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Top Ten Highest Point Earners In Europe So Far This Season

Top Ten Highest Point Earners In Europe So Far This Season

The list means that Lionel Messi's hat-trick against Real Betis is worth two points as without it Barcelona would have drawn.

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

We've been having a lot of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo debate in the last few days but according to the stats neither of them is top of the list of highest point earners for their club this season.

Cristiano Ronaldo's hat-trick for Juventus last week rightly stole a lot of headlines. The Old Lady looked like they might crash out of the Champions League at the last 16 stage. Not a good look for the team that spent £90 odd million to sign a player to help win the competition, or for the player.

Thanks to his three goals though the Italian champions lived to fight another day and Ronaldo still has the chance of winning it for four years in a row and equalling Clarence Seedorf's record of winning it with three clubs.

On Sunday Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick of his own. It might not have been under the pressure of Champions League elimination but it was done with such quality that it's one of the best ever hat-tricks.

However as good as the Argentine's effort was it, in theory, only earned his team two points. Without it Barca still would have drawn thanks to Luis Suarez brilliant solo effort in the 4-1 win.

It's another example of Messi not winning all the points for his team and neither he or Ronaldo are top of the charts when it comes to that, as per WhoScored:

Lille's Nicholas Pepe is the most valuable player in Europe's top five. Image: WhoScored.
Lille's Nicholas Pepe is the most valuable player in Europe's top five. Image: WhoScored.

Lille's Nicolas Pepe's 17 goals and eight assists have helped the club rise to second in Ligue 1 and he's earned them 25 points, or 44% of their total.

Messi has the same amount of assists and goals combined as Eden Hazard but his effort is worth five percent less than the Blues forward, further proof they must keep hold of him in the summer.

Hazard is extremely important to Chelsea. Image: PA Images
Hazard is extremely important to Chelsea. Image: PA Images

Interestingly Ronaldo's goals and assists put him on just 23% of Juventus' points, as they lead Serie A by 15 points from Napoli.

Having won the Italian league for the previous seven seasons though the former Real Madrid forward was never brought to the club to help win domestic trophies really so it won't worry the Turin club too much at all.

Which player's club could least do without them?

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: Football News, Eden Hazard, Serie A, Ligue 1, Lionel Messi, Premier League, Cristiano Ronaldo, La Liga, Bundesliga