15 goals in 18 matches, averaging 0.83 goals per match. This solid defensive performance complements their dominance at the top of the league. Bayer Leverkusen and Eintracht Frankfurt follow with identical defensive records, each conceding 24 goals in 18 matches, translating to 1.33 goals per game. These teams occupy the top three positions in the standings, demonstrating the correlation between defensive strength and overall success.

Holstein Kiel has the most porous defence in the Bundesliga, conceding 46 goals in 18 matches, averaging a league-high 2.56 goals per game. Bochum, sitting at the bottom of the table, has the second-worst record, allowing 40 goals for an average of 2.22 goals per match. Heidenheim completes the bottom three, conceding 38 goals in 18 matches, with a rate of 2.11 goals per game. Unsurprisingly, these three teams occupy the relegation zone, highlighting the impact of defensive frailties on league position.

Ligue 1

Paris Saint-Germain leads Ligue 1 with the best defensive record, conceding just 16 goals in 18 matches, an average of 0.89 goals per game. This defensive solidity underpins their position at the top of the table. Lille follows closely, allowing 17 goals in the same number of matches for an average of 0.94 goals per game, making them one of the most disciplined defensive units in the league. Lens completes the top three, conceding 18 goals in 18 matches, maintaining a consistent rate of 1 goal per match.

Montpellier has the leakiest defence in Ligue 1, conceding 43 goals in 18 matches for an alarming rate of 2.39 goals per game. Le Havre is not far behind, allowing 37 goals for an average of 2.06 goals per game. St. Etienne rounds out the bottom three, conceding 38 goals across 18 matches, averaging 2.11 goals per game. These defensive frailties explain why these teams are fighting to avoid relegation.

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